Principles of Leadership - Facilitate Equipping Part 2

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters.

During 2022, I will be sharing my Ten Principles of Leadership.  Principle #2 is “Facilitate Equipping”.  Last time, we looked at Jesus’ model of equipping through apprenticeship and Paul’s equipping method of mentoring.  

To briefly review Jesus’ method of equipping his disciples.

• He inspired them; He gave them a vision (see Matthew 9:35-38)

• He instructed them (see Matthew 10:5-40)

• He involved them (see Matthew 14:13-21)

Oswald Sanders, a renowned missionary and author of the previous century, had this to say about leaders who equip others.  

“Leaders must seek to multiply their lives by developing younger men [and women] by giving them … responsibility, including increasing opportunities of initiative and power of final decision.  They should be given recognition and generous credit for their achievements.  The principal thing is to trust them.  Blunders are the inevitable price of training leaders.”  

Three things stand out to me in this quote: 

• The theme of multiplication.  As VCP seeks to multiply churches, leaders also seek to multiply leaders.  This is how movements achieve scale and expansion. 

• Emerging leaders need encouragement and feedback.  Affirm them as they think rightly and do rightly. 

• Emerging leaders will make some mistakes.  As leaders we must allow them some room to try some things and to even make some mistakes … and we must help them identify and learn from those mistakes.  

One of the most difficult responsibilities of a leader is to know when to intervene when a follower is having difficulty and when to allow someone to struggle.  In such situations I would offer these guidelines.

• Firstly, the mission must come first.  If the mission is in danger of failure, the leader must intervene. 

• Evaluate, is the follower capable of figuring things out? 

• Consider, is there enough time to wait for them to figure things out?

• Ask yourself, what problems will be created or worsened if you do not step in?

• Are there valuable lessons for them to learn through their struggle?

I will say this. The older I’ve gotten, the more patient I’ve become in allowing others to struggle & learn.  

I mentioned last time that the word “facilitate” implies that the leader does not have to do all the equipping himself or herself.  He/she simply needs to ensure that equipping one’s followers takes place.  Identify the development needs of those you lead, and be willing to engage others in your circle of friends and co-workers to also teach and train. 

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.