“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles;” (Luke 6:12-13)
Whether the church you pastor is a big, thriving church or it is a growing church with twenty members it is very important to have a great team of leaders. You may only have one other person on your team or maybe you have a hundred. However many you may have, it’s important to make sure you have the right people on board and that you are all going in the same direction. Here are a few ways to choose the right people for your leadership team. Remember when you start out to build your leadership team to build a team that is based on Biblical principles and characteristics.
Note: The night before Jesus chose His twelve disciples, he continued in prayer all night. When is the last time you prayed all night before you made a decision?
Choosing the right leadership team members.
You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit. -Harry S. Truman
Begin choosing your team members by making a list of Character Traits from the Scriptures.
3. Use the general rule given by David in 2 Samuel:
“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” (2 Samuel 23:3)
4. Use the rule given by God to Moses in Deuteronomy 1:13,15-17.
WARNING: If your team members do not conform to these characteristics you do not have a Biblical Team. Be warned against recruiting a Judas or a Demas – these are components of trouble. You want to have a team of Joshuas and Elijahs instead.
Once you have your team members assembled here are four vital points for a successful team.
1. Cast a Vision.
Great vision without great people is irrelevant. -Jim Collins
Clarify the team missions and vision. Be precise when going over these goals. Make sure there are no questions as to what you expect of the team and their respective responsibilities.
3. Commitment.
Is everyone on the team committed to the goals that you have set before them? If everyone is not committed it will make it very frustrating when others on the team are carrying someone else’s load. This will in turn hinder progress and maybe eventually kill any goals that you have in mind to achieve. Make sure everyone is on the same page. Make sure everyone has bought into the visions that have been cast. If not, address these up front and make changes as seem necessary. Everyone on the team HAS to be committed or you are setting yourself up for failure.
4. Communication.
Always make sure that there is a direct line between you and anyone else on your leadership team. Try to be available as much as possible for questions and suggestions. You never want the team members to feel as if they cannot talk to you about something. You should hold meetings for team members often. Maybe make it once a week or at least once a month. This keeps everything you are wanting to do in front of them and it also helps with keeping unity among the members.
