Empowerment

[Coaching Lesson #4 from our Serving Leadership Development Program—Building Effective Teams, Phase 3]

Empowerment is giving or delegating authority and responsibility for a specific purpose or task to another person.

Effective leaders empower their followers. They realize that they cannot do the work of ministry by themselves. Empowering leaders don’t control their team members. Instead, they challenge, equip, and release them so that they can realize their potential for serving God’s purposes.

When we fail to empower others, the ability of a church or an organization to grow and achieve its mission is limited. Lack of empowerment stifles growth, both of the organization and of its followers who are not able to use their gifts and abilities to serve God.

Case Study: Jesus Empowered His Disciples (Acts 1:8)

Jesus commissioned his disciples to reach the world with His message. He wanted them to be successful (see John 14:12) and take what he had started to the next level. Many leaders struggle internally with wanting this, since it represents a threat to their success or legacy. Ironically, the empowerment of a leader’s followers can become one’s greatest legacy. Also note that Jesus then gave them the “power” and “authority” they needed to succeed.

We can learn several things from how Jesus empowered the disciples. First, he gave them what they needed to be successful. He taught them, gave them the opportunity to minister, released them to serve on their own, and gave them the Holy Spirit to guide and encourage them. Second, he prepared them very well before empowering them and sending them out. Failing to train and prepare followers before empowering or delegating assignments to them only serves to set up our followers for failure.

What does Ephesians 4:11-13 tell you about equipping, releasing, and empowering people?

Discussion Questions:

1. Why don’t more leaders empower their followers and delegate responsibility to them?
2. What things can you do to prepare your team members to accomplish an assignment or task?
3. Why is the empowerment and release of followers important to building and growing God’s Kingdom?
4. What must you do to empower your followers like Jesus did with his disciples?