Many pastors and other staff leaders spend a great deal of their time working in the church, sometimes at the expense of working on the church. Summertime often provides opportunity for sabbaticals from preaching, teaching, or other responsibilities. The result is margin to work on the church.

Working on the church should include coaching and developing volunteer leaders. A more relaxed schedule and all around environment during the summer provides great opportunities to do this.

Typically during our usual schedules we find time to invest in current leaders but may not have the margin to invest in new leaders. The extra margin of summer provides the opportunity to be intentional about coaching new volunteer leaders who are just bubbling up to the surface.

“Pastor, we’re going to be taking 3 vacation trips over the next three months so we’ll need to step down from leading our small group for the summer.”

You may not have heard those exact words but chances are you’ve heard something very similar. If you’re a good leader you’ve also been told, and therefore tell, that good leaders replace themselves.

Vacations can be a great opportunity for current leaders to replace themselves with an apprentice. The next time a leader tells you they are taking a vacation from their role, ask them who the second in command is – who steps up when they don’t?

Then, encourage that leader to invite the second in command to take charge for the duration of their vacation. This is a great opportunity for them to get hands on training and develop as a leader.

Let’s face it, the thought of committing to something long term can scare many of us. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when we don’t have folks lining up after we ask them to sign up to lead a small group or work in our children’s ministry for the next 6-12 months.

Summertime is a great opportunity for events which can help bring natural leaders to the surface. While many programs may take a bit of a hiatus during the summer we tend to have more events as a church during this season.

Events are a great opportunity to involve new leaders because it’s a short term commitment, a one time gig. Ask someone you’ve been wishing was involved to cook for a BBQ or plan an activity for the kids or to lead a parking team.

Not only is it a short term commitment for them, but it’s a short term commitment for you – you can see where folks are at on the leadership pipeline so you know what type of leadership role they might best fit in longer term.

As you look to plan your next summer family night or church picnic, be intentional about asking volunteers to be involved who don’t typically swim in your volunteer pool.

For many people, summertime means vacation, traveling, relaxed schedules, and a break from the regular routine. For churches this can mean volunteer leaders are taking a break, taking a step back, or just simply not present as often.

Our natural response to this is typically to put programs and activities on “cruise control.” But, summer doesn’t have to mean shutdown. I think it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of the natural rhythms to find natural leaders who are ready to step up.

It’s easy in our typical rhythm to always call on those in our current volunteer pool when we need extra hands. The change in availability due to summer schedules forces us to look outside the current pool and find other leaders who may be bubbling just below the service.

This week I’m going to share a three ways I think summer can be a positive for leadership development and volunteer recruitment. On Friday I’ll also give you a “homework” list of sorts with practical steps and goals for getting started to avoid the tendency to shutdown this summer and instead to help leaders step up.

My friend and Growth Track Coordinator at Freedom Church, Mark Klim, took some great notes from All-Access last week that I am going to share on the blog this week.

Larry Stockstill

• Ephesians 4:11
• Apostle – Spirtual father – fellowship with all, partner with some, build with sons
• Prophet – correctes in the body of Christ -
  • When people don’t feel consequences they never know how to obey God
  • Accountability
• Evangelist – passion for the world
• Pastor/teacher – pastor leads, teacher feeds – gives direction – psalm 23
  • Real Pastor can see frustration
• Deacon -

My friend and Growth Track Coordinator at Freedom Church, Mark Klim, took some great notes from All-Access last week that I am going to share on the blog this week.

Randy Bezet 

Bradenton and Sarasota

Bayside Church

• Church started growing after I learned to be faithful to what I had
• Portable church 7 years
• Economy crashed bank said couldn’t finance
• Mark 5 –  you got to have faith to walk not a situation that’s dead – last verse 42 – I want to live in amazement of what God does

1. Have the right people around you
   1. They will rally you too
   2. Develop other leaders to help carry the vision
   3. Empower other people
   4. Don’t do this alone
2. God uses difficult days to help stretch you
   1. Don’t get comfortable to much… You get Lazy
   2. Stretch and grow – in every area of your life
   3. Blessing of God comes in the stretching and stepping out
   4. Stretch for something new
   5. It starts with you saying I’m willing to step out

My friend and Growth Track Coordinator at Freedom Church, Mark Klim, took some great notes from All-Access last week that I am going to share on the blog this week.

Herbert Cooper

Started church 26 years old

Dreams and difficult days

• Genesis 37

1. Get a dream from God
2. Details rarely accompany dreams
   1. Psalms  37:33
   2. God works in steps – jus take the next step – don’t focus to Far on future
3. Adversity stands between you and your dream
   1. Genesis 4
   2. Joseph had dream at 17 and 13 years came about before saw it one about
   3. You just have to keep being obedient .  Just step one foot at a time
4. Be ware of dream killers
   1. Enemy or in-a-me
   2. Genesis 37:14-22
      1. Reuben kept the dreamer alive

My friend and Growth Track Coordinator at Freedom Church, Mark Klim, took some great notes from All-Access last week that I am going to share on the blog this week.

Matt Fry (C3 church) 

• Lost 60 percent of those that started ministry 10 years ago

1. Mistakes we make
   1. Not being myself – we started to see life. Being. Changed when realized this
   2. Didnt preach on stewardship – people don’t mind you talking about money just talking in right way
   3. Hiring too fast – hired a lot of friends – look at character, competentcy, etc
   4. Too much to fast – launche campus too soon – make sure you have margin and take time to rest
   5. Putting ministry first – your only healthy leader if you have a healthy marriage
      1. I’m only a good husband if my wife says I am
      2. Weekly date nights
      3. You have a vision for church but not marriage
      4. Leading out of a healthy marriage is so great
2. Sometimes people will hurt you
   1. Do not do life alone
   2. You need Jesus but you need Friends too
   3. Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up
   4. Invest in others / next Generation

My friend and Growth Track Coordinator at Freedom Church, Mark Klim, took some great notes from All-Access last week that I am going to share on the blog this week.

Rick Bezet

• Kings II chapter 6 – lost his edge – you can never quit, stay in the game
• Romans 11:29
• Always love the person that nobody believes in – Billy Hornsby
• Don’t mess with the tribe, when you see a friend falling pick them up – Billy Hornsby
• Romans 12:15
• It’s hard for me to hear the voice of God, and I heard it for you
• Matthew 16:18
• Two things
  • You have to be ready to quit
    • Acts 18:5
    • John 4:35 right now…times you need to know this is not worth it
    • We are afraid to make a mistake so we don’t quit
    • You are not remember by the way we start but the way we end
    • Right where you are afraid is usually where you ave the most anointing
  • You can not quit
    • Some are leading still but you know you have quit

My friend and Growth Track Coordinator at Freedom Church, Mark Klim, took some great notes from All-Access last week that I am going to share on the blog this week.

John Seibling