Create a Leadership Development Plan for 2025
Do You Have a Leadership Development Pipeline?
The number one limiting factor in most churches is the quality and quantity of their leaders. Unfortunately, many churches lack a structured leadership development plan, strategy, or process. As a result, the best leaders often emerge naturally or are trained elsewhere. But this doesn’t have to be the case—you have the opportunity to raise up and train more great leaders within your own church community.
Everything rises and falls on leadership. When leaders grow, everything gets better—your church’s impact, effectiveness, and ability to serve more people.
As a pastor, it's often the most important work that gets neglected for the most urgent. Developing a leadership pipeline is important work we often don't get to. But if we do, it will accelerate everything. When leaders are empowered, they take ownership of the mission, and the church can reach more people and have a greater influence in the community.
Think about when Jethro came to Moses in Exodus. Moses was exhausted, and the people were worn out because he hadn't organized and empowered other leaders. Without a leadership development plan, we become the limiting factor. Others aren't empowered, and everyone—including us—gets worn out. As pastors, we are supposed to be equipping others to lead and carry out the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4).
The Key to Expanding Your Reach
If you want to increase the number of people you are reaching, discipling, pastoring, or helping, then focus on increasing the number of leaders you have. The more equipped leaders you develop, the more people your church can effectively serve.
However, most leadership training environments in churches prioritize culture and inspiration while lacking practical application. To build strong leaders, we must provide training that equips them with actionable skills. This includes essential leadership elements such as recruiting, handling conflict, setting culture, creating a thriving community, and managing ministry responsibilities effectively.
A healthy leadership pipeline doesn't just identify potential leaders—it nurtures them through mentorship, hands-on experience, and intentional development opportunities. Churches that excel in leadership development establish clear pathways for training, giving leaders increasing levels of responsibility while providing the guidance and support they need to succeed.
So, What If You Made a Plan?
A leadership development plan is essential for long-term success. By implementing a structured process, you can intentionally develop capable and confident leaders who will strengthen your church and expand its mission. Investing in leadership is not an optional task—it is a core responsibility for any church seeking to grow and sustain long-term health.
Start today—assess your current leadership development efforts, identify gaps, and create a roadmap for equipping and empowering the next generation of leaders. Develop a training curriculum, implement mentoring programs, and create leadership opportunities that challenge and inspire growth.
I’d love to help you get started! Sign up for updates, and I'll send you a leadership development guide I created to assist pastors in this process. Together, we can ensure your church thrives by raising up a new generation of capable, passionate, and effective leaders.
You could also schedule a call—I’d love to hear some of your story and see how I can support you in developing a strong leadership pipeline for your church.
