Application of the 4 Es in a Healthy Church

Healthy leaders lead to healthy church, which leads to healthy leaders.
What might the 4 Es look like in GCI. Check this link for more information.

Engage: recognize & recruit

• As pastors/leaders, we create an environment of recruiting and invitation. This is proactive.
• We do this by modeling a pattern of recognizing and inviting others into life with Christ and participating in the ministries of the church.
• As leaders, we keep in mind the diversity of giftings and skillsets while recruiting developing ministry opportunities. We are intentional to find ways to involve all members in some way.
• As leaders, we must be sensitive to the work and calling of the Spirit in the life of others. As we recognize the gifting in others and we acknowledge the needs of the ministry, we intentionally invite others in and give them opportunity for participation. Let’s acknowledge we sometimes (often) struggle with giving ministry away and with leader readiness. However, we must be willing to engage the process, even in its messiness.
• Engagement occurs in the life of our local congregations and our focus neighborhoods.

Equip: develop & multiply

• As the pastor, we should differentiate between ministry workers and ministry leaders in equipping.
• We should focus on developing ministry leaders. And our ministry leaders develop ministry workers.
• Our training is relevant and timely to the stage of development and area of responsibility.
• Our equipping includes both character and skillset development (equipping as part of discipleship). Spiritual development and ministry skills development is a side-by-side process. This is why Paul cautions the church leaders not to be in a rush to ordain too quickly (I Timothy 5:22).
• The meat of our equipping happens at the local church level, in the trenches—ongoing and hands-on.
• One of the most frustrating things for leaders-in-the-making is to be invited to lead without the proper training. As a healthy pastor/leader, we understand that one of our main responsibilities is to develop and multiply healthy leaders. We accept that developing a healthy leader requires intentionality and recognizing the difference between a ministry worker and one that leads others.

Empower: create space & commission

• As a pastor or Avenue champion who empowers leaders, we should create ministry spaces for new leaders.
• We do not recruit and develop without making room for the apprentice to lead.
• As healthy leaders, we do not engage and equip others only to have them sit on the sidelines. We create spaces for leaders to step into leadership roles. We commission them before the body for recognition and a healthy charge.
• We allow others to lead according to their gifting, style, and personality—not as extensions of the self or as pawns. We are sensitive to the rules of engagement from the 5 Voices. We remember the platinum rule of empowering in a way that is meaningful to that voice.
• We recognize that in the liberation to lead there is still accountability. Our newly empowered leader operates as a part of a team and must act accordingly. Our newly empowered leader will periodically report to their direct supervisor.

Encourage: call up & affirm

• As the pastor, we must understand that leaders are mainly volunteers and ministry can become difficult. We need to be attentive and encouraging.
• We lift each other up throughout the difficult journey of ministry. This includes words of affirmation, times of shared prayer, honest conversations, handwritten notes to encourage, etc.
• We recognize when to lead with strategies, support, or challenge but will also recognize when to pastor and encourage a ministry leader.
• We acknowledge that encouragement is more than giving praise. It is sharing what we see in a person, calling out their strengths, as well as opportunities for growth. We are available to provide support when things are not going so well.