Sometimes when we church leader types get together to talk about emerging leaders – young adults who have some interest in church leadership – it could just as easily be a secular business discussion about pipeline staffing or talent development. These aren’t bad things, and they serve the business world well, but is this the best way for Jesus’ Church to think about emerging leaders?
At other times, we can view young leaders as extensions of our ministries: a way to prolong and extend our influence. We may even see up-and-coming leaders as solidifying our legacies. We often do this out of a deep desire to be faithful to our own calling and the vision God has given us, but is this a healthy way to think about the emerging leadership of others?
In our most desperate moments, emerging leaders can become a way for our tired hearts, minds, and bodies to finally catch a break. I’ve seen pastors latch onto a gifted young leader like a drowning person clinging to a life ring. I think we can agree this isn’t the ideal way to approach emerging leaders.
These ways of thinking about new, young leaders can cause us to lose sight of the essential Imago Dei in each one of them. They’re not resources to be deployed, a means to further our mission, or the way to finally offload some of our work. They’re not even the answer to declining church attendance. They’re human beings deeply loved by a good and gracious God who is wooing them into a life-giving relationship and inviting them into a ministry that may or may not have anything to do with us.
To shepherd them in their journey with Jesus is a sacred trust we’ve been given, and it should be sobering. With this in mind, how might we best approach emerging leaders?
Get to know them. Leadership is all about relationships. Get to know them apart from their potential as a leader. What’s their favorite music? How many siblings do they have? What are their dreams? What’s their faith journey been like so far?
Relax. If every encounter with emerging leaders is about church leadership, you can unintentionally make them feel like a cog in your machine. Keep an open and curious mind about what God is doing in their life.
Shepherd them. Help them grow in their relationship with God, stay open to their questions, and allow them to discern God’s will for themselves. Remain open-handed, acknowledging that God may be calling them to something other than your ministry.
This last part is often the hardest, where we’re tempted to nudge discernment toward our vision for the emerging leaders in our orbit. But if you stay faithful in helping them discern God’s invitation whatever it may be, then you’re likely to be given the opportunity again. And again. The servant who is faithful with a little will be given more!
To continue this discussion, join me and Sierra Glaser, my Emerging Leaders Cohort co-leader, at Leadership Institute 2024. We’re each leading Pre-Conference Workshops and would be honored to sit with anyone who wants to talk about emerging leaders. We’d love to see you there!
David Andersen serves as the Leadership Development and Mentoring Ministry Program Director for all Resurrection locations. He is a life-long Kansas City native, has been married over 30 years, and has two adult sons. He loves composing music, learning new things, writing, reading, and creating spaces where people can encounter God.