As we talked he told me that I’d given him his first opportunity at preaching. We’d been involved in a youth outreach in a fairly rough Welsh town, running a drop in centre and café venue. He said that it had been a fairly challenging time, yet one night I’d asked him if he wanted to do the preach instead of me. Reflecting back, he was amazed I’d taken such a chance with him. In my shoes he didn’t think he’d have taken such a risk. He would have feared giving up control.

But given the chance he’d gone for it. Apparently I’d coached him in preparation, then afterwards I’d debriefed him with a long walk round the estate, giving him encouragement and feedback. It was, he said, a highly formative experience. His very first preach.

What he said made me think. First of all, I thought: Wow, I sound wonderful! Secondly I thought: Oh, when’s the last time I did that? With a teenager?

It’s a challenge we’d all do well to consider. How much are we empowering those around us? How much are we giving others formative and positive experiences in outreach? How much are we mentoring for mission?

The prime duty of any minister is to ‘equip the saints for works of ministry’. As DL Moody once said, “Why would I want to do the work of ten men, when I could put ten men to work instead?”*

Christianity is not a spectator sport, but unless those of us in leadership are willing to give up control and take risks, that’s exactly what it becomes. Without radical and intentional mentoring and empowering strategies, the church gets taken over by a culture of passivity. Not only is it boring, it’s deadly.

Nowhere is empowering leadership more vital than in the area of outreach. It’s not necessarily about just getting people to preach. Rather, it’s about helping people fulfil their potential as everyday missionaries in their own situations, at work and at home.

So how do we do this? Well, it’s obvious, really. If you were paying attention earlier you’d have seen it all contained within the story. To spell it out:

• Lead from the front and give a good example
• Inspire others and create an environment of confidence in the gospel
• Provide specific and appropriate opportunities for service
• Coach, equip and resource people for the task
• Create a context for feedback, encouragement and learning

Mission trips, ministry opportunities and leadership development programmes like Church Growth Academy all have their part to play in preparing people to engage missionally with their everyday lives.

There’s obviously more to it than my brief bullet points suggest. It takes hard work, thought-through application and massive amounts of intentionality. In essence, though, it rests or falls on the willingness of those in leadership to make it happen. It’s a challenge, alright. But it’s one that leaders simply must take up.

Mentoring for mission. Whatever else we forget, let’s make sure that’s one thing we always remember.

Leave your comments, thoughts and feedback below.

*That is, I think DL Moody said it. It sounds like the kind of thing he’d say. At any rate, I’m saying it.