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We had two responses to the new requirement. Some of our teachers were volunteers who were simply filling holes. In the goodness of their hearts, they were working in ministries they weren't particularly passionate about, but where a need was apparent.

Many of these volunteers didn't take the classes, and, to be honest, we had a slump in teachers for three to six months.

We had to scramble to keep some classes going.

But when we made the new requirement, we were sure to explain why we did it. It wasn't a legalistic new "rule," but an earnest effort to improve the quality and effectiveness of the education ministry.

That led to the second response.

New teachers, people who were passionate about children and Christian education, but who previously weren't certain of the church's commitment, began to step up. "I want to take this class," one of them said, "because now I realize how important this is."

We now have people lining up to take the required classes, and we're not short of teachers any more. More important, the people who are becoming teachers are no longer stop-gap volunteers; they are people who are passionate and gifted in Christian education.

Different kinds of captains

The pastor's role in the church also needs to be examined if the church is going to work together to accomplish its purpose. And so the fourth question is What kind of pastor is needed to train those kinds of leaders?

This question is particularly helpful when a church is searching for a new pastor. Recently another church in that situation asked me to consult with them during their search. The church was hurting, despondent, and desperate. They hadn't had a pastor for a long time, and they were unsure of what kind of pastor they should be looking for.

I led their leadership in a full-day workshop on these five questions. But before we began, I said, "Let's look at your ministerial profile. What kind of pastor are you looking for?"

As we reviewed their expectations, I realized they were looking for a cross between Jesus and James Bond.

But after leading them through the first three questions, and establishing what God was doing in their church, they realized that they didn't need James Bond as their pastor. They needed someone who was skilled in rallying people to a common vision and training them to accomplish it. They didn't need an all-powerful pastor. As we discussed the questions, they told me, "We need a coach."

One church may need a coach, another may need a shepherd, and another may need an executive. But by asking question three, and then question four, a church can learn to rightly divide the duties of pastors and lay leaders.

And when a resident pastor asks what kind of pastor is needed to train his church's leaders, it invites him to analyze his or her gifting, time allocation, skill development, and continuing education opportunities. But that leads me to the fifth question, which happens to be most pastors' favorite of the five.

The power to say "no"

The fifth question is What kinds of experiences does the pastor need to have in order to be that kind of pastor? Practically, this means churches begin to ask themselves, "What can we do to help our pastor become who God wants him or her to be?"