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Recruiting, Equipping, and Empowering Church Leaders
Shifting from clergy-led to lay-led ministry takes guts—and these practical tools.
About this Course
Together, we’ll explore practical ways to recruit, empower, and train church leaders, moving your community towards a model where everyone thrives.
What You’ll Be Able to Do:
Raising up lay leaders is a nice idea—but is it essential for sustainable ministry?
For many pastors and church staff, the answer is yes. As congregations face budget cuts and leaders experience burnout, the need to move toward a balanced model of shared ministry has become more and more urgent.
But how do we intentionally cultivate and equip volunteers for lay leadership instead of just waiting for them to emerge?
Recruiting, Equipping, and Empowering Church Leaders was designed to help you make the leap. Together, we’ll explore practical ways to recruit, empower, and train church leaders, moving your community towards a model where everyone thrives.
Church leadership development isn’t just about slotting volunteers into roles: it’s about helping people discover their callings so they can step into leadership with confidence.
In this course, you’ll explore practical strategies for training lay leaders, discover helpful resources for managing volunteers, and learn how to step back with confidence—trusting in God and the gifts and talents your members bring to your church community.
Modules
Welcome
Get oriented to the course, meet your instructor, download the interactive handbook, and more.
Celebrating the Ministry of All
In this module you will:
- Understand the role of spiritual gifts in the church.
- Reflect on your own gifts.
- Be reminded that the church belongs to God.
Redefining the Pastor’s Role
In this module you will:
- Examine various roles of the pastor over time.
- Explore these roles in your own context.
- Discern God’s prompting over your own ministry role.
Discerning the Gifts
In this module you will:
- Learn strategies and skills for recruitment.
- Explore possibilities for recruiting leaders in your setting.
- Discern the Holy Spirit at work.
Equipping the Faithful
In this module you will:
- Learn skills and strategies for equipping leaders using Jesus as a model.
- Practice the I do, we do, you do strategy.
- Develop patience and trust in God’s work in yourself and others.
Empowering the Gifted
In this module you will:
- Learn skills and strategies for authority, oversight, and accountability.
- Develop habits for management and not micromanagement.
- Thank God for the leaders you work with.
Cultivating an Equipping Culture
In this module you will:
- Learn why letting go is essential to this process.
- Develop skills for exiting well.
- Commit your leaders to God's care and love.
Completing the Course
Find out your next steps as you complete the course. You'll also be encouraged to submit feedback about your course.
One-time purchase
$55
With Faith+Lead Membership
$0*
Get a free public display license to use for group study.
$0*
*by joining Faith+Lead Membership for just $19.95 per month
- Modules:
8 Modules
- Format:
Self-Paced, On-Demand
- Access:
Lifetime Access
Get to Know Your Instructors
Dwight Zscheile
The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile is professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.
He is the author of Embracing the Mixed Ecology (with Blair Pogue, Seabury Books, 2025), Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future (with Michael Binder and Tessa Pinkstaff, Fortress Press 2023), Participating in God’s Mission: A Theological Missiology for the U.S. (with Craig Van Gelder, Eerdmans 2018), The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age (Morehouse Publishing, 2014), People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity (Morehouse Publishing, 2012) and The Missional Church in Perspective: Mapping Trends and Shaping the Conversation (with Craig Van Gelder, Baker Academic 2011), editor of Cultivating Sent Communities: Missional Spiritual Formation (Eerdmans, 2012), and co-editor (with Ed Olsworth-Peter) of The Starter’s Way: Leading New Contextual Christian Communities (Church Publishing, 2025).
A graduate of Stanford University (BA), Yale University (MDiv) and Luther Seminary (PhD, Congregational Mission and Leadership), Dwight previously served congregations in Minnesota, Virginia and Connecticut. Dwight’s experience growing up in a secular home in California has shaped his commitment to helping the church cultivate Christian community with neighbors in today’s changing world.
Ready to Enroll?
Enroll in this on-demand course today or unlock free access to this and all Faith+Lead’s on-demand courses, plus more with a Faith+Lead Membership.
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$55
One-time purchase
- Access to this on-demand course
- Access the leaders guide for group study
- Access the course workbook for individual study
- A private, supportive online community
- Public display license for all on-demand courses and workshop recordings
- Access to 40+ on-demand courses
- Access every live and recorded workshop
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Access this on-demand course
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- Access to this on-demand course
- Access to all 40+ on-demand courses
- Public display license for all on-demand courses and workshop recordings
- Access all leaders guides for group study
- Access all course workbooks for individual study
- A private, supportive online community
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What to Expect with a Faith+Lead Academy Course
You’ll get a transformative learning experience that combines trustworthy theological teaching with spiritual practices, interactive elements, and a supportive online community.
Know
Expand your theological toolkit with fresh insights for today’s ministry landscape. Connect timeless wisdom with practical frameworks for navigating change.
Be
Do
Practice skills to lead confidently in your ministry context. Take actionable steps to invite your community into God’s unfolding story.
Every Academy course is designed to
Help your growth in one of these core areas:
Develop a Christ-centered identity, grounded in theology, scripture, and spiritual practice, that empowers community members to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life.
Tell the story of Jesus and invite neighbors into Jesus’ way of life and love through words and actions they can recognize.
Listen deeply, name God’s presence in the midst of everyday life, and form life-giving relationships across all dimensions of diversity—both within and beyond the church.
Through mutual relationships with the neighbors among whom you’re hosted, join in acts of compassion, justice, and reconciliation as a witness to the ministry of Jesus—especially in places of suffering and despair.
Harness skills of agile leadership, stewardship, fundraising, entrepreneurism, and management to be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect when I take an Academy course?
Academy courses consist of 6-10 lessons or modules, each walking you through the “know, be, do” learning framework. You’ll learn some new information with instructor videos and other resources (know). You’ll engage in a spiritual practice that will help you develop your faith around the topic (be). Then, you’ll be asked to apply what you’ve learned through activities completed online or in the “real world” (do).
How long will it take me to complete a course?
Each module is designed to take 15-45 minutes. Some learners complete the course in as little as one day. Some do a module a day or even a module a week. We suggest allowing some time between modules to process what you are learning, but not so much time that you lose momentum.
What resources are available if I’m a group leader?
Each course includes a flexible leader’s guide with multiple pathways for group facilitation. You’ll find thought-provoking discussion questions and practical activities that connect faith with daily life, designed to work with whatever preparation time you have available. These resources equip you to foster meaningful discipleship experiences that meet your community where they are.
What do I need to know about the free private online social group?
The private online group allows you to connect with others. Because our courses don’t have a required start or stop date, you will encounter others in different places in the course and even in different courses altogether. This is by design. Feel free to interact as much or as little as you like.
What should I do if I have questions or problems with my registration?
Reach out via email to faithlead@luthersem.edu with your question and we’ll get back to you with a response within two business days.
What if I have a suggestion or request for a course topic?
The best way to connect with us is to complete this form with your suggestion. We always want to hear your feedback. You may also include it in the comments section of the course evaluation.
Don’t see your question addressed?
Email us at support@faithlead.org for more information. We’ll be delighted to connect!