Introduction

It seems that in most churches today, the leaders are drowning in tasks and responsibilities. This gets in the way of building a Disciple-Driven Church. For instance, The stewardship chair is preoccupied with budgets, the board chair is overwhelmed with meetings and agendas, and Sunday school teachers are fixated on their next lesson plan. While these tasks are important, they tend to overshadow the primary mission of the church: making disciples of Jesus Christ. Church leaders are so focused on managing tasks that they’re neglecting their own spiritual growth and the task of discipling others. This task-oriented approach is leaving churches stuck in the status quo, with leaders feeling burnt out and congregations experiencing little spiritual growth.

There is a way to transform this scenario. You really can have a church where every leader is a committed disciple of Jesus, deeply engaged in their own spiritual journey and actively guiding others along the path of discipleship. This shift is not only possible but achievable when you adopt a purpose-driven approach that emphasizes clarity, accountability, and intentional spiritual growth.

I worked with a Lutheran church some years ago and introduced these practices. There was some serious pushback by the council president who complained that I seemed to be confusing discipleship with church growth. Thankfully, the pastor wisely diverted the conversation and we were able to move forward. 90 days later, I Revisited the church for some follow-up training and two people came up to tell me how the council was being transformed because of these practices. In fact, the council president came up to me and confessed that he had been angry at our first meeting and he shared his reasons why. But he went on to say that his own life had seen significant change because of these practices and that he was experiencing the transformation that he’d only ever heard about and this was changing the way he led and in the way he interacted with those in the church and outside the church. Over time, the pastor witnessed a profound transformation. Leaders became more engaged in their spiritual practices, and the church began to experience significant spiritual growth.

In this blog post, we’ll explore three practices for turning church leaders into disciples of Jesus. We’ll discuss the importance of clarity in discipleship, including detailed position descriptions and a clear path for spiritual growth. Second, we will look at the role of informal accountability and how asking the right questions creates a culture of spiritual reflection and growth. And third, I’ll share how formal accountability, including goal setting and accountability partnerships, ensures leaders stay focused and motivated.

1. Discipleship Begins with Clarity

Like I said above, in most churches, leadership roles are task-oriented. The stewardship chair is focused on raising and managing funds, while the board chair is busy creating meeting agendas, managing budgets, and coordinating staff. Sunday school teachers concentrate on preparing lessons and gathering craft materials. While these tasks are essential, they only truly benefit the church if those performing them are deep disciples of Jesus.

Often, when selecting church leaders, we recruit them based on their ability to do some task or another rather than on their Christian dedication, maturity, and behavior. To shift from a task-driven to a discipleship-driven church culture, we have to start by getting some clarity about our expectations.

The best place to start is to create detailed position descriptions for every leadership role in the church. These descriptions should begin with the expectation that leaders are committed to the church’s mission and vision and then to their own spiritual development. Additionally, creating and implementing a leadership covenant can ensure all leaders agree to and adhere to these principles. This covenant should include commitments to support the church through time, talent, treasure, and testimony. Testimony involves being intentional about being neighborhood missionaries and inviting others to join their spiritual journey at the church.

The leadership covenant should also incorporate Jesus’s plan of reconciliation found in Matthew 18:15–17, ensuring that conflicts are handled biblically. Furthermore, there has got to be some clarity about the discipleship journey. The discipleship journey in every church is different, but it is a path that intentionally outlines how someone will move from being an irreligious non-believer to a believer, then to a disciple, into service, and ultimately into becoming a neighborhood missionary.

This path might include worship attendance, small group participation, one-on-one mentoring, attending the Alpha Course, or progressing through Rick Warren’s discipleship steps (101, 201, 301, 401). Whatever the specific steps, they should show a clear path for anyone attending the church on how to become a fully functioning disciple of Jesus Christ.

By establishing these clear expectations and pathways, we can transform our churches from task-driven to discipleship-driven communities, focusing on the mission of making more disciples and fostering spiritual growth in every member.

