When Jeanne Hagenberg of Calvary Reformed Church in Orland Park, IL, agreed to be the director of Coffee Break, she knew it would be a shorter term commitment. As a result, she made leadership development a top priority. If Coffee Break is to remain the vibrant program that it is, new leaders need to continually be identified and developed. A director needs to be developed to take over Jeanne’s role in just a few years.
What does Jeanne look for in potential group leaders?
- A wholehearted love of Jesus
- A love for Coffee Break
- A love for the Word and the Discover your Bible method
- A non-judgmental, warm spirit
- Broken and vulnerable people who are willing to share about God’s work in their lives
- Being able to recognize God’s strength in our weakness
- Realizing that we all need help
When it comes to identifying the next Coffee Break director, Jeanne adds these qualities to the list:
- Strong relationship with Jesus and with his Word
- Compassionate and non-judgmental
- Being able to speak the truth in love
- Being able to spot leaders
- Others respond to her leadership
What are some key ways Jeanne goes about the work of leadership development?
- Delegates tasks according to giftedness and pays attention to their ability to carry out the task
- Spends time with each leader in order to get to know them, watching for the leadership gift to show itself
- Verbally affirms the leadership qualities she sees in a person
- Watches for relational skills
- Is intentional about finding apprentice leaders
- Trains leaders in what to look for in potential leaders
What are some key principles Jeanne applies to leadership development?
- When you develop a good team, you develop good leaders
- Always think about replacing yourself by asking the question, “If not me, who?”
- Leadership is more about qualities than knowledge
- A program is only as good as its leaders
- It’s all about the power of the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit
To discuss: How does your group develop leaders? How have you been developed as a leader?
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