Barnabas File

As Christian leaders, we often say that we want to nurture a new generation of leaders and involve them in the life of the church. On several occasions, however, I have personally observed questioning and criticism of the decisions and leadership of young adults who have been asked to assume responsibilities in the local church. Although the desire is sincere, too often the reality is that we are too set in our ways, uncomfortable with change, and want everything to be “perfect” (according to our standards). Calling out and empowering young leaders is a painful process, both for the young leaders and the church! They will never be ready unless they try, succeed, and sometimes fail. In Missional Renaissance , Reggie McNeal points out that “Jesus deployed his disciples long before they were ready.” [1] From personal experience they learned how much more they needed to learn from the Master and were motivated to do so. For young adults to become leaders, they need three thin...

When I attended the CBF General Assembly at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta last week, I realized that the last time I had been in the hotel was December 1969 when I attended Mission 70, a program put together by six Southern Baptist Convention agencies that attracted 5000 college students and young adults. With music written especially for the event, original drama, and speakers like Coretta Scott King and NBC commentator John Chancellor, meeting planners sought to engage a young adult generation that included both those immersed in social activism and those who were just on the periphery.  We were challenged as Christians to take up the tasks of justice and reconciliation in order to make a difference in the world. As a Vietnam veteran and a student in his final year of seminary, I was a bit on the edge of the action.  I had a wife, one child and one on the way, and I was looking for a place to do collegiate ministry (what we called Baptist Student Union at tha...

Concerns about reaching young adults for the church came up in three different conversations in which I was involved last week.  One was an online peer group call with ministers who have a particular interest in this demographic.  Another was with the minister of Christian formation in a local congregation who wants to make sure that these folks are included in church life.  The third conversation was with leaders from several states who seek to raise funds for collegiate ministries in areas where Baptists have limited resources. Of course, when we talk about young adults, we often neglect the diversity within the age group.  The demographic included singles, married couples, single parents, college and university students, graduate students, blue collar workers, young professionals, and military personnel (just to name a few).  This is not a monolithic group although they share many characteristics.  Some may resist be considered as part of a “young...

The best presentation of the first day of the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit was the last message of the day by Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv (yes, that is the name of the church) in Edmond, Oklahoma.  He addressed the need for intergenerational cooperation in leadership development.  His comments were both inspiring and practical. Groeschel pointed out that if generations are going to work together and learn from each other, it must be intentional.   He suggested three ways to do this. Create on-going feedback loops so that various generations can talk to and listen to each other.  He uses listening groups made up of older and younger congregants to give him feedback on his messages. Create specific mentoring moments. This is not only older to younger mentoring, but also includes reverse mentoring where an older leader can learn from a young leader. Create opportunities for significant leadership development.  Don’t just delega...

Bob Dale has invested a great deal of his life in mentoring and coaching young leaders, realizing the importance of keeping  motivated and competent future leaders engaged.   In Growing Agile Leaders (available on Kindle  as well as hard copy) , Bob recognizes that the needs of leaders differ at various stages of their lives and the life stage of the leader offers some unique benefits as well.   This led me to ask a question specifically related to young leaders. What do young leaders bring to the table that increases their ability to be agile leaders? Young leaders have huge potential as agile leaders.  I’ve had a great laboratory for shaping future leaders.  I was a seminary professor for a dozen years and then led Virginia Baptists’ Young Leaders Program for twenty-one years.  I’ve invested a lot of time and imagination in the next generation of leaders.  I believe younger leaders have several advantages that aren’t native to old...