Ok! You’ve identified a potential new Life Group leader and gotten excited about moving forward with them on board. Now what?

There is great power in being asked. This is what Jesus did with the disciples—and it’s what you can do with others. Certainly, there’s an art to inviting potential group leaders into more engagement, but don’t overthink the obvious: just extending an invitation makes a profound impact. Chances are good you have a number of potential group leaders waiting to be invited or who would be honored to be invited into more leadership in this season.

Here are several ideas about how to invite potential leaders to join you in leading groups:

First, affirm specific giftings you see in others.

The process of raising up a new leader is often begun simply by edifying (or uplifting) them. Consider having lunch or coffee with them to have an ICNU conversation. ICNU means “I see in you.” It’s a call out for leadership. It says, "I see in you things like:"

A gift of listening to people and truly caring.
The ability to encourage people no matter where they are at in their journey.
Leadership qualities that may be ready to share.

There’s something special about being called out and told what someone sees in you—especially when it is positive. Take the time and energy to affirm others’ giftings and strengths BEFORE you invite them to lead.

What do you see in the people around you?

Second, invite potential leaders to try out leadership.

In almost every existing Life Group, there’s someone just waiting for an invitation to step forward. Ask that person to lead a part of your gathering in advance. Ask them to lead prayer on a Zoom call, facilitate a sermon discussion, or help to coordinate a fellowship gathering. Help them understand that leadership isn’t a title, but an action. Then, allow them room for error and growth as they test their wings. Giving potential leaders bite-size portions of leadership both encourages and equips them for more leadership in the future.

Third, invite potential leaders to help you develop a plan.

Involving others in clarifying the direction of your Life Group can reap huge rewards, as it creates buy-in and ownership. Ask the potential leader to chime in on what your group needs. Inviting people to speak into the direction and approach of your Life Group is a great way for them to engage and step further into leadership.

Fourth, recognize your limitations, and invite potential leaders to help you overcome them.

Asking for help is a great leadership trait. Communicating your limitations creates space for potential leaders to step into that gap. As a result, your Life Group will be better off, and you’ll feel less pressure to succeed even in your weak spots.

Potential leaders have fresh eyes to see what is working and what is missing. Engage some casual conversation with current members who have leadership potential about what your groups ministry is doing well and what needs change or innovation. Current leaders may not see these things as clearly, but current members who are potential leaders can identify gaps and then may be more willing to step into them. They can immediately contribute and expand the breadth and/or depth of your ministry through the recognition of the your limitations.

you want leadership *for* THEM, not just *from* them.

**Finally, ensure that you want leadership for your new leader, and not just from them.**

No matter what strategies you use to invite new people into leadership, make sure your heart is in the right place. Recruiting and raising up new leaders isn’t about you or reducing your workload.

Instead, it’s about recognizing and equipping potential leaders to step further into their unique callings, expand their influence, and be used to further God’s kingdom. In short, you want leadership for them, not just from them.

Once you have invited individuals to step into more leadership, your next move is to invest in those who respond to your invitation to leadership.

So what do you think?

Do you agree or disagree with this approach? How have you invited people to take the next step in their leadership? What has worked for you? Comment below!

Our next and final article in this 3-article series will expand on the final step of the process: Invest.

Now more than ever, we need more people to step up and accept the challenge to facilitate and lead small groups. For the sustainability and growth of CFCC, Life Group leaders must be raising up new leaders. In this new 3 part series, I’ll give you some tips to help you actively pursue these yet-to-be-called leaders.

So, what should you be looking for?

First, look for the usual suspects.

In a recent study from the book Leading Small Groups That Thrive, groups pastors identified these top five qualifications for small group leaders:

Personal integrity— a consistent and uncompromising adherence to biblical, moral, and ethical values.
Teachability— a willingness to continually learn and refine skillsets.
Personal spiritual maturity— the ongoing pursuit of God and Christlikeness.
Availability— freedom to engage because of time and mental and physical resources.
Transparency— thoughts, feelings, and motives that are easily perceived by others.

As you think about people in your circle, who exhibits these traits?

Who are the great group leaders in your midst?

Second, look for people who have been great group members themselves.

In that same study, the leaders of the most effective groups look for the following kinds of group members when they think about sharing leadership. They went to recruit for greater leadership members who:

Regularly participated in discussions and looked for life applications in discussions.
Willingly and honestly spoke about their struggles.
Fully engaged in the group and leaned into their own growth.
Expressed a willingness to serve.
Demonstrated their commitment to care for other group members.

Who are the great group members in your midst? Perhaps it’s time to tap them on the shoulder and ask them to lead a group of their own.

Third, notice natural gatherers.

You know a natural gatherer when you see one; they’re the people other people flock to or gravitate toward. You can see people respond positively to their invitation to connect.

They know how to gather and connect with other people. So, who around you is a natural gatherer?

Fourth, consider people who aren’t already plugged into a group.

There are some folks who would be great group leaders who are not in a group. In fact, quite a few of the group leaders we surveyed indicated they led a group without having any other previous group experience.

Who do you know who is not currently plugged into a group but exhibits the characteristics noted above?

Lastly, be careful about people who perhaps are too eager to lead.

Ever found yourself in that awkward situation when people who really want to be leaders don’t exhibit the traits above? We encourage you to do the following with these folks:

Have an honest conversation with them. Affirm their desire. The desire to lead is a noble one. Kindly, graciously, and honestly share with them what you see.
Work with them to help them grow in areas of insecurity and weakness.
Give them small roles in which they can demonstrate leadership, and coach them as they do.

Your willingness to engage in a loving but candid conversation just might be the nudge they need to take their own growth seriously and devote time and attention to it.

So, look around you and see who God brings to your heart and mind. And then, think about how you might tap their shoulder, and invite them into greater leadership. Our next article will give insights on how to do that well.

Identify, Then Invite: Giving Potential Leaders Opportunity (Part 2)