Building a Team of Lay Leaders Who Multiply Ministry
I had the honor of working on staff as the Director of Student Ministry for years, placing sixth-grade students in small groups they would remain in all the way through middle and high school. One time I went to see two guys from the same small group sign papers for Division One scholarships at their high school. At the end of the celebration, everyone gathered for a group photo: these two guys, the other small group guys who had come to support their friends, their faithful small group leaders—and then me in the very back.
That’s a great visual for how we should think about ministry. A good leader sets up others to be ministers on their team, acting as the facilitator of lay leaders, while the lay leaders faithfully serve the larger group. It's a unique situation where you get to not only minister to others but also minister through others in order to multiply your ministry. We see this structure predominantly through Jesus who spent the bulk of his time investing in disciples who would go on to reach countless others, and we want to follow in his footsteps.
Over the course of my years in student ministry, here are five ways I've learned to build, invest in, and keep a great lay leadership team:
Create Space for Community
People need to know that they are part of something, not just doing something—that they’re cared for, loved, and included. Building a "family" of leaders is the ministry within the ministry. You want your leaders to feel that they’re not only pouring out, but also being invested in, cared for, and loved.
As I started working with lay leaders, the first thing I did was invite the guys over each week for Bible study. This not only created an environment for me to pour into leaders, but it also created a format for leaders to get to know one another. Leaders need to know that you care about them, as they care for others. They need to be able to say, “Not only am I investing in the people I’m shepherding, but I’m also getting poured into.” Look for opportunities to pour into and encourage your lay leaders and fill their cups. The result of this is leaders who stay serving for long periods of time, because they were doing ministry together with people they love.
Give Them Value
Help your volunteers understand why what they're doing matters. Stories are your best currency in this regard. When I met with a leader, I would always have a story teed up, as a way to connect their heart to the vision of our ministry – why investing their time was worth it.
Stories aren’t the only way to tell your team that what they’re doing counts. You could suggest to the parents of small group kids that they send their kids’ leaders notes telling them the difference they’re making in their son’s or daughter’s life or invite former small group kids to share the influence their leaders had on them and how their time in small group is impacting their life now in college. Encourage them any way you can—directly, through parents, through other leaders—and never miss a chance to encourage them in front of the group. Especially if you lead a very large group, set aside at least a few touchpoints each year to be in the trenches with them and watch them lead. This gives you the opportunity to encourage them with specific ways you see God using them and make yourself available to them any time they need help. You’re giving them value, proving that what they’re doing matters.
Give Them a Mountain Worth Climbing
It can be tempting to cast the least-demanding version of your vision when you’re afraid of scaring people away. Don’t be afraid to set your standards high so that your leaders can look back and say, that took a lot of effort, but man, the payoff was worth it. If we under-challenge them, we end up with lay leaders who are only halfway-in. By making it too easy, you often attract the kind of leaders who are looking for low commitment. Making the hard ask will turn some people away, but it attracts the right people to your ministry teams.
In student ministries, we weren’t just looking for chaperones or event sponsors. We wanted disciple-makers, people who would really invest in the lives of the students. So, right from the start, we communicated that vision and challenged leaders. We certainly lost potential leaders, but we gained a team of leaders who were clear of the investment and responsibility it took to be in the lives of others.
See Their Potential
When you encourage someone to lead, they often respond with reasons that they aren’t qualified—things like “I don’t know the Bible as well as you guys,” or “I’m not sure how God could use me.” We have to remember that rookies become veterans, and we need to have the right expectations. If they're new to it, yes, they will need time to launch. But learning comes with time. What you're looking for is a heart that is turned towards the Lord. Do they love Jesus? Is their heart compelled to be part of what you're doing? That’s a win. Help them see that pouring themselves out in the lives of others is one of the best ways to grow personally. Seeing a leader’s potential is believing Philippians 1:6 for them—“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." No leader, or staff for that matter has arrived, but a person yielded to the Spirit can be an amazing minister on your team.
I once told a prospective leader that he was amazing, relational, and fun, and that students would love to hang out with him. His response? “You know what—I really like to just go home after work, watch a show, and sit on the couch. I'm not sure I want to be involved.” I thanked him for his honesty and expressed regret that he would be missing out on an opportunity to see the Lord bless students through him. One month later, that same guy called me and told me he had changed his mind. He ended up being a leader for seven years, and he's now an elder in the church. By being honest with your lay leaders, God can work on their hearts.
Similarly, don’t say no for them. It's easy to think, “That guy would never volunteer with us,” or “she’s too busy,” or “he’s too important to be interested in serving.” But don't be afraid to encourage people when you see that God has gifted them and that they have hearts for Christ. Don't be afraid to let the Lord lead them.
Put People in the Right Positions
When we put someone in a role that doesn’t line up with their heart and their gifting, it often leaves them frustrated and drained. It’s your role to be honest and place people in areas you see them excelling. That means being honest if someone isn’t a good fit or not shying away from moving a leader into a role that better matches their giftings. When people take a leadership position in your ministry, others are going to see those people’s gifts and assume that’s what you’re looking for, so it’s important to be thoughtful and wise with who you choose.
Pouring Into The Lives of Leaders
Being on the frontlines of ministry is rewarding and fulfilling. We can easily find ourselves trying to take on all the work ourselves, but you’ll wear yourself out and miss out on the joy of watching others join you in the work of ministry. When you have the right view, you're not the focal point of the picture; you're in the background setting up others to be God's man or God's woman.
We have an incredible model of ministry from Jesus himself. The bulk of his time was spent investing in his twelve disciples. He wasn’t going to the tabernacle and speaking, he was investing in the twelve, and that multiplied out and became the church. When we minister to ministers, they become letters written on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). We get to pour into the lives of leaders and set them up to be a part of something God wants to do through them. That’s the best part of ministry. If God has gifted them, help them not to waste it. Help them be about eternal things.
About The Author
Braun Brown
Braun serves as the Director of the Watermark Institute at Watermark Community Church.
Learn more about Braun here on his biography page.