{"id":32095,"date":"2022-09-10T15:56:10","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/10-strategies-for-recruiting-group-leaders\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:56:10","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:10","slug":"10-strategies-for-recruiting-group-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/10-strategies-for-recruiting-group-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Strategies for Recruiting Group Leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kaboompics photo – Pexels<\/div>\n

By Ken Braddy<\/em><\/p>\n

Recruiting.<\/p>\n

Most of us don\u2019t look forward to this part of our work. We don\u2019t like being told no, and we grow wearisome of hearing \u201cLet me pray about it\u201d (which is almost always code for \u201cno thanks\u201d).<\/p>\n

Because of the growing irregularity in attendance patterns at church, it becomes harder and harder to find committed people who will become the church\u2019s future leaders. But the work of ministry goes on. Bible study leaders must be recruited and trained so new groups can be started, or so that existing groups can have new leaders.<\/p>\n

Recruiting new leaders isn\u2019t a task we can ignore; we can\u2019t simply hope people will volunteer.<\/p>\n

I firmly believe the old axiom that \u201ceverything rises and falls on leadership.\u201d Who we recruit is important. But also important is how<\/em> we recruit. In fact, if we recruit people in the right way, we\u2019ll find that the task of inviting people to join us in God\u2019s work isn\u2019t so hard after all. Perhaps we\u2019ve made it hard by the way we\u2019ve been recruiting people.<\/p>\n

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Over the years, I\u2019ve recruited people wrongly. The good news is, I\u2019ve also learned how to do it right.<\/p>\n

Proverbs 21:31 says, \u201cThe horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.\u201d This reminds me that although there is human work to be done\u2013important, meaningful work\u2014we are dependent on God to accomplish His goals.<\/p>\n

So with that in mind\u2014even though the real success of our endeavors belongs to the Lord\u2014let\u2019s think about the human side of the work of recruiting people, and let\u2019s look at some best practices when we recruit.<\/p>\n

1. Start with prayer<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

This one sounds basic and simple, but it\u2019s powerful. When Jesus saw a field that was white unto harvest, He didn\u2019t tell His disciples to work double shifts to reach the potential new converts.<\/p>\n

Instead, He told them to begin with prayer. Are you begging God to not only show you the right persons, but to call them to the work at hand? If we aren\u2019t careful, we can make recruiting people a formulaic process, and we can bypass prayer, which always sets us up to fail.<\/p>\n

 <\/strong>2. Set an appointment<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

It has become my practice over the years to not<\/em> make \u201call call\u201d announcements from the pulpit. When you need leaders and resort to making the all-call announcement, it\u2019s similar to fishing with a large net. You may catch some fish, but how many will you really keep?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve made all-call announcements, and I ended up catching people who weren\u2019t ready or qualified to serve. \u201cUninviting\u201d them after I invited them to serve caused more damage than if I had taken time to identify potential leaders and meet with them one-on-one.<\/p>\n

3. Recruit people to a vision, not to a job<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

I learned long ago to help people see the value of the role I was asking them to fill by majoring on the vision I had for their leadership position.<\/p>\n

For instance, when recruiting a group leader for a middle school class, I stopped recruiting them to teach, and instead recruited them with the goal of influencing the minds and hearts of the next generation of church leaders.<\/p>\n

Do you see the difference? When I recruit a person to a job, I\u2019m focused on the tasks they do in that role. When I focus on recruiting a person to the vision for the job, I help them realize their true value to the organization and to those they will lead.<\/p>\n

4. Provide resources for review<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

As you recruit a new Bible study leader, be sure to provide the person with the resources he or she will use in the group Bible study. This serves three purposes. First, you set the expectation that the leader and the group members will use the resources provided by the church; this helps to ensure a group sticks to the study plan designated by the church\u2019s leaders.<\/p>\n

Second, it provides a level of theological accountability. By providing trusted resources, you can rest assured the materials have been vetted for adherence to sound doctrine.<\/p>\n

