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In my book Six Words Lessons to Discover Missional Living, there are 100 simple lessons to help you live on mission with Jesus!

Lesson #19: Leaders must be accountable for disciplemaking.

You’ve heard the adage, “Speed of the leader, speed of the team.” Ask your spiritual leaders who they are influencing to follow Jesus. Don’t assume they are building relationships with lost people.

When pastors and leaders are not personally making disciples, Christ’s church is in danger. (p 40)

Recently I wrote a post stating that the Pastor’s Job is to be the Lead Disciplemaker. If the pastors and elders are not making disciples, it’s likely that the church is not making disciples.

As I train church planters, I continually emphasize the reality that to become a leader in a church, there needs to be evidence first indicating that a potential leader is maturing in Christ, living on mission, and making disciples. Every believer should be doing these three things. Why would you select someone to serve as a leader who wasn’t doing what you expect every believer to be doing? This doesn’t make sense.

You might say, “He should be a leader because God has called him to lead.” It’s tough to argue with someone who says, “God called me to lead.” And it may be true that God has called that person to lead. However, the timing of entering into a position of leadership should only come after he has demonstrated that he is maturing in Christ, living on mission, and making disciples.

  • Don’t elevate anyone to lead who isn’t obeying God’s Word (that’s evidence of maturing).
  • Don’t elevate someone to lead who isn’t building friendships with those who don’t know Christ and seeking to meet needs in their neighborhood (that’s evidence of missional living).
  • Don’t elevate someone to lead who hasn’t already made disciples who have made disciples (that’s evidence that they are making disciples).

If someone is in a position of leadership, they must be accountable for disciplemaking. That’s what Jesus sent His followers to do. Don’t follow leaders who are disobeying Jesus!

Today’s Missional Challenge

Hold your leaders accountable for making disciples who make disciples.

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