 Emerging Leaders
Who Is an “Emerging
Leader?”
A Person of Any Age
Many people, when they hear the phrase “Emerging
Leader,” immediately think of youth or college
students. Young adults can be emerging leaders, to
be sure. But if we restrict our thinking to one narrow
age range, we're missing the point. The fact is that
God works in individual lives at any age, calling out
leaders to work in fields that are “white unto
harvest.”
Discerning a Call
Too often in the church, our thinking about
leadership focuses exclusively on professional or ordained
ministry. Biblically speaking, however, the gifts of
God's Spirit are much broader than that. Yes, God “gifts” or “calls” people
to serve as pastors or church staff members. But God
also “gifts” and “calls” people
to a broad range of other ministries and kinds of service—both
inside and outside the church—to advance the
purposes of God's kingdom.
Among God's People
“Emerging Leaders” are not “Lone
Rangers.” After all, “leaders” imply “followers.” More
to the point, however, the point of God's “calling
out” of leaders is to enhance the effectiveness
of all God's people. As the apostle Paul says, God's
gifts are given “to build up the church” (Ephesians
4: 12). In addition, the gathered community of faith
usually plays a vital role in helping individuals discern
and affirm a call of God.
Put It All Together
What is an “Emerging Leader”?
An emerging leader is an individual of any age who
is in the process of discerning the call of God in
his or her life, the call to minister and serve in
ways that bring glory to God and build up God's church.
Do any of these scenarios describe you?
- You are a young adult in junior high
or high school. You've made a commitment to be a
follower of Jesus, but you sense that there is something
more that God wants to teach you about where following
Jesus will take you.
- You are in college and are wrestling
with some pretty big life decisions. What should
I major in? What do I want to do with my life after
I graduate? In the midst of these questions, you
are convinced that God wants to use you to make a
difference.
- You are in the “prime of life:” your
formal education is behind you; you have a job; you
have a family. But you are still growing. You sense
that God is preparing you for something new, opening
doors for new ministry and service in your church
or your workplace.
- You are nearing retirement. But even
as you prepare to leave this particular career, you
know that God still has plans to use the gifts, skills
and experiences that you have developed over a lifetime.
You are simply trying to figure out what that next
step ought to look like.
If any of these scenarios sound familiar,
then you may well be an “Emerging Leader.” We
would like to come alongside you—providing encouragement,
assistance in discerning God's voice, and opportunities
to 'try on' new ministry—as you grapple with
the meaning of that call for you.
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