Facing Reality: Leadership Pipelines Running Dry

At the end of 2025, we named six challenges churches today cannot ignore. After naming and facing reality, we can begin to meet these challenges head-on — both prayerfully and strategically. We have already discussed the first challenge, aging congregations. Today, we’ll discuss the second, the lack of leaders.

• Many churches are finding it harder and harder to find qualified and willing elders and deacons. Pastors and staff are also in short supply, with searches taking longer and longer. We scramble to fill spots. Often, the same people carry the load again and again, leaving everyone exhausted.

What can we do to find more leaders? Maybe the problem is in the way we are asking the question. What if leaders are not found but grown? Here are a few ideas to help you get started!

Five ways to develop new leaders

1. Shift from recruiting to discerning

• Most leadership searches start because of a vacant position. A healthier starting point may be to begin praying, “Lord, who are you raising up among us?” Invite council, staff, and key leaders to name the people they see God already using — humble, teachable, prayerful people.
• As you approach these folks, do not say, “We need you to fill a spot,” but instead say, “We see God at work in you and believe you may be called to something important!” More than rephrasing the question, this is a huge mindset shift! We want to empower people to find and fulfill their callings!

2. create on-ramps to leadership

• We often wait until we desperately need new leaders before we start to look for them. A better pattern is to create on-ramps that allow people to grow into leadership roles over time.
• Invite potential future elders and deacons to sit in on council meetings a few times a year as observers. Form a small group of future leaders that meets monthly to pray, study Scripture, and learn about biblical leadership together. Offer low-pressure leadership roles to those who are not yet ready to carry the full weight of being an office bearer.

3. train for skills and knowledge

• Sometimes people say no to leadership because they feel unqualified. They worry that they do not know the Bible well enough, how to handle conflict, how to pray out loud, etc.
• By offering training, you can alleviate some people’s fears and ensure they will be equipped to fulfill their calling well. Classes might include Bible basics, how to pray with others, how to listen well, and how to handle disagreement and conflict.

4. Pair emerging leaders with seasoned mentors

• Studying leadership principles is important, but in reality, leadership is more caught than taught. People learn how to shepherd, pray, listen, and make wise decisions by watching others do it, trying their hand at it, and talking about how it went.
• Pair each new elder or deacon with a more seasoned leader for their first year. Encourage elders and deacons to bring others long on visits, as appropriate. The goal is not just to pass on procedures, but to pass on character, prayer habits, and a sense of dependence on the Spirit.

5. do not use leaders — shepherd them

• If leadership feels like a thankless job, word will get around. People will decide, “I don’t want that life.” On the other hand, if leaders feel prayed for, appreciated, and cared for, many more people may be willing to step up.
• Make it a priority to publicly thank elders, deacons, and other ministry leaders on a regular basis. Build prayer for leaders into your worship gatherings. Check in on leaders’ spiritual and emotional health — not just their performance. Leadership should be a gift and a joy rather than a burden.

If your church is struggling to fill roles, you are not alone. But that does not mean God has stopped calling or equipping people. It may mean he is inviting you to slow down, rethink your approach, and build a healthier leadership pipeline over time.