One of the books that stirred up something in me was the book Designed to Lead by Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck. In this book, they presented that the locus of leadership development is the local church. This reminded me of the statement Bill Hybels made that the local church is the hope of the world. The thesis of the book also resonated with me because I believe the church should be strong and influential because it is called to be salt and light of the world.

So the question is how are the churches doing when it comes to discipleship and leadership development? In Manila, there is a growing trend of speakers and conferences that focus on discipleship. It is a felt need that churches are feeling because as pastors we know that church programs would not be enough to even sustain the church – how much more make it fruitful as how Christ described the church should be in John 15.

Eric Geiger mentioned that “the full extent of discipleship is the development of disciples who can lead and develop others, not merely people who gather together for worship once a week.”(loc 224)

What that means is that we need leaders in our church who are not only fruitful inside the walls of the church but also in society. If we are to change the world, it must come from the church. And from the church, it goes out into the world.

The three factors Eric Geiger mentioned in the book are conviction, culture, and construct.

a. A conviction for leadership.

“Without conviction, leadership development will not occur. Developing leaders must be a burning passion, a non-negotiable part of the vision of a local church and her leaders, or it will never become a reality.”

I thank God for Pastor Steve Murrell and the Victory Manila leadership team for building in us a conviction of leadership. From the beginning, there was never a superstar in the team. A superstar mentality when it comes to leadership in the church will not give room for next generation leaders to rise. I remember when the leadership team entrusted me ( a 27-year-old to plant the church in our city), showed the conviction of leadership development in our church.

The cause of the church is too great not to be convicted of raising multiple leaders for the great task ahead to change our world with the gospel.

the 2nd and 3rd factor for leadership development is reserved for another blog entry