Ministry & Church Management:  Finding and Picking Leaders

You can’t make eagles out of turkeys. It’s too common for leaders to start out with trying to make leaders out of their closest friends, and other people whom they like. Just because the person is pleasant and is a friend of a leader does not mean he or she has leadership potential. Where a lot of leaders miss the boat is trying to make eagles out of turkeys. They try to sit on eggs and try to hatch them. If a person won't pay the price for being a servant leader or stops paying the price, you need to move on to someone else who will.

Don’t over help, and don’t “handhold.” A leader fails when he or she goes and does the job for the person he or she is trying to lead. They say they’ll come by and mow the grass and then they don’t show up. So you do it. Sure you may HAVE to do it once, just so it will look nice for Sunday.

But next time, either they do it, or you  get someone else. You can’t do YOUR calling well, if you’re fulfilling the calling of someone else who won't fulfill theirs.   If you are more concerned about that person making it than he or she is, you need to move on and help somebody else. Never “over help” anybody.  You can't raise them from the dead. While you're trying to resuscitate them, and beating on their heart to get them to live, all you're going to do is hurt them. They’ll end up resenting you, dropping out and even bad mouthing you and the ministry. You end up doing it all for someone who will never do, no matter what. Plus, you ultimately hurt them in the process. 

Your calling is to serve the most to the many, not to wear yourself out on the one who is never going to produce. Sure, you have to develop your leaders, and yes, it takes time. But there have to be some SOLID, measurable indicators of fruitfulness.

When the fig tree didn’t even have the buds or flowers, didn’t even have a good beginning, He knew it would never bear fruit. At the most, Jesus put a three season limit on working with those who aren’t producing fruit for the Kingdom. Dung around the roots for three seasons and if there is no fruit, remove it from your vineyard, it is draining the nourishment out of your soil. At that point, it is a liability to your work, not an asset.

You may have to weed your garden so it can produce the fruit it's capable of.

Copyright Steven L. Davis  www.SteveDavis.org