2. The Role of Informal Accountability

One of the fallacies of modernity is the belief that education and knowledge have a direct correlation to behavior. While there is a modicum of truth to this, the reality is that just because you know something doesn’t mean you’re going to practice it effectively … or at all! Every person who’s been in church more than once or twice has heard about the Golden Rule. They know they’re supposed to love God and love their neighbor. Unfortunately, this knowledge doesn’t always reflect in their behavior. Just knowing you’re supposed to be kind to everyone doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to be kind and respectful to everyone (can we say “Church Bully” anyone?). Clearly, knowledge doesn’t guarantee behavioral change. However, accountability is one of the best ways to ensure behavioral change.

Accountability doesn’t come with guarantees that behavior will change, but it does create a framework so individuals must make a choice: they can either change their behavior or walk away. That sounds kinda harsh, but it’s exactly how Jesus approached potential followers. He laid out clear expectations and allowed people to decide whether to follow him or not. Jesus never chased anyone down to convince them to change their mind or behavior. He respected their autonomy – their Adult Decision. Essentially he simply shrugged and perhaps said, “Your choice. You don’t know what you’re missing out on,” and then he walked away.

One of the simplest ways to start fostering discipleship behavior in church leaders is through informal accountability. Informal accountability involves consistently asking leaders questions about their behaviors. For instance, for decades, I started every board meeting, staff meeting, elders meeting, and so on by asking what I call the Key Discipleship uestion: “What did you read in scripture this week that intrigued you?” I never asked it to the group as a whole. Instead, I would go around and ask each member individually. “Bob, what did you read in scripture this week that intrigued you?” If someone hadn’t read anything, I would hear their excuse if they offered one, smile, and say, “Yeah, I get busy sometimes too,” and then move on to the next person.

The goal here isn’t to shame anyone but to establish and reinforce the expectation that they should be engaging with scripture regularly. This sets a standard for a devotional or study life. In addition, when people were leaving the worship service, I often asked, “How’s your walk with Jesus this week?” Again, this question allows the person to reflect and suggests that their walk with Jesus should be an integral part of their daily life. These kinds of questions help your leaders to begin to model the behaviors you want to see in them and in the wider congregation. As John Maxwell commented, “As go the leaders, so goes the church.”

I have five discipleship questions that I regularly asked of my leaders. These questions help to foster a culture of accountability and spiritual growth. I’ve written extensively about these in my blogs, and they are also bundled in the Quick Discipleship Blueprint, a discipleship training program for leaders and churches that I created.

Informal accountability is a powerful tool for fostering discipleship. By regularly asking intentional questions, you can set clear expectations, create a culture of transparency, and encourage spiritual growth among your leaders. This approach aligns with Jesus’s method of setting expectations and allowing individuals to choose their path, ultimately leading to a more committed and spiritually mature church leadership.

Don’t get me wrong. Education and knowledge is important, but it’s the accountability that drives behavioral change. Implementing informal accountability through regular, intentional questions can significantly impact your church leadership’s spiritual growth. This method, combined with clear expectations and a supportive environment, can transform your church from being task-driven to discipleship-driven. For a more comprehensive approach to fostering discipleship, consider exploring the Quick Discipleship Blueprint, which includes these principles and more to help your church thrive.

3. The Role of Formal Accountability

Formal accountability in the church operates on two levels, both essential for fostering a culture of discipleship and ensuring that church leaders are effectively contributing to the mission and vision of the church.

Level One: Position Descriptions and Goal Setting

The first level of formal accountability involves clear position descriptions for every church leader and staff member. These descriptions must articulate the mission and general vision of each position, outlining the expectations and responsibilities. For instance, a stewardship chair’s position description should include the primary task of ensuring there is sufficient funding for the church’s ministries, not just managing the budget. In fact, the primary responsibility of the stewardship team is to ensure there is money for the ministry. Their question should never be “Can we afford this?”0Iinstead it should be “How will we afford this?”

