The paid personnel may find it difficult to share their authority with non-paid ministers. The paid workers would need to accept the pattern and commit to making it work. A further difficulty could be the willingness of members to be elected for the long term ministry. The congregation must also be ready to accept the leadership chosen from their own membership. Strengths Many church members have taken Bible college training.
Plural leadership is excellent training for anyone elected into the ministerial.
Such training also serves in other roles in the church such as Sunday School teaching. Some graduates anticipate full time employment by the church and they will be fulfilled. This pattern, however, assumes that not all who will be elected into the ministerial will have college training. Formal training, though it certainly would be helpful, is not a criterion for being elected to the ministerial. The plural leadership model strengthens the teaching and preaching ministry in the church.