The leadership pipeline
In Raising Up Church Planters, Glenn Smith, examines a number of effective models for growing pioneering leaders. One is based on the GE model of a leadership pipeline.
The leadership pipeline model provides a system for always having the leaders you need. The model entails a series of passages that come with very specific values, compulsory skills, and time requirements.
Here's just one example of how the concept has been applied to growing future leaders by Crossbridge Church.
1. From Group or Team Member to Group/Team Leader
Skills required include:
- enlisting others into a group
- facilitating group meetings
- sharing a gospel testimony
2. From Group/Team Leader to Group/Team Coach
Skills required include:
- growing a group,
- selecting and developing a new leader (e.g. an apprentice), and
- multiplying a group
3. From Group/Team Coach to Divisional/Missional Leader
Skills required include:
- integration—the realization that everything we do is mission and values driven
- planning and execution
- developing leaders and building teams
4. From Divisional/Missional Leader to Lead Pastor
This Lead Pastor may be a Church Planter, a Campus Pastor, or a Lead Pastor in another church.
Skills required include:
- complex communications
- empower key leaders to accomplish goals through others
- develop systems for impact and sustainability
Now anybody came come up with a nice plan for growing future leaders. All you need is a whiteboard and a consultant.
The greatest challenge is to intentionally build tracks for this train to run on: frontline ministry experiences, mentoring, feedback and review, theological and biblical instruction—just to get you started.
You also need a vision beyond your church carpark to a world desperately lost without Christ and of dynamic church communities multiplied everywhere.
Throw all of the above into the mix and something just might happen that will take your breath away.
Make sure you download and read Glen Smith's full report and then go and lay some pipe. . .
