Bridging the Gap Between Discipleship and Leadership Development
Discovering the Missing Piece in Church Leadership
Have you ever felt like something was missing in your church’s approach to leadership? If you were raised in an evangelical church, there was likely Biblical teaching, programs for all ages, and a strong focus on the Gospel—a standard discipleship model in Western Christianity. However, a crucial difference has emerged between discipleship and leadership development.
This gap became more apparent as I progressed in my ministry career. It wasn’t until I attended a ministry conference, that a keynote speaker presented the idea that discipleship doesn’t automatically produce leaders. Effective leadership requires more than discipleship. (I know that may read a bit shocking, but keep reading.)
Common Struggles Faced by Church Leaders
Based on decades of information, the speaker outlined how local churches consistently struggle with leadership situations. Despite being well-seasoned Christians, pastors, boards, and committees often have poor leadership practices and make poor decisions, even though they love their church and mean well.
The content led to a clear conclusion: leadership development was lacking or completely absent from their discipleship journey. As Western Christians, we have assumed that discipleship would naturally lead to effective church leadership—read your Bible, pray every day, serve in your local church, and you’ll automatically become a leader.
The Disconnect Between Discipleship and Leadership
That assumption hasn’t worked. The outcome is local churches with pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and board and committee members who, despite being discipled over many years, lack the essential skills and understanding to be effective leaders.
How does this happen? Over the past two decades, we’ve missed the targeted mentorship and apprenticeship components of discipleship. As we consider Scripture, we can assume that these two concepts were woven into the discipleship work of Jesus with the disciples.
We also witness it in the work of the apostles when they took on younger disciples to apprentice; Paul with the younger church leader, Timothy, is the most well-known example.
And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2, ESV
Modern Cultural Challenges in Discipleship
The original form of discipleship was daily living and walking through life with one’s mentor. They witnessed their leadership and oversight of churches and their ministries. It was more than just a weekly Bible study; it was leadership development.
I get it, this form of discipleship is a struggle in our modern Western culture. We have a culture of affluence and independence that prevents that level of submission and sacrifice. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that we need to reconfigure what discipleship looks like in the West.
Even if we can’t disciple exactly like Jesus or Paul did in their time, we have to shift the assumption. Years of attending Bible studies and prayer meetings might be spiritually beneficial, but they will not automatically develop an effective church leader.
Integrating Discipleship and Leadership Development
There should always be standard discipleship components knit into the life of every believer. Every follower of Jesus should pursue the spiritual disciplines of Scripture and prayer, as well as fasting, sabbath rest, worship, service, etc.
Moreover, the fruit of the Spirit should be cultivated by every Christian as part of their discipleship journey.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23, ESV
All of this provides an excellent foundation for discipleship. However, to make gains on the massive losses in the Western church, mentorship and apprenticeship must be applied to our discipleship planning and processes.
This form of discipleship involves intentional one-on-one relationships where experienced church leaders guide less-seasoned Christians through the practicalities of our faith and church leadership. It might include some of the following:
- Regular Meetings: Consistent, scheduled times for mentors and apprentices to discuss spiritual growth, challenges, and leadership skills.
- Shadow Opportunities: Allowing apprentices to observe and participate in various ministry roles and leadership responsibilities.
- Practical Assignments: Giving apprentices tasks and projects that develop their skills in a real-world ministry context.
- Feedback and Evaluation: Providing constructive feedback and evaluation to help apprentices grow and improve.
By integrating these elements, discipleship becomes a holistic approach that integrates discipleship and leadership development. This approach not only nurtures spiritual growth but also prepares individuals for effective church leadership, should the believer choose this path in the future.
Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts
- How does your church currently approach leadership development?
- What practical steps can be taken to incorporate mentorship and apprenticeship into discipleship programs?
- In what ways can modern Western churches adapt the original form of discipleship to suit today’s cultural context?
To learn more about effective discipleship, check out these posts:
- Discipleship and Discovering Your Calling
- Is Church Growth Centred On Evangelism, Discipleship, or Something Else?
For more on mentorship and its impact, visit these helpful articles:
