Shared Leadership in Missional Communities
Nate Navarro, Director of Missional Community for Austin City Life, recently blogged about changes to their City Group (missional community) leadership structure. They went from a single leader in each CG being responsible for everything to the following
- CITY GROUP LEADER – facilitates a community that is growing in Gospel, Community, and Mission.
- MISSIONAL LEADER – We serve our neighborhoods together monthly. This leader takes the lead on all the details: the when, where, and how of the monthly service project.
- PRAYER LEADER – This person records all the prayer requests and sends out a weekly update, reminding the community to pray for one another and the city.
- HOST LEADER – This leader opens their home/apartment/dorm room to be an inviting place for the community to share meals, discuss life and truth, and to pray for one another and the city.
- HOSPITALITY LEADER – We eat together. This leader coordinates the meal schedule and the “who is bringing what?”
This is an excellent model and one that is worthy of being copied by every church. Nate lists a few of the benefits
- Fewer leaders will become casualties of burnout.
- Five leaders gives your group more people, with more buy in, creating a stronger core.
- New Christians can begin to serve right away. Last I checked, your theology doesn’t have to be nails to be in charge of the meal schedule. New Christians can become involved in leadership early on, and can grow along the way, instead of standing on the sidelines watching all the tired people lead.
- Future City Group leaders emerge as they thrive in their roles leading MISSION and PRAYER, etc……
- We avoid the “personality-driven” City Group. Gospel Community is center and forefront in our groups, rather than the talent, charisma, and drive of a leader.
Nate closes with the following line
More Leaders; Less Work. Share Leadership; Grow in Community. Strengthen Mission; Advance the Gospel.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s encouraging to see churches rethinking leadership as they seek to equip more believers and reach more people with the Gospel.
