Teambuilding And Disciplemaking

It's a Tuesday and I'm spending my day with our staff team, cross-checking each other's goals for the next quarter. 

This is a very productive time for us. It helps build unity into our staff. But more important is the atmosphere of challenge we've built into this time. We each challenge each other to stretch vision.

We normally spend Tuesday mornings in staff discipleship. This goes for about three hours each week and those are the most important hours of my working week. Outside my family, discipling our staff is the most important function in my life--more important than sermon prep, etc. This is where we keep getting leaders to plant churches.

Lots of pastors are into teambuilding. But much of that revolves around fun and staff outings or retreats. Yet, the master asked us to make disciples. He also spent massive amounts of time with twelve primary leaders, and more time with just three. 

Somehow most pastors seem to tradeoff Jesus' example for the flavor-of-the-month, in terms of books and current examples of success. Yet, in the long-term, those who make disciples are those who build movements. Think in terms of John Wesley, etc.

I submit that the most enduring investment you can make is that of making disciples of primary leaders in your team. If you have a paid staff, those people should be your top priority...