Take Young Leaders Seriously

I have been thinking about leadership and how we in the church choose leaders. I have seen a couple of models demonstrated and in reality, I think a combination of the two models is best. The two models are seminary trained leadership and raising up leadership from within. Seminary training with no practical experince opens someone to a lot of risk. What if you go through seven years (or more) of education to find out that you really are not cut out for it? Then there are those who are gifted but have not taken set aside the time to study. They need to pursue study. Hands on training combined with seminary is prefered.

Something on my heart lately is that a congregation needs to be trained how to raise up leadership. Here is what I would think is 10 ideas that I think might be helpful:

1. Identify who future leaders are and encourage them
2. Validate young leaders by listening to them
3. Take young leaders seriously
4. Give appropriate responsibility
5. Allow young leaders room to make a few mistakes while learning
6. State to them what you see as to how they are gifted
7. Let them know how they have blessed you
8. Don't make them wait till later to start ministering, you will never get there
9. Share a meal with them
10. Play a sport or game with them

Comments

Unknown said…
As a young leader within my church who has been discipled and nurtured into that role this is something that is on my heart a lot as well. Knowing that I have personally benefited from people taking this kind of interest in my life has certainly spurred me on to taking similar interests in others lives. A church that can rise up leaders who can rise up other leaders and not followers is a blessed church indeed. Thanks for reminding me to be so thankful of the mentors that have blessed my life.
2:36 PM
An exceptional being said…
I like what you are saying. I think that one of the reasons some of the youth are so well equiped are because they have had some one teach them how to lead. It´s like that psycology paper I wrote.

Teenagers are starting to develope independent thinking abilitys. They are starting to make life descisions for them selves. Parents need to help their children develope these abilities by doing a crawl, walk, run.

The same needs to be done in the church. Jesus did it with his disciples and we need to walk in his foot steps.
10:30 AM
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