📝 Worksheet 9.4 — Create a Leadership Pipeline Chart for Your Church

Purpose of This Worksheet

Topic 9 focused on building a church leadership pipeline. A leadership pipeline helps a church recognize emerging leaders, train current and future leaders, renew tired leaders, reassign leaders when needed, and multiply ministry through faithful formation.

The goal is not simply to fill positions.

The goal is to notice what God is already doing in people, invite them into training, connect them with mentors, give them appropriate ministry opportunities, and help them grow toward faithful service.

The Topic 9 course materials emphasize discovering emerging leaders, training elders, deacons, and ministry volunteers, and helping leaders find renewal or reassignment when needed.

Part 1 — Current Leadership Snapshot

List the current leaders in your church or ministry.

Include pastors, elders, deacons, ministry directors, teachers, small group leaders, chaplain-minded visitors, officiants, life coach ministers, worship leaders, youth leaders, children’s ministry leaders, hospitality leaders, and other key volunteers.

Part 2 — Leadership Needs in the Church

Check the areas where your church needs more trained leaders.

Worship, Teaching, and Discipleship

☐ Bible teachers
☐ Small group leaders
☐ Youth leaders
☐ Children’s ministry leaders
☐ Worship leaders
☐ Prayer leaders
☐ Discipleship mentors
☐ New believer mentors
☐ Micro church or house church leaders

Pastoral Care and Community Ministry

☐ Hospital visitors
☐ Nursing home visitors
☐ Funeral support team
☐ Wedding officiants
☐ Funeral officiants
☐ Church-based chaplains
☐ Grief support leaders
☐ Life coach ministers
☐ Marriage support leaders
☐ Care team coordinators

Church Order and Leadership

☐ Elders
☐ Deacons
☐ Ministry directors
☐ Volunteer coordinators
☐ Administrative leaders
☐ Stewardship or finance leaders
☐ Outreach coordinators
☐ Church planting leaders
☐ Daughter church leaders
☐ Soul Center leaders

Evangelism and Multiplication

☐ Evangelism leaders
☐ Community outreach leaders
☐ Hospitality hosts
☐ Neighborhood connectors
☐ Digital ministry leaders
☐ International or language ministry leaders
☐ Homeschool or young adult ministry leaders
☐ CLI training hub coordinators
☐ CLA ordination pathway mentors

Other Leadership Needs

Part 3 — Emerging Leader Discernment List

List people who may have leadership potential.

Look for signs such as:

• Faithfulness in small things

• Teachable spirit

• Spiritual hunger

• Servant posture

• Relational maturity

• Ministry burden

• Capacity for responsibility

• Fruitfulness without needing a title

• Respect for oversight

• Willingness to receive training

Part 4 — Calling and Capacity Check

Choose one emerging leader from Part 3 and answer these questions.

Name of emerging leader:

Possible calling or ministry role:

Calling Indicators

Check any signs that may point toward calling.

☐ This person shows a burden for people.
☐ This person already serves faithfully.
☐ This person is spiritually hungry.
☐ This person asks thoughtful questions.
☐ Others already trust this person.
☐ This person gathers or encourages people naturally.
☐ This person has gifts that fit a ministry need.
☐ This person is open to training.
☐ This person respects church leadership.
☐ This person shows humility and teachability.

Capacity Indicators

Check any signs that may show present capacity.

☐ This person has time to begin training.
☐ This person has emotional steadiness.
☐ This person follows through on commitments.
☐ This person has family support or a sustainable rhythm.
☐ This person communicates clearly.
☐ This person can handle responsibility without becoming overwhelmed.
☐ This person can begin with a small assignment.
☐ This person is willing to serve under oversight.

Areas needing more formation:

Any concerns or warning signs?

Part 5 — Pipeline Stages

Place emerging leaders into the stage that best fits them right now.

Stage 1 — Notice

People who show potential but have not yet been invited into a discernment conversation.

Stage 2 — Invite

People who should be invited into a conversation about calling, training, or future ministry.

Stage 3 — Train

People who are ready to begin CLI training, local mentoring, or a ministry preparation pathway.

Stage 4 — Test

People who are ready for a small, supervised ministry assignment.

Stage 5 — Endorse or Commission

People who may be ready for local endorsement, CLA ordination pathway, public commissioning, or a clearly recognized ministry role.

