Developing Effective
Women's Leaders
Martha Lawley
After many hours of prayer, conversation
and skillful recruiting, you've done it: You've assembled your
women's ministry leadership team. But another major issue now
rears its head: Now that you have them, what do you do with them?
God has called many wonderful women to
serve in Christian leadership. As current leaders, we must do
our part to identify and equip these new leaders as God provides
them. I believe that there are three important keys to developing
effective leaders:
First, we must be committed to
the development of effective, godly leaders.
Effective leadership does not just happen;
it is the result of an intentional process. What are you as a
current leader doing to multiply yourself by equipping others?
If God is calling you into leadership,
are you open to allowing God to make you an equipped leader? Developing
effective leaders takes time and energy--both of which are in
short supply in our churches today. In reality, however, the failure
to develop leadership results in the loss of even more time and
energy. We don't have the time not to develop more effective leaders.
Where does leadership development fall in your ministry's list
of priorities for this year?
Second, we must recognize that
it takes an effective leader to train effective leaders.
Good leadership is not so much taught
as it is caught. What does God want to teach you and me about
His way of leadership? An effective leader finds ways to help
others on her team be successful. An effective godly leader helps
and encourages those around her to succeed in their relationship
with God and others. This investment in the lives of those who
serve with us is well worth the effort and is where effective
leadership development begins.
Third, we must approach leadership
development as an ongoing, lifelong process.
A hit-or-miss approach to leadership development
will yield very limited results. Consider developing a long-term
strategy for developing leaders. Begin with these 3 basic questions:
