The Church in North America has bought into the idea of the superstar leader, and our culture is fascinated by “celebrity.” We are fixated on the charismatic celebrity pastor or youth pastor. However, there’s a dark side.
In Episode One, Craig Etheredge (President of discipleFIRST) and Glenn Underhill (Executive Director of discipleFIRST) engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the crucial role disciple-making leaders play within the church. They emphasize the importance of rejecting the superstar mentality, which focuses on charismatic leaders, and instead advocate for leaders who prioritize their relationship with Jesus and invest intentionally in the lives of others. This approach creates genuine disciples and ministry leaders who can multiply the movement.
Drawing inspiration from Jesus’ model of selecting ordinary, teachable disciples and investing in them to change the world, Craig and Glenn highlight the significance of leading from the overflow of one’s own walk with Christ. They underscore the potential for exponential growth that comes from investing in disciples.
Throughout the episode, the hosts define a disciple-making leader as someone who values the development of others and the multiplication of the movement rather than seeking celebrity status. They encourage listeners to shift their focus from being a superstar to become a disciple-making leader who serves and invests in others. Using the metaphor of an apple with seeds, Craig and Glenn illustrate the multiplying effect that arises when one person’s investment in disciples produces infinite leaders.
This introductory episode lays the foundation for the topic, and future episodes will delve into practical ways to develop and train disciple-making leaders. Join Craig and Glenn on this transformative journey and discover the power of true leadership within the world of ministry.
Overview
00:02:49 Superstar leaders in the church – problem/solutions.
00:06:28 Church leaders depending on superstar talent hurts growth.
00:07:21 Hire from within for disciple making culture.
00:10:52 Jesus chose untrained apostles from laborers.
00:13:38 Neglecting spiritual practices amid urgent pressures.
00:17:42 Paul lists 21 names, ready to die.
00:20:02 Creating disciples who make disciples; legacy.
00:23:25 Superstar craves attention, disciple-making leader serves others.
00:27:33 Jesus invests in disciples for multiplication.
00:30:02 Multiplying disciple-making leaders for advancing Kingdom.
00:34:45 Changing church leadership model; upcoming practicality.
00:36:37 Podcast hopes to help leaders make disciples.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think people are drawn to charismatic and over-the-top leaders?
- What are some examples of superstar leaders that you have seen in your own life or in the world?
- How do you think churches can shift their focus towards developing disciple-making leaders?
- What are some practical steps a church can take to become a disciple-making community?
- How can people tell the difference between a superstar leader and a disciple-making leader?
- How can disciple-making leaders make sure that their work will have a lasting impact beyond their own lifetime?
- Why do you think some leaders struggle with prioritizing personal relationship with Jesus over professional success?
- What can we do to encourage and support disciple-making leaders in our communities?
- How can we hold one another accountable for investing in others and helping them grow as disciples?
- What are some challenges you’ve faced in developing habits of Bible study and prayer, and how did you overcome them?
