a tale of two churches
by Dave Miller, Co-Founder
This is not based on a true story. It actually is the true story that happened (and it wasn’t the first time)
In the past month, I had two conversations with longtime friends who lead churches.
Both churches are healthy. Both are doing innovative things to advance their mission. Both pastors are gifted leaders carrying more responsibility than most people realize. Both churches have thriving ministries for kids and students. And both are churches I would gladly attend if I lived in their communities.
Both also experienced an unexpected staff resignation recently.
Ouch.
As we talked, I was struck by the contrast between their situations.
Three years ago, both churches explored the possibility of launching a residency. Neither church felt completely ready. Neither knew exactly what they were getting into. Both had questions. Both had concerns.
Only one church decided to move forward.
That decision made all the difference.
The First Conversation
The first pastor shared some encouraging news.
“Just a few months ago, we weren’t sure we’d have a role for ____ (their resident who was in month 19) after the program ended. Now we’re incredibly grateful he’s been here. He’s spent two years learning our culture, understanding our DNA, and building relationships with our people. When a staff member stepped away, he was ready. We offered him the position, and he accepted.”
Three years ago, this church took a leap of faith. They committed to recruiting and developing a young leader. They built a process and invested time, energy, and resources into someone who showed potential.
There were moments when they wondered if it would work.
It did.
When the staffing need emerged, they didn’t have to begin a nationwide search. They didn’t have to scramble to find a replacement. They already had someone they knew, trusted, and had spent years preparing.
They weren’t reacting to a crisis.
They were ready for it.
The Second Conversation
The second conversation sounded very different.
The pastor said, “I can’t believe I’m asking this, but do you know anyone who would want to move here and be our student pastor? I may also be looking for a worship leader soon.”
This church could have spent the last three years developing future staff members.
Instead, they’re beginning the search today.
What’s interesting is that this church isn’t lacking resources. They’re located in a major metropolitan area and have the financial capacity to make a strong hire.
Their challenge is the same challenge facing churches everywhere.
Finding qualified ministry leaders takes time.
Most church staffing searches last six to nine months. Some take even longer.
If you’ve ever gone without a student pastor, worship leader, children’s director, or other key staff member for an extended period, you understand the pressure it creates. Existing team members absorb additional responsibilities. Momentum slows. Opportunities are missed. Ministry becomes more reactive than proactive.
The cost is often greater than we realize.
Both Churches Had Good Reasons to Wait
Here’s the reality.
Three years ago, both churches had perfectly reasonable reasons not to launch a residency.
The budget felt tight. The future felt uncertain.
The timing wasn’t ideal. Other priorities seemed more urgent.
Those are the same reasons most churches give today.
The difference is that one church started anyway.
After helping launch more than 200 residency programs across the country, we’ve noticed a consistent pattern. The biggest mistake churches make is not choosing the wrong model, hiring the wrong resident, or building the wrong curriculum.
The biggest mistake is simply not starting.
We wait until everything feels clear. We want to believe the budget will grow.
We believe it will be easier in the future. We wait until the staffing need becomes urgent.
Unfortunately, by the time the need becomes urgent, it’s too late to develop the leader you wish you had.
Leadership pipelines are built before they’re needed.
The Best Time Is Today
There’s an old proverb that says:
“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is today.”
The same principle applies to leadership development.
The leaders your church will need three years from now are being shaped today. They may already be serving in your ministry. They may already be volunteering on your team. They may already be sitting in your congregation, waiting for someone to see potential in them and invest in their growth.
The question is not whether your church will need future leaders.
The question is whether you’ll begin preparing them now.
At Leadership Pathway, we’ve helped churches launch more than 200 residency programs, and more than 99 percent of residents who complete an Lp residency continue serving in ministry roles.
We’ve seen firsthand what happens when churches choose to invest in the next generation of leaders before the need becomes urgent.
The churches that thrive tomorrow are usually the churches that started preparing today.
Today could be the day your church stops waiting.
Today could be the day you begin building the leadership pipeline your future ministry will depend on.
And today could be the day you start developing the leader who may one day become your next staff member.
Your Next Step
If you’re ready to explore what a residency could look like in your church, we’d love to help. Schedule a conversation with our team and discover how your church can begin building a leadership pipeline for the future.