Leadership Vignette

Coaching New Leaders
by Stewart Perry

Getting new people involved in leadership often requires intentional effort by the pastor or others. In my ministry, I focus less on “leadership training,” and emphasize on-the-job coaching instead.

Spiritual maturity is essential. I would much rather see a spiritually mature “non-leader” in a key role than a so-called “leader” who is spiritually immature. So I begin with efforts to nurture and challenge people spiritually. Once a person is evidencing spiritual growth, I invite them into leadership. And rather than “training” these new leaders, I help them learn on the job through ongoing conversation, debriefings, and strategizing.

In one church I served, this approach proved very effective in getting new deacons involved in visiting shut-ins, which was their primary job. When two new members were elected as deacons, I set aside two hours each month to work with them during the first four months of service in their new leadership role.

The first month, I took each new deacon to see the person they were to visit. On this first visit, they were there just to be introduced. I did most of the talking. The second month, I still initiated the contact, but the new deacon joined in the conversation fully. The third month, the new deacon booked the appointment and led the conversation. I joined in only occasionally. By the fourth month, the deacons did everything. I just accompanied them and smiled a lot.

Each month, I took another hour after the visit to debrief with the new deacon over lunch. By the end of the four months, they knew how to do a really good home or hospital visit. And they knew how to teach others. The following year, I did not have to do it at all. I had two coaches among the deacons themselves.

Stewart Perry (pastor@icbangkok.org) is pastor of the International Church of Bangkok. Previously, he served at Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, DC, and Baptist Temple in Alexandria, Virginia.

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