How to train Bible study leaders: Who should we train?

Steve and Jenny were about ready to quit. They had been leading a Bible study group for young adults at their church for four years now and the strain was starting to show. One night, at about 11:15, as the last of the group filed out, Jenny flopped onto the lounge.

"I think we might have a sabbatical next year." She heaved a weary sigh. "I just don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Yes, I know," said Steve. "I feel the same. But who'd take over? I mean, it's not as if the group is winding down or anything. There were 13 here tonight, and that's not counting Mark and Vicki and the Cromptons!"

"If only we had someone who could take half the group. I think I could cope with 7 or 8, as opposed to 16!" Jenny sighed again. This one had a resigned air to it.

"You're right," said Steve. "But unless someone comes along, we can't dip out. We just... can't."

Steve and Jenny are representative of a problem faced by many churches and Christian groups - a lack of suitable leaders. The same few capable people seem to run everything, until they collapse with 'burn out'. The ministry does not grow because there is a limit to how many people one person (or couple) can keep up with.

There can be many reasons for this leadership drought, but there is one in particular that we will discuss in this article. Many churches do not take seriously the need to train leaders. There is an unspoken assumption that leaders are born not made. Many Christian groups just wait for the right person to 'come along'.

This article assumes that new leaders are grown and that we need to take positive steps to train them. This is the only effective way to ensure the future and continuity of a ministry, and to prevent its current leaders from burning out.

Paul's pastoral epistles are largely devoted to ensuring this continuity in Paul's own ministry. He trains his young proteges Timothy and Titus in the course of his correspondence with them, urging them to remain faithful to the gospel and telling them how to care for the people in their churches (e.g. 1 Tim 1:18-19; 3:2; 4:6,11-16; 6:11-16; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2:2,15; 3:14-17, 4:1-2,16). He also tells them to appoint others to carry the gospel to the next generation: "And these things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Tim 2:2).

By training other leaders, the gospel spreads beyond us to those we can never meet and to the next generation. We might be able to reach thousands through the print and electronic media, but there is no substitute for a face-to-face relationship.

Training others also helps us avoid having a 'problem-centered' ministry. It is easy to give all our time to those who come to us with problems and ignore those who are 'problem-free'. We really should spend more time with those who can share in the ministry with us. If we can increase the work-force, we can ultimately help more people.

Who Should We Train?

Firstly, those who have a serving spirit. We should train people who already take some initiative in leading, serving and looking after people - those who are not happy with the status quo, who talk to us about making improvements, who are helpful in the discussion and so on. These people are already serving (and therefore leading) and so are ripe for growth.

Secondly, those who are trustworthy. We must commit the gospel to reliable people who will teach faithfully. We should look for those who are reliable in the small things and so trustworthy in the bigger things (see Matt 25:21).

Thirdly, we need to train those who have some ability to teach. Teaching involves being able to comprehend and communicate. Some are able to understand abstract truth but cannot explain it to others. Others have the gift of the gab but cannot grasp truth in propositional form, such as in the Bible. Teachers need to have both.

Fourthly, it helps if leaders are sensitive to people and can read what is happening in a group. This is a more difficult thing to discern. Perhaps it is best regarded as another facet of the ability to teach. Some people are able to build rapport so that the group will listen and follow their lead; others seem totally insensitive, and alienate the group and stop them listening. This area is harder to develop than comprehension and speech. Some people are innately insensitive and can do little about it - they just rub people up the wrong way.

Co-written with Colin Marshall
Originally published in The Briefing Issue #61, December 1990