In chapter eight we defined the three characteristics of Christian leaders as well as the four types of leaders each church needs at various stages of its ministry. Fortunately, we don't have to look any farther than the next pew. The natural solution to enhancing both the quality and the quantity of leadership within any church is to empower laypeople to use their leadership gifts in various churchwide capacities.
Leaders are among the busiest people in our society.
Because their talent is needed in every organization and enhances the activities of every group, leaders are typically spread thin. The most common limitations included the lack of resources to do ministry properly, restrictive organizational structures and requirements, the unlikely prospects of being able to develop a team with a sense of vision cohesive enough to make significant progress. Either they accept the situation and wait patiently for an opportunity to serve, or they quit. Since the middle of 1995, our data have shown a consistent flight of lay leaders from the Church, largely because they are appalled by the inferior existing leadership and frustrated by the inability to contribute their leadership know-how to the Church. This is a trend that the Church overlooks at its own peril.