I’ve learned something very interesting since arriving here at Gateway. They’re very intentional and specific about leaders. This is probably why they have two full time staff members dedicated specifically to leadership development.

When I was at previous churches, I always had leaders as well as volunteers. Other ministries had leaders as well as volunteers. However, my leaders didn’t always look like the student ministry leaders… or the adult ministry leaders either. What I called a leader may look totally different from what the student pastor called a leader. However, we would often sit around the table in meetings and talk about our leaders and every probably assumed that we were talking about the same thing. We weren’t. No one had ever set a standard of what a leader looked like.

Here is what leadership looks like at Gateway. We have:

  • Volunteers
  • Coordinators
  • Potential Leaders
  • Emerging Leaders
  • Leaders

It may sound complicated, but it isn’t. A leader is someone who is spiritually leading others. An emerging leader is someone who is partially through the leadership process (interview and such). They may be leading people spiritually, but not without someone else’s direct oversight. Potential leaders are those who have the stuff of leadership. They just need to go through the interview process. Coordinators are people who are leading people with tasks. No spiritual oversight at all. Volunteers are those helping in ministry.

So, when we talk about leaders here at Gateway, we all know exactly what we’re talking about. Having a leadership development staff is very helpful. They keep a pulse of how we are doing in leadership. Every month I’m have to turn in a report about my leaders. When a leader drops off, I must let them know. When I find more potential leader, I report it. They hold me accountable. Leaders don’t slip through the cracks here without someone noticing it.

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