At first he pushed back, but I continued pouring encouragement into him. After a few lunches spent discussing youth sports, the church and a few strategic moments of telling him about the leader I saw in him, he finally said yes.
Tony had all the worries so many of us hear from new leaders:
“What if no one shows up?”
“I’m not a pastor, what will I say?”
And so on.
Well, not only did Tony’s group fill up quickly, within a few months he’d done so well he was promoted to a role where he led a group of other small group leaders. And he poured faithfully into those souls until some of them rose up to lead other leaders as well.
Through all this, his amazing wife was by his side. One Sunday, she came up to me in the lobby after service and told me what a huge change she’d seen in Tony and how proud of him she was. He’d not only become a leader at church, but a better husband, father and neighbor. With eyes watering in gratitude, she went on to say how thankful she was that he stepped into this role and how grateful she was that God was doing this work in him. We took a moment to pray, thanking the Lord for creating Tony and empowering him for this life he was now leading.
It’s been a few years since this journey began and Tony is no longer the self-doubting guy I met, but a great leader in the church, in his home and in his community. Oh, and he quit that dead end job and started his own business, which is a raging success. And, along the way, he and his family have blessed us in ways I will never forget.
During that time, my team of pastors and I discovered dozens and dozens of Tony’s in the lobbies of our churches. Each of them with a unique story, unique strengths and unique giftings. But they’re all leading the way God designed them to lead.
Grow Your Ministry By Growing Your Leaders
If I had continued simply trying to find existing leaders, who knows what Tony’s life might look like. Who knows what my life would look like. But, since that fateful paradigm shift in looking to grow instead of harvest, Tony has positively impacted the lives of dozens of families through his small group. And, he’s directly impacted dozens of other leaders as well.
Now, go find the Tonys in your church – build them up and watch God go!
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
