It’s time to rethink how we slice up our leadership pie.
Every church leader I know wants their church to flourish into the future. And, practically speaking, we want to see our congregation’s next generation of young leaders thrive, learn, grow and lead. We long for churches filled with God-inspired optimism and inspiring young leaders.
Reality, however, often falls short. It is rare to find a church growing stronger with each new generation, one that has younger and older leaders serving side-by-side. Even in churches fortunate enough to welcome a young pastor or an exciting young volunteer, these individuals often find themselves carrying the mantle of the next generation alone. In your church, when you imagine a church committee meeting, do picture a wide range of leaders at the table, or perhaps something more uniform? If we all want to see new young leaders thrive in our churches, what is holding us back?
Let’s reframe the issue. Rather than tackling the “problem” by divvying up our proverbial leadership pie in a new way, let’s envision a new approach to church leadership altogether. Imagine, for instance, a church where older members feel valued AND they put that value to work more generously – not by holding onto power themselves, but by finding joy in elevating younger leaders. Imagine your church having a leadership multiplication model that effectively honors the tested wisdom and experience of elders while also making intentional space for the creativity of new leaders, with each generation showing respect and trust toward the other.
Leadership of young people is an opportunity to be lived into, not a problem to be solved. Tackling a “problem” looks like pulling seats away from one group to offer them to another group. Tackling the problem forces a choice between generations. As a leader in another church once described to me, approaching the question as a problem feels like choosing which people must be “kicked to the curb.”
Here are a few alternative recommendations to consider:
Rotate Committee Leadership
How different is your leadership roster today than it was in 2015? 2000? 1985? 1970? Does your church practice healthy rotation of committee positions? If not, consider a pattern where leaders complete their terms with an expectation they will serve in a new opportunity before potentially returning to the same role. But wait, doesn’t this just kick experienced leaders to the proverbial curb? No, quite the opposite. It moves leaders beyond a rinse-and-repeat cycle and allows for moments of celebration and recognition, and the healthy practice of a proper leadership hand-off. And, from the church’s perspective, it naturally makes room for balance between the wisdom of long-time leaders and the wisdom of new perspectives. Also, you may just find that your most experienced leaders have newfound time and energy and start new ministries rather than becoming satisfied with occupying the same committees year after year. At Resurrection, our standard practice is for elected leaders not to immediately succeed themselves on any committee, but instead to serve a three-year voting term before being celebrated and turning positively toward another form of leadership.
Make Space at The Table
Set a churchwide priority to broaden your leadership base in a genuine way, so young people are meaningfully involved in the church’s key decisions. At Resurrection, this looks like an intentional decision we’ve practiced for more than 20 years to prioritize the age diversity of decision-making bodies. Our Nominations Committee, for instance, sets an expectation that they will nominate people across generations to each committee. They do that by aiming to fill every incoming class on every committee with one person 35 years or younger, one person between 35-55, and one person age 55+. This pattern is a standard, not an iron-clad rule, but it is a measurable commitment designed to invest in leadership across all generations.
Cast Clear Vision for Young People to Lead, in the Present
Five years ago, Resurrection made a congregational commitment to “close the generational gap” by reaching new young people and equipping a new cadre of leaders. The commitment was public and compelling, and it is championed by the church’s most senior leaders. To be clear, this isn’t about slotting young leaders into token roles, nor is it about the possibility of young people leading someday in the future. Young leaders at Resurrection know they have influence, and that their passion and voices are vitally important. They have a seat at the table, and they are expected to accomplish big things today.
Is it time to re-imagine your leadership practices and make meaningful space for young people to lead your congregation? If you dream about it, why not make it happen?!
Dan Entwistle is our Senior Executive Director at Resurrection. He has been part of the church since its earliest days and recently celebrated his 33rd anniversary on staff. Dan serves in the church’s “second chair” position, supporting the Senior Pastor and supervising the church’s Executive Team and Location Pastors. He and his wife Emma and kids live in Stilwell, Kansas.