Finally, by providing resources for the potential leader to review, you communicate, \u201cYou\u2019re not in this alone.\u201d Group leaders need to know that they don\u2019t have to \u201cmake it up as they go\u201d each week\u2014that your church stands behind them and with them, and part of that support is seen in the way the church provides sound Bible study resources for the group to use.<\/p>\n

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5. Provide a list of training opportunities<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

When you meet with a potential group leader, you should also give them a list of all upcoming training opportunities sponsored by the church. List all monthly, quarterly, and annual training events. Consider listing training events sponsored by your local association or Lifeway’s on-demand training resource, Ministry Grid.<\/p>\n

Just about every industry requires their workers to be trained. Why not have the same requirement in the church? By providing ongoing training for group leaders, you communicate an expectation of excellence, and you show your church\u2019s support for its group leaders by having a plan for training.<\/p>\n

6. Clarify the win<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

As you recruit a new leader, clearly define what \u201cwinning\u201d looks like. In 7 Practices of Effective Ministry<\/em> by Andy Stanley, he wrote about the importance of telling leaders what a win looks like. I took that to heart in one church I served, and I used the acrostic \u201cLIFE\u201d to communicate the four essential tasks I wanted each Bible study group to engage in: (1) L<\/strong>\u2014Learn and apply God\u2019s Word (2) I<\/strong>\u2014Invite others to become Christ-followers (3) F<\/strong>\u2014Form authentic relationships (4) E<\/strong>\u2014Engage in service to others.<\/p>\n

By \u201cclarifying the win,\u201d each group knew the four key things that were expected of them. I saw groups study and apply God\u2019s Word (not just present history lessons). I also saw groups schedule regular, ongoing fellowship events to foster community and relationships among members and guests. Groups invited people to follow Christ, and they engaged in serving others inside the church, and outside in the community. That\u2019s why you clarify the win from the outset and help a potential group leader see exactly what you expect of him or her.<\/p>\n

7. Recruit shepherds, not teachers<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

When I recruited people \u201cback in the day,\u201d I tended to look for the up-and-coming superstar teacher. Today, I recruit shepherds. I can teach a shepherd how to be a better teacher, but if I recruit people who love to hear themselves talk, I have little chance of convincing the person to focus on people.<\/p>\n

Shepherds love people, and group members will forgive a lot of things if they know their group leader genuinely cares for them. Too many people have slipped through the cracks of our Bible study groups. We need more shepherds who can lead those groups, and in the process they can be trained to grow in their teaching skills.<\/p>\n

8. Establish a leader covenant<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

A leader covenant is a great tool that you can use during the recruiting visit. An effective leader covenant will do two things. First, it will clarify the responsibilities and expectations of the group leader.<\/p>\n

Second, it will also define and clarify the responsibilities of the church to that group leader. Remember to keep the list of covenant expectations to around five to seven items. If you get too granular, you\u2019ll begin to look and sound like a Pharisee.<\/p>\n

9. Recruit year<\/strong>–round<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

Normally churches launch new groups in the fall and at the first of the year. If we aren\u2019t careful, we\u2019ll fall into the trap of seasonal recruitment. Instead of that approach, recruit people year-round.<\/p>\n

Keep your eyes peeled for new leaders. Keep their names handy. Talk with their group leader and get some feedback about their leadership potential. Spend time with potential leaders and get to know them.<\/p>\n

Make recruiting a year-round, 24\/7 process\u2014not just something you do two or three times a year.<\/p>\n

10. Ask current leaders to help you recruit<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

A final tip is for you to use your existing leaders to help you spot new, potential leaders. Current group leaders will have a great feel for whether or not a person is ready for a leadership role.<\/p>\n

Ask current leaders for recommendations. Encourage your existing leaders to talk with their groups about the importance of serving, and let these group leaders help prime the pump of potential new leaders. There\u2019s a good possibility that current group leaders will spot potential leaders quicker than you will because they are in close proximity to them each week.<\/p>\n

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Ken Braddy<\/h2>\n

@KenBraddy<\/p>\n

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Ken is the\u00a0director of Sunday School\u00a0for Lifeway, a church groups practitioner, and author of several books, including Breathing Life Into Sunday School<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n