Position descriptions should avoid setting specific goals. Instead, these should be determined in coaching sessions between the leader and their supervisor. This brings us to the core of formal accountability: goal setting. Each position should have long-term goals (one year for annual positions and three to five years for staff positions) and short-term, 90-day goals. Every goal that gets set should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

For example, a Sunday school teacher might set a 90-day goal to incorporate new teaching methods that increase student engagement and spiritual growth. A stewardship leader might set a goal to develop a new fundraising campaign aimed at increasing church revenue by 10% over the next quarter. These 90-day goals should directly contribute to achieving the long-term vision for the ministry.

Monthly meetings between leaders and their supervisors or coaches are crucial for monitoring progress. These sessions should focus on the 90-day goals, discussing what has been achieved and what needs to be adjusted to stay on track. This regular check-in process ensures that leaders remain focused and accountable, and it provides opportunities for support and guidance.

Regular goal-setting and review sessions foster a proactive rather than reactive leadership culture. Leaders know what is expected of them and are continually working towards tangible milestones. This structured approach not only keeps leaders accountable but also motivates them by highlighting their progress and achievements.

Level Two: Accountability Partners

The second level of formal accountability involves having an accountability partner who asks the tough, probing questions. Every church leader should have an accountability partner. For pastors, this accountability partner must be outside their church and outside their denomination to ensure unbiased support and confidentiality.

I first encountered this concept through Neal Cole’s book, Cultivating a Life for God. In his approach, accountability partners ask a series of eleven questions that cover every aspect of life, from honoring relationships to financial faithfulness and managing addictions. These questions are designed to provoke introspection and honesty, leading to genuine behavioral change.

Here are a few examples of Neal Cole’s accountability questions:

1. Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?
2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another this week?
3. Have you lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
4. Have you been honoring, understanding, and generous in your important relationships this past week?
5. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face-to-face?

Having an accountability partner who asks these kinds of questions creates a space for transparency and growth. Just knowing that someone will ask these questions can motivate individuals to strive for better behavior and deeper spiritual commitment.

In my experience, the impact of such accountability relationships is profound. I have seen more life changes through one-on-one mentoring and accountability partnerships than through any other method. These relationships don’t just address spiritual issues but also practical and relational aspects of life. In other words, real, practical, life transforming questions that lead to a deep, faithful Jesus-focused life..

Formal accountability through detailed position descriptions, goal setting, and accountability partnerships can transform church leadership. By setting clear expectations and providing regular check-ins, leaders remain focused and motivated. Accountability partnerships add another layer of support and challenge, ensuring that leaders grow not just in their roles but also in their personal and spiritual lives.

For a comprehensive approach to fostering discipleship and accountability in your church, consider exploring the Quick Discipleship Blueprint. This resource offers detailed guidance on creating a culture of accountability and discipleship, helping your church leaders thrive in their spiritual journeys and ministry roles.

4. Getting Started

Now that I’ve shared the importance of clarity, informal accountability, and formal accountability in fostering a culture of discipleship among church leaders, let me give you a couple of actionable steps for implementing these strategies. I’ve written three action steps for each of the above sections to help propel your church onto a trajectory of effective disciple-making.

Discipleship Begins with Clarity

1. Develop Detailed Position Descriptions: Begin by creating comprehensive position descriptions for every leadership role in your church. These descriptions should clearly outline the mission, vision, and expectations for each position. Include the requirement for personal spiritual development and commitment to the church’s mission and vision. This foundational step ensures that every leader understands their primary role is not just to manage tasks but to grow as disciples and disciple others.
2. Implement a Leadership Covenant: Establish a leadership covenant that all leaders must agree to and adhere to. This covenant should include commitments to support the church through time, talent, treasure, and testimony. Ensure it also incorporates Jesus’s plan of reconciliation found in Matthew 18:15–17. By signing this covenant, leaders are making a public declaration of their commitment to their spiritual growth and the church’s mission.
3. Create a Clear Discipleship Path: Develop an intentional discipleship path that outlines specific steps for moving from being a non-believer to a fully functioning disciple of Jesus Christ. This path should include worship attendance, small group participation, one-to-one mentoring, and other structured programs like the Alpha course or Rick Warren’s discipleship steps. Make this path clear and accessible to all members of the church, so everyone knows what is expected and how to progress in their spiritual journey.

