Leadership Pipeline

Eric Metcalf | NewThing Adult Ministry Champion

There are lots of reasons why I love small groups: Bible study, prayer, possibility of friendships, fun, and snacks!  But one of the reasons why I've traded my life to be on staff at COMMUNITY and why I'm so passionate about small groups is the power of the leadership pipeline.

In Exodus 18 we read about how Jethro (Moses' father-in-law) tells Moses to stop meeting with all the Israelites and to instead empower others to meet with them - and then to only bring the really tough cases to Moses.  Its this passage and others (2 Tim. 2:2; Luke 10) that has led us to develop leaders through apprenticeship and coaching.  This intentionality has helped create a leadership pipeline for high-capacity volunteers, staffing, campus pastors, and church planters and it all starts with being an apprentice.

• Apprentice Leader --> Leader
• Apprentice Coach --> Coach
• Apprentice Staff --> Staff
• Leadership Resident --> Church Planter

We have seen people rise time and time again through this trusted process.  Its after these individuals step into leadership where they get the chance to invite others into the journey - reproducing their leadership in others.  So be careful, next time someone asks you to be an apprentice, it might be your first/next step towards planting a church :)