2. God will provide the leaders we need.
While your leaders may feel the pain of the leadership shortage, their primary strategy to fill the gap is to pray for God’s provision. I’m not downplaying prayer as part of the process; of course, we have to depend on God for the provision of leaders. However, prayer as a singular strategy ignores the leader’s Biblical responsibility to replicate himself. Ignoring the discipline of leader development is unhealthy for the leader and the organization long term.
3. I can handle the current scope of work.
Some leaders look at their area of responsibility and think, “I can do it myself; there is no need to develop anyone else.” This assumption indicates a lack of leadership maturity and cripples the long-term growth and health of that area of ministry. While they may be very adequate at handling the current responsibilities, their refusal to develop others is shortsighted and selfish and ultimately puts the ministry at risk if the leader were suddenly removed.
4. Developing leaders requires a special skill set that I do not possess.
Yes, leader development requires some specific skills, but they are skills that can be easily developed. I’d rather have someone trying to develop leaders and doing it poorly than making no effort at all. At least when they’re trying, I can step in and provide coaching that will help them grow in this discipline. As long as you’re providing feedback on their efforts, they’ll get better in this area.
