Thank you for the paper based on the survey results of  1000 leaders by Lausanne Leadership Development Working Group.  This presentation comes with a short introductory note, under the heading “How to Build a New Generation of Christ-like Leaders.”  This is one of the most important challenges confronting the Christian Church today.  The future of the Church and mission depends on this one thing. 

 In this regard the following could be suggested as a practical starting point for those who are involved in this work. 

• Believe the Scriptures that the leadership is by the gift and calling of God.

We waste considerable amount of time doing our own thing in trying to “build” leadership without first believing that God has promised to give His Church leaders who are necessary for the work.  “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”(Ephesians 4:11,12).  The Building process should be conditional upon His provision.  Whom God has provided or raised up we must train and build up.  Every ministry or local Church needs to be aware of this and be looking to the Lord for such gifts among them.  Sufficient emphasis has to be made about the calling of God to be a leader.  Meeting the need alone is not the right criteria to go by.  Those who were moved only by the need will not go very far in this life long journey of Christian leadership. So then,we need to pray.  We need to make the Church aware of the need of leaders and encourage it to trust the Lord for His provision.

• Basic pattern found in the Scriptures to be followed.

1.  The scriptural pattern is close to an ‘on the job training’.   It is for the called and committed people.  All cannot go through this training.  The study of the Word and involvement in the ministry should go hand in hand.  One does not follow the other.  The learning is life long.  “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me” was the invitation of the Master.  Leaders are not ‘educated’ but built up.   So the best place to build up leaders is the setting of a New Testament patterned local Church.  Theological education has to be provided within that environment.  We are trying to do things otherwise and fail and then have lengthy postmortems.
2. Another important principle to be taught at the very beginning is the principle of the plurality of leadership.  ‘Go it alone’, ‘Do it alone’ ‘lead it alone’ is the decease that has plagued the Christian Church at present.  Even for a simple evangelistic out reach programme our Lord sent two by two.   One may be more gifted than the others in the leadership team but all must lead together.  ‘Woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up.’-Eccl 4:10. ‘One leader one congregation’ is not the scriptural pattern of the New Testament.  We need to see this.  From the very beginning the leader must be trained to work in a team.  Paul was alone only in prison.   
3. A leader should be a disciple of the Lord Jesus.  Instilling discipline in the life of a leader is the most important aspect of this whole exercise.  We are increasingly becoming captives of the thought ‘I need some space’.  Space to do what I want to do.  To go my own way.  This was not possible for Timothy from day one.  First act of Paul regarding Timothy was to call and circumcise him which would have been a humiliating experience.  But once he was ready to face any humiliation for sake of Christ and His gospel then there was a leader in the making.  Sadly we at times condone ‘I only obey God and not man’ attitude.  Many present day leaders are not willing to discipline future leaders for the fear of losing them to another ministry.
4. A leader in the making must be a man of the Word.  ‘Studying to show himself approved unto God’.  Reading and studying of scripture should never be limited to a class room setting.  It is the personal reading and studying that will benefit the future leader the most.  Studying under a Bible teacher on a regular basis should also be encouraged.  Knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, Geography and History of all the places and events found in the Bible is not necessary for soul winning and shepherding the flock.  Such studying is necessary for those who are academically oriented for a specific ministry.  They do not have to be Church leaders who lead the flock.  We are wasting a lot of time doing things that does not make a leader Christ-like and then look surprised when things do not appear alright with the new leader whom we have ‘made’. 

 

• Be part of the answer and not of the problem.

The present leadership of the Christian Church and ministry should take a good look at our own lives.  To build up future leaders there has to be present builders.  If the BUILDERS are not Christ centred, then WE HAVE A PROBLEM.  The flaws of present leadership speak badly of the earlier generation of leaders.   If we do not change our ways to that of Christ Centred path then there is little hope for the future.  We must accept the fact that we are all leaders in the making and there is so much room for improvement and learning.  The moment we stop learning we are good for nothing let alone for leading the flock.  All Leaders, Chief Pastors, Directors and Apostles need to accept this truth.  If we don’t, we are going to fail the Lord in building up a new generation of leaders who are Christ-like.  The call to be Christ-like is not for the future leaders, it is for us.  Le t us be the right example. Because Christ-likeness is caught and not taught.