Mike got into student ministry because he loved Jesus, loved teenagers, and wanted to disciple students to live Christ-centered lives. As he stood before his group of volunteer leaders with a handful of weighty ministry decisions and the people in the room waiting for him to lead, he wondered how he went from his simple vision for serving as a youth pastor to the weight he felt of leading a team. The one thing he knew in that moment was that he felt severely unprepared to lead in the way his people needed him to lead.
While Mike isn’t a real person and his student ministry has been made up, the pressure he feels to lead as a pastor is not. I often find full-time church staff members who feel untrained or ill-equipped for their role. When this is the case…
- They fail to lead with confidence
- They make leadership mistakes that could have easily been avoided
- They function more like doers than developers
- They struggle to equip others in leadership because they haven’t been equipped
These reasons (and others like them) are why I wrote Leading a Department in the Discipling Leaders book series. If you want to see your staff team’s confidence, competency, and character grow, then this book is for you.
Each chapter is a training module you can use to disciple (mentor) your staff toward their leadership potential. Each chapter contains a character development study, a competency evaluation tool and practical content to help them grow in their leadership. Your staff will also be challenged to put what they are learning into practice by choosing one or more of the assignments from the “Put it Into Practice” section.
The chapters include the following topics:
Module 1: Personal Development
- Character: Self-Awareness – Leaders are keenly aware and honest about how their emotional and behavioral tendencies impact those around them.
- Competency: Personal Development – Continuously pursue learning opportunities to gain new insights and wisdom that enable them to grow in character and leadership competencies
Module 2: Time Management
- Character: Self-Discipline – Leaders yield to the Holy Spirit making the right decisions despite their emotions and temptations.
- Competency: Time Management – Steward time in a wise manner that minimizes distractions and maximizes personal contribution to the organization’s mission.
Module 3: Decision Making
- Character: Discernment – Leaders recognize and respond to the presence and activity of God.
- Competency: Making Decisions– Weigh a variety of options to make a prayerful, wise choice that reflects God’s desired outcome.
Module 4: Communication
- Character: Authenticity – A leader acknowledges they are a broken and imperfect leader while trusting God’s grace and His Spirit to conform them to the image of Christ.
- Competency: Communication – Communicate clearly so others understand and take the appropriate action
Module 5: Coaching Others
- Character: Genuine Love – Leaders respond in a patient, caring and honest manner to those with whom they interact.
- Competency: Coaching Others – Guide an individual through a thought process to discover insights and action steps that lead to further development in their life and leadership.
Module 6: Leading Meetings
- Character: Zeal – A leader demonstrates an enthusiastic commitment to that which God has called them to accomplish.
- Competency:Lead Meetings – Plan and lead highly engaging meetings that enhance the team’s productivity and unity.
You can purchase copies of Leading a Department for your staff by clicking here.
