Often the challenges we encounter when developing leaders are self-inflicted.

A key personal issue we must settle before we can develop others is whether we are ready to give up power. The only people who can empower others are people who can easily relinquish power.

I can do that when I realize there is an unlimited supply available to me. If this is the only paper clip I think I am ever going to have, I am not going to give it to you; I need to keep it. But if I know we have got 10,000 paper clips in the supply closet, I will say, "Want a paper clip? Take a whole box."

So I would suggest pulling together the gifted leaders in your church and letting them recruit and develop potential leaders. This requires the pastor to have tremendous security within, but we will have that security when we understand what fosters loyalty from the congregation's leaders. Loyalty is a result of respect. You will not be loyal to a person you do not respect. In my dad's day, the people were loyal to the pastor ...

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