My goal when training leader is to help them get the people they lead mobilized to fulfill their callings, as well as play their part in God’s purpose for their generation. I try to accomplish this by helping shift some key paradigms and mindsets.
I wanted to take a moment to share the general outline I use.
I believe it could be helpful in your own context as you seek to take people further in their walk with God.
The 5 “E”‘s, are tools which I use to guide me during teaching.
They are:
- Engage- We must first understand that there is a problem. What are the problems in your local context? How can you build your case so that others can join you? We must “engage” the issues involved and be convinced of the problem from God’s perspective. Most “change-agents” fail in their goal because they spent most of their time talking about solutions when they have not taken the proper time to convince their audience of the problem. Therefore their audience is not engaged. The problem has not yet become personal.
- Empower- We must understand that we are a part of the solution. It is very easy to think that others are the solution and hope that they will hear from God about what needs to be done. But God has called each of his children to be “priests” unto him. The doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers” is often neglected in many circles. After Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, each believer now has direct access to God and the Holy Spirit gives each one everything we need. Now there is an anointing that abides in each of us.
- Equip- In order to be effective, we must be properly equipped. That is why we exist as leaders, to equip you. When Jesus gave leadership to the church, he gave it in the form of a variety of five types of elders (Eph 4:11-12). The role of these elders is to equip the saints (the army of the average every day yet supernatural people of God) to do the works that God has prepared for each of them to do. This leadership gives the tools for the job and empowers, not from the top down, but from the bottom up as the servants of all. Each of these five elders gives a much needed “flavor” and emphasis to the people of God that should come straight from the Head, Jesus.
- Expand- It is God’s will for us to be fruitful and multiply. We are called not only to be learners, but to obey what we already know. Part of being a believer is always being ready to be stretched in your thinking and in your capacity for the glory of God and for the sake of others. We make choices out of the freedom we have in the Gospel that may not be convenient for us. When we are challenged and stretched by God in certain ways, we receive and increase capacity to serve others. We are challenged to grow beyond our own needs and desires to thinking about how we can be a part of building bridges into other people’s lives.
- Explode- The power to accomplish the great things God has called each person to does not come from ourselves, but it comes from the power of God working in us and through us. Jesus said, “You shall receive power once the Holy Spirit has come upon you and your shall be my witnesses…” Power (dunamis) is the explosive power of God working in and through our Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. One of the evidences of being filled is fresh boldness and courage to accomplish our God given callings. The Kingdom of God is not merely a matter of speaking, but also of power. This power serves to bring spiritual freedom to those still held captive.
