When I served as a Resource Minister for our Region I frequently heard complaints about the lack of leaders in many of the churches I served. Sometimes it was an issue with the quantity of leaders while others complained about the quality of the leaders in their churches. However, I noticed few of these churches did anything except complain. They offered no training for their current leaders and no training for potential future leaders.
During my life I have worked a number of different jobs as a bivocational minister. In every one of those jobs there was training. As an electrician in the Navy I had to be trained to qualify to stand switchgear watch aboard the carrier I was assigned to. In the various jobs I had while working in the factory I had to be trained for each job I had. Although I began my ministry with no education beyond high school, I soon enrolled in a Bible school to learn how to better serve my church, and I continued that education until completing my doctorate. When I decided to become an auctioneer I had to fulfill 80 hours of classroom instruction and pass an exam to be licensed. But, what training do we offer those who serve in our churches?
We ask someone to teach a class. In many churches the person is handed a teacher's book and told where their classroom is located. But, how many churches provide training for that teacher? We ask someone to serve as a deacon or elder, and we tell them when the meetings are held. What training is ever offered them? In many churches, the answer is none. In most smaller churches the youth leaders are volunteers. Are they ever provided with the training they need to do a good job? Young people today have a host of challenges that many of us never faced growing up, and our volunteer youth workers often feel overwhelmed. They deserve our support and the best training we can offer. We ask people to serve in our churches and fail to provide them with any training and then complain when they don't do a good job. This needs to end.
There are many ways to provide leadership training today. Churches can find good training programs on video or in published materials. As a bivocational pastor of a small, rural church I led on-going training for our Sunday school teachers using some books produced by a denominational publishing house. I offered deacon training for our deacons, and led several similar training events for the deacons in the churches I served as a Resource Minister. There are often seminars and training opportunities offered that you can take advantage of. The church should pay for these events for their leaders and potential leaders. it's an investment in the future of your church.
Every church needs a leadership pipeline where potential leaders are identified and trained so they are ready when needed. How much time does your church leaders spend trying to identify such persons. If you wait until new leaders are needed, it's too late. Identify them now, train them now, and they'll be ready when needed.
One final note: don't forget about your pastoral leadership. They need ongoing training as well. Every church should have continuing education funds available for their pastor. Many corporations pay for coaches for their CEOs and other senior leaders. This is a good model for churches to follow. I'm currently serving as a mentor for a young pastor to help him navigate the transition into a larger church than he has served in the past. His church wants him to succeed and is willing to invest in him to make that happen.
If a church complains about a lack of qualified leaders, they are usually admitting they have failed to raise up the leaders they need. Instead of complaining, let's begin to identify those God has called to leadership in the church and begin equipping them for that work.
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