Good Leadership

David Cook was recently asked, "Do you have any deep convictions about developing the future leaders of the church?"   You would think that David Cook has a view ideas about this question.   He is the Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the former principal of Sydney Missionary and Bible College, where he served for 26 years.  David Cook is also the featured speaker at the upcoming Preaching Conference at the Reformed Theological College in Geelong (more info)  This question asked of David Cook tweeked my interest since developing future leaders is something I constantly think about.  

At the crux of the CRCA missional vision is the Fourfold Task, which emphasizes, among other things, the task of developing future leaders.   The third task includes the aim to "multiply the number of well-trained leaders (ordained, non-ordained, full time, part time, voluntary) who are actively involved in God's mission." (more info)   How can we best do this?   What works?  What does Scripture have to say about this?  What are the deep convictions held by David Cook about developing the future leaders of the church?

Cook's answer is stated well and to the point.   He says:   "I think the development of good leadership starts early in the local church, where pastors and elders have the opportunity to mentor individuals.   So I have come back to our church with a renewed commitment to make sure that my contract next year has a clause in it that says, 'I am giving time to training younger people who are heading to ministry' -- actually mentoring them."  (from an interview recorded in AP - Australia's reformed evangelical periodical, Spring 2015)

So here is my question to pastors and elders in churches all across Australia?   Are you committed to training younger people who are heading to ministry -- to actually mentor them?   Do you have time carved out in your weekly schedule devoted to investing in the future leaders of the church?

In my previous two congregations I was committed to developing the future leaders of the church.   And so were my leaders.   They blocked out space in my weekly diary so I could spend time nurturing relationships and mentoring the next generation of church leaders.   But as I look back over more than three decades of church ministry I wish that I had invested more in leadership development -- training and mentoring younger people who are heading to ministry in the church.

When I was a teenager our pastor Chuck Fennema took a keen interest in the younger generation.   I remember times he took me along to mission events and seminars where I was exposed to godly men and women casting a Biblical vision of church and kingdom.  And in our coming and our going he would chat about life and the gospel.   He invited me to be engaged in the mission of the church and made space where I could ask questions and develop as a leader.   He put other godly men in my life who came alongside me as I put some the things I was learning into practice.   And he would chat some more.   Eventually he challenged me to take up fulltime gospel work.   I did not know it then, but I know it now.   Pastor Chuck was mentoring me to become a future leader in the church.

What Pastor Chuck did and what David Cook is committed to is exactly what the apostle Paul reminded the young leader he mentored into fulltime gospel work.  He writes to Timothy:   "You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 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 2:1-2)  

So here is the challenge.   Call it what you like -- making disciples, developing leaders, coaching the next generation, or mentoring the future leaders of the church -- check the clauses of your ministerial contract, if you have one.   Or your job description.   Or simply have a frank discussion with your leadership team, the elders, the session/church council -- is there a commitment on your part and their part for you to give time to training the future leaders of the church -- actually mentoring them?  As David Cook adds in that same AP interview, "The leaders of the local church have to be doing this one-on-one.   Mentoring means setting a reading program for people, taking them with us when we go to lead in various situations so they can see the dynamics of leadership and what is required.  Leadership needs to be encouraged by mentoring rather than by lecturing."

Are you up for the challenge?  The future of good leadership in the church is at stake!