Stage 6 — Mentor Others

Leaders who are ready to help form the next generation of leaders.

Part 6 — Current Leader Renewal and Reassignment

A leadership pipeline is not only for new leaders. It also helps current leaders find renewal, rest, or a better ministry fit.

Current leaders who may need encouragement or renewal:

Current leaders who may need fresh training:

Current leaders who may need rest:

Current leaders who may be better suited for a different role:

Current leaders who could mentor emerging leaders:

Part 7 — Ministry Role Pathways

Choose which role pathways your church may need to develop.

Church Office and Leadership Pathways

☐ Elder pathway
☐ Deacon pathway
☐ Ministry director pathway
☐ Volunteer coordinator pathway
☐ Teaching leader pathway
☐ Small group leader pathway

CLI/CLA Ministry Role Pathways

☐ Wedding Officiant pathway
☐ Funeral Officiant pathway
☐ Chaplain pathway
☐ Life Coach Minister pathway
☐ Licensed Minister pathway
☐ Ordained Minister pathway
☐ Minister of the Word pathway
☐ Ministry Coach pathway

Multiplication Pathways

☐ Micro church leader pathway
☐ House church leader pathway
☐ Daughter church planter pathway
☐ Soul Center leader pathway
☐ Local CLI training hub coordinator pathway
☐ Outreach or evangelism leader pathway

Priority pathway to develop first:

Why this pathway matters now:

Part 8 — Training Plan

Select one pathway from Part 7 and create a simple training plan.

Pathway selected:

People to invite into this pathway:

First CLI course or training step:

Local mentoring plan:

Ministry practice assignment:

Boundary or role clarity topic that must be discussed:

Timeline for first review:

☐ 30 days
☐ 60 days
☐ 90 days
☐ 6 months
☐ Other: ___________________________________________

Part 9 — Mentoring Pair Chart

Pair current leaders with emerging leaders.

Possible check-in rhythms:

☐ Weekly
☐ Twice per month
☐ Monthly
☐ Quarterly
☐ Before and after ministry assignments

Part 10 — 90-Day Leadership Pipeline Plan

Days 1–30 — Notice and Invite

☐ Review current leadership needs.
☐ Identify emerging leaders.
☐ Name current leaders who need renewal or rest.
☐ Invite one to three people into a discernment conversation.
☐ Choose one pathway to develop first.
☐ Recommend one CLI training step.
☐ Pair one current leader with one emerging leader.
☐ Pray for leadership multiplication.

Notes:

Days 31–60 — Train and Mentor

☐ Begin CLI training.
☐ Hold one leadership formation meeting.
☐ Discuss role clarity and boundaries.
☐ Give one supervised ministry assignment.
☐ Check in with current leaders who need renewal.
☐ Encourage one tired leader.
☐ Identify one possible reassignment.
☐ Pray with emerging leaders.

Notes:

Days 61–90 — Test and Review

☐ Review training progress.
☐ Debrief supervised ministry assignments.
☐ Evaluate calling and capacity.
☐ Decide who needs more training.
☐ Decide who may be ready for a next assignment.
☐ Consider local endorsement or commissioning where appropriate.
☐ Update the leadership pipeline chart.
☐ Celebrate signs of growth.

Notes:

Part 11 — Leadership Pipeline Summary Chart

Use this chart to summarize your church’s leadership pipeline.

Part 12 — Final Reflection

Complete these sentences.

The leadership need we should address first is:

The first person we should encourage is:

The first CLI training step should be:

The first mentor pairing should be:

One current leader who may need renewal or encouragement is:

One possible reassignment to consider is:

The first 90-day goal for our leadership pipeline is:

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,

You are the head of the church. You call, form, equip, and send your servants.

Open our eyes to the leaders You are already raising up among us. Help us recognize faithfulness, teachability, spiritual hunger, servant posture, and ministry burden.

Give us wisdom to train leaders before we title them, to mentor leaders before we send them, and to encourage leaders before they grow weary.

Renew current leaders. Strengthen tired leaders. Reassign leaders with honor where needed. Raise up emerging leaders with humility and courage.

Help our church become a place where gifts are noticed, callings are confirmed, leaders are trained, and ministry is multiplied.

Use this leadership pipeline for the building up of the body of Christ and the spread of Christianity.

In Jesus’ name, amen.