What practice best supports leadership development in a church plant?

• A. Deploying intentional leadership development programs and mentoring.
• B. Stating leadership goals but never training.
• C. Delegating leadership to outside consultants without supporting structures.
• D. Recruiting leaders without any training.

Answer: (B)

Developing leaders in a church plant works best when you build intentional development programs and a mentoring culture. This approach creates a clear path for emerging leaders: they receive structured training, regular feedback, and real opportunities to practice leadership in a supportive setting. Mentoring pairs experienced leaders with newer ones, helping them grow in doctrine, vision, governance, and pastoral care while modeling what healthy leadership looks like. With intentional development in place, you establish a scalable pipeline that can expand as the church grows, ensuring new leaders share the same values, mission, and practices.

Stating goals without training leaves people without the tools to grow or apply those goals in real ministry. Delegating leadership to outside consultants without internal structures risks misalignment with the church’s context and creates dependency rather than cultivation of internal leaders. Recruiting leaders without training yields individuals who may lack essential skills, accountability, and understanding of the church’s culture.