Leadership Factor

Leadership. It is often the difference maker.

I am beginning to get educated about a relatively new phenomenon for church expansion. It is called multi-site. Although new, multi-site church is rapidly moving beyond a "new phenomenon" and is quickly becoming a "revolution"--with over 2,000 churches currently doing some form of multi-site today.

I'll be posting thoughts, musings, and reflections as I work my way through various material in hopes of leading Summit Church toward its first multi-site.

Everything I have read so far is confirming an old axiom that has served me well in both church and marketplace endeavors: leadership is a major difference maker--and often the determining factor in success.

"The selection of the campus pastor is the single most important decision that will be made at each campus." --Jon Ferguson (Founding Pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill.--Willow Magazine Spring 2008).

In this edition of the Willow Magazine they featured 8 case studies. Here is what some of the church leaders identified as essential characteristics of effective campus leaders:

- Spiritual maturity
- Leaders who already are influencing people
- Proven effectiveness in multiplying themselves into other leaders
- Committed to small groups and have multiplied small groups
- Entrepreneurial with strong leadership gift (outward focused, self starter and willing to take risks)
- Pastor's heart for people
- Team builder who can rally people to a cause and engender participation
- All the characteristics of a church planter (See Dr. Charles Riddley)
- Someone who understands and has caught the overall culture of the church and its DNA
- Able to communicate and inspire, but willing to NOT be the weekly teacher
- Loyal, teachable/ coachable