Having a clear path for leadership development is essential for any church. And that includes laying out clear steps for every candidate to take. Sometimes having a sample helps, not necessarily as a “do it this way” prescription but as a “here is an example” description. Pictures help us not to start from scratch. This is an example of how Pearlside Church in Hawaii  - the Church I founded in 1994 and handed over in 2022 — does it. Ponder, tweak, revise and refine so that it can better fit your church culture if necessary, wherever you are. I can assure you my successors will continue to do just that.

ESTABLISH THE LEADERSHIP PROSPECT THROUGH REGULAR PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP.

  • Use the 121 book to establish immediate foundation.

  • Lead them into Freedom Weekend classes to address strongholds and generational issues.

  • Use the Purpose Driven Life book to strengthen their daily walk.

  • Use the Purple Book to infuse basic doctrine.

  • Use other pertinent resources deemed most relevant.

  • Walk them through the  discipleship curriculum and classes.

  • Lead them into water baptism.

  • Lead them into encountering the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

CONNECT THEM TO A SMALL GROUP.

  • Immerse them into this climate where joint prayer and processing scripture are focal points.

  • Cultivate humility, transparency, and the ability to connect with others.

  • Help them to grow through receiving and sharing support and accountability.

  • Help them to grow in reaching out to those who don’t yet know Jesus.

INVITE THEM TO SERVE IN AN AREA OF MINISTRY.

  • Look for faithfulness and consistency.

  • Look for diligence and dependability.

  • Look for the ability to follow well.

  • Look for the ability to get along with others well.

  • Look for an ability to invite others to serve.

  • Gather input from the overseeing ministry director and debrief.

ALLOW THEM TO FUNCTION AS A SMALL GROUP APPRENTICE.

  • Train them in all functions of a small group leader.

  • Give them opportunity to apply group leadership skills.

  • Develop, deploy, and debrief (see the guide: “Developing Leadership Pipelines”)

  • Clustering one larger group into smaller circles is a suggested strategy.

TRANSITION THEM INTO BECOMING A SMALL GROUP LEADER.

  • Consider succession: The original leader leaves to start a new group, bequeathing full leadership to the newly trained leader.

  • Consider branching : The newly trained leader leaves with half the group to create a separate one.

  • Consider planting: The newly trained leader leaves to start a brand new group with a brand new people group. This is most suited to those with a gatherer’s or entrepreneurial wiring.

WALK THEM INTO BECOMING A SMALL GROUP COACH.

  • Work with them to develop new leaders in preparation for growth. (Again see the guide: “Developing  Leadership Pipelines”

  • This is where they learn to become leaders of leaders.

  • Enroll them into the Leadership 215 course which covers  leadership, discipleship, missiology,  and theology.

  • Direct fruit-bearing high school and college students into formal training for full-time campus ministry.

AS FRUIT INCREASES, BRING THEM ONTO PART-TIME STAFF IF AND WHEN APPROPRIATE.

  • Guide them into an appropriate internship track for apprentice style training.

  • For students this would relate specifically to campus ministry.

AS GROWTH PROGRESSES, BRING THEM ONTO FULL-TIME STAFF IF AND WHEN APPROPRIATE.

  • Note: Some leaders may prefer to maintain a bi-vocational status at least for a season. This can prove to be an effective entry into vocational ministry.

  • The example of Paul who was a tent maker along with a church history littered with bi-vocational ministers endorse and validate the place of  bi-vocational ministers.

  • As the church grows, it usually becomes more evident that transitioning into full time vocational status becomes necessary. However, some choose to remain bi-vocational, a path Paul himself prioritized through much of his journey. Both pathways should be celebrated.

As their capacity develops, their passion grows and their calling becomes clearer guide them into more specific pathways. This may include broader vision driven areas such as:

  • Campus or next generation ministry

  • Site starting

  • Church planting

  • Overseas missions