Wanted: Co-Leaders

Discussion

Darryl's Dilemma

Help Darryl and his wife identify and approach potential co-leaders for their group.

Topics:	Delegating, Growing, Leadership, Leadership requirements, Recruiting leaders
Filters:	Apprentice, Group Leader, Lead
Purpose:	Discipleship
Date Added:	March 14, 2011

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Total Reader Responses: 1 (see below)

Darryl and his wife have been leading a small group for more than a year now, and they are pleased with the results. The group started out with seven people attending regularly, and now they have ten. There have been a couple of "breakthrough" moments in recent months where someone confessed a sin or made a significant spiritual connection. And last week the group completed its first service project.

But Darryl and his wife are starting to feel a bit run down. The time and energy required to lead the group effectively is beginning to feel like a burden in more than one way.

Darryl recently read an article on a blog that recommended co-leadership as a good option for small groups. He feels like having another individual (or even another couple) share the load of leadership would be very helpful, and could even solve the burnout issue he and his wife have been talking about.

But Darryl isn't sure what steps to take next. How do he and his wife identify a potential co-leader? And once they think of someone, how do they go through the process of initiating the idea with that person—not to mention actually figuring out how to share the different responsibilities involved with leading the group.

So, what should Darryl do next?

Posted: April 28, 2011

loustar02 (Guest)

Our home group went through this issue within the last 2 years. The chosen answer to "leader burn-out" in our case was for the leadership to be shared across the Group rather than just having 2/3 leaders. Our "leaders" still coordinate the programme (i.e. work out which weeks we are meeting and where), choose the studies and generally look after some of the pastoral aspects such as email reminders/encouragements but the hosting and the leading of individual studies is shared across the Group so there are many leaders covering different sessions. This gives everyone a chance to grow and share their skills and has led to a greater sharing of all the other aspects of the Group as well, such as others sending/sharing encouragement between sessions. As to what to do next? Give yourself space and time to pray, reflect and listen to God's leading on this. Share how you are feeling with the Group and make it something you all work through together in God's love.