Developing Leaders- My Current Experience at Community Church of Westfield
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
One of the challenges at Community Church of Westfield is developing leadership within the church. When Jean and I came to Westfield, there was one person that was holding things together. She is a dear lady and was doing everything in the church. But I knew that was not enough; to build a church, it would take developing leaders.
As we started to grow, leadership was becoming more and more of an issue, and the danger in that situation is to pick someone, anyone to assist in leadership. I would love to say I didn’t fall into that trap, but I did. The outcome was not great, and I learned a great lesson. If you don’t have anyone that is qualified to be a leader, then it’s better to go it alone.
Fast forward to five years later. We are now under the provisional eldership and direction of an oversight committee, which is in the stages of being phased out. I am starting to work with a few men in leadership development. This means we are working through spiritual training such as what the church is, what the roles of a leader in the church is, what the different types of leadership are and lots and lots of Socratic discussion.
I don’t know where the Lord will lead these men, maybe to be an elder, deacon, worship leader, bible study leader, or even a church planter. My goal as Community Church’s pastor is to develop, disciple and form future leaders, to help build up the body of Christ, to develop faithful followers of Jesus Christ, and to advance the kingdom of God. To make disciples who make disciples, who make disciples. We as a church are at the ground level. We are still at the bottom floor, but this job is really done by the Holy Spirit and His guidance. It is He who really does the training. He is the one who causes our hearts to beat faster with anticipation for the work ahead and He is the one who gives us the revelation and zeal to establish His church.