07/22/2026
The most common phrase shared among church leaders is almost always some variation of this: "We would love to launch this new ministry, but we just don't have the people to lead it."
It is the universal bottleneck. However, the difference between a church that constantly begs for volunteers and one that consistently launches new leaders isn't the availability of people. It is the intentionality of the pipeline.
Healthy ministries do not find leaders; they build them.
Using Mac Lakeās Leadership Pipeline framework, we map development across distinct, clear levels:
Level 1: Leading Self (The Volunteer): Faithful individuals who manage their personal responsibilities.
Level 2: Leading Others (The Team Leader): Those responsible for a small team of volunteers or a small group.
Level 3: Leading Leaders (The Coach): Leaders who develop and support the Team Leaders who are on the front lines.
Level 4: Leading a Department/Specific Ministry (The Director): Strategic oversight over entire ministry environments.
The breakdown in most churches happens when we try to jump someone from Level 1 straight to Level 4 because of an unexpected vacancy. The inevitable result is frustration and burnout.
If you want to stop the cycle of begging for help, stop looking for finished products and start building an infrastructure that moves people intentionally from the pew to the platform. My dear pastor, this takes time, patience, and intentionality.
Send a message to learn more
