The Six Levels of Leadership

Podcast Episode #009

We explore the six levels of leadership found in my book Breakout Churches. Originally based on Jim Collins’ Good to Great, Breakout Churches explores the reasons churches moved from decline to breakout growth. One common factor in breakout growth was outstanding leadership.
When we finished processing the data for the book, we found a distinct correlation between the 6 levels of leadership and characteristics found in the first seven chapters of Acts:

Acts 1: The Called Leader
Acts 2: The Contributing Leader
Acts 3: The Outwardly-Focused Leader
Acts 4: The Passionate Leader
Acts 5: The Bold Leader
Acts 6/7: The Legacy Leader

Acts 6/7 leadership is desperately needed. May we all strive to become Acts 6/7 leaders by God’s grace and for His glory.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Breakout Churches. This book furnishes both principles and examples to show how you as a pastor or church leader can help your church break out of the status quo into unprecedented fruitfulness. Of the thousands of churches examined in the study, thirteen met the criteria for a “breakout church.” All of them experienced both a period of struggle and a time of sustained breakout growth under the same pastor’s leadership. Transitioning from mediocrity to excellence over several years, they grew to have an impact on the entire community. Visit LifeWay.com or your local Christian bookstore to get your copy today.

Listener Questions

From Caleb – What would you say to a young leader in a church that shows many signs of being in decline? As a pastor in his 20s on staff with 4 other older (some much older) pastors how do I influence the culture when my position does not lend itself to influence? When does the time come to invest my energy in another ministry rather than in a culture of a declining church?
From Joseph – Is a leadership position meant for everyone?
From Ken – How do you motivate church leaders, like deacons who have been in a rut for many years, only taking care of the “business” part of the church?