The Role of Informal Accountability

1. Ask Key Discipleship Questions: Start your meetings by asking key discipleship questions to your leaders. Questions like, “What did you read in scripture this week that intrigued you?” and “How’s your walk with Jesus this week?” set the tone for accountability and spiritual growth. Rotate these questions regularly and ensure each leader gets a chance to respond individually.
2. Encourage Reflective Conversations: Encourage leaders to ask similar questions in their interactions with other church members. Questions like, “Who did you share your faith with this week?” and “What are you praying for this week?” help create a culture of informal accountability throughout the church. These conversations promote personal reflection and spiritual growth.
3. Model Accountability: As a church leader, model the behavior you want to see. Share your own responses to these questions openly and honestly. By being transparent about your spiritual journey, you set an example for others to follow and create an environment where accountability is valued and practiced.

The Role of Formal Accountability

1. Set SMART Goals: Work with your leaders to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) for their roles. These goals should include both long-term objectives (one to five years) and short-term, 90-day goals. Regularly review and adjust these goals in coaching sessions to ensure they remain aligned with the church’s mission and vision.
2. Schedule Regular Check-ins: Establish a routine of monthly or weekly meetings between leaders and their supervisors or coaches to discuss progress towards goals. Use these sessions to provide feedback, support, and guidance. Ensure that each 90-day goal is moving the ministry intentionally closer to the long-term vision.
3. Implement Accountability Partnerships: Encourage every church leader to find an accountability partner who can ask tough, probing questions about their spiritual, personal, and professional lives. Provide guidelines on establishing these partnerships and suggest resources like Neal Cole’s Cultivating a Life for God. For pastors, recommend finding accountability partners outside their church and denomination for unbiased support.

By following these action steps, your church can begin to shift from a task-driven culture to one that is discipleship-driven. These steps provide a clear roadmap for leaders to grow spiritually, hold each other accountable, and work towards common goals. Implementing these practices will not only foster personal growth but also strengthen the overall health and mission of your church.

For a more comprehensive approach to fostering discipleship and accountability in your church, consider exploring the Quick Discipleship Blueprint. This resource offers detailed guidance on creating a culture of accountability and discipleship, helping your church leaders thrive in their spiritual journeys and ministry roles.

Wrapping It All Up With a Bow

In the journey of turning church leaders into disciples of Jesus, we have explored the foundational principles of clarity, informal accountability, and formal accountability. These elements are crucial for transforming a task-driven church culture into one that is discipleship-driven, where leaders are not only managing responsibilities but also growing spiritually and leading others to do the same.

The journey of discipleship is continuous, and the transformation of a church culture takes time. However, by prioritizing clarity, accountability, and spiritual growth, you can create a church environment where leaders thrive as disciples of Jesus, and where their growth inspires and guides the entire congregation.

As you embark on this journey, consider leveraging additional resources like the Quick Discipleship Blueprint. This comprehensive program provides detailed guidance on implementing these principles, helping you create a culture of accountability and discipleship in your church. With the right tools and commitment, you can transform your church into a vibrant community of disciples, dedicated to the mission of making more disciples and transforming lives.

Turning church leaders into disciples of Jesus requires a deliberate shift from task management to spiritual growth. By fostering clarity, implementing informal and formal accountability, and providing ongoing support, you can guide your leaders on this transformative journey. As they grow in their discipleship, they will be better equipped to lead others, creating a ripple effect that will strengthen your entire church community. Embrace this path with dedication and watch as your church becomes a beacon of spiritual growth and discipleship, making a profound impact on your congregation and beyond.