Leading a movement
Delegating Responsibility:
Student Leaders Involving Others in Ministry

What is Delegation?

1. Definition - "to entrust to another", to empower another to act."
2. Biblical examples
• Matthew 25:11-30 - trust, abilities, results, growth
• Luke 19:11-27 - a progression from things to people
• Luke 16:10-12 - a progression from small to large
• Acts 6:3 - requirements of being known as Spirit-filled and wise

3. Barriers to delegation
• "Easier to do it myself "
• "They are not competent "
• "If you want to do something right, do it yourself."

Benefits of Delegation

1. Task is accomplished
   Jethro principle, Exodus 18, responsibilities are greater than capabilities

2. Share the Load
   Acts 6:1-7, good things happen when people are exercising their gifts

3. Builds into Future Leaders
   Adage, "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will feed himself and others for a lifetime." Acts 6:3-6, Stephen and Phillip were chosen and would have roles later.

4. Three types of Leaders
   (See How to Distinguish Leadership Potential pdf file)

• Potential - those students who are young in your ministry. They show potential but you haven't been around them enough to observe their strengths and weaknesses

• Progressing - are those who have responded to what you have entrusted to them and have been faithful in accomplishing what needed to be done, be it physical arrangements for the weekly meeting or getting surveys printed on time. They are ready for greater responsibilities.

• Proven - those who are the spiritual leaders of your movement. Because they have been progressively faithful in little, so you can entrust them with much

How to Delegate

1. Consider skill level and maturity
   The greater the skill and maturity, the less hands on that you need to give.
2. Consider visibility and risk
   If you want to develop your Potential Leaders, you may want to begin with "low visibility, low risk" responsibilities. If they fail, they can learn from their mistakes but the consequences will not be fatal for the ministry. As they grow they can be entrusted with more. With your Proven Leaders--those who demonstrate maturity, faithfulness and skill you can entrust "high visibility, high risk" responsibilities.
   
• Posters (low risk, low visibility)
• Group talk, food (low risk, high visibility)
• Schedule room (high risk, low visibility)
• Mc, talk (high risk, high visibility)

3. Process of Delegating
   
• What to do
• Who to ask and why
• What to say (results, standards, guidelines, pitfalls, authority, resources)
• How and when to evaluate (consequences, accountability)

Practical Steps

1. Make a list of responsibilities that need to be done. Work through visibility and risk and who would be best to do them.

2. Kick off meeting Nehemiah is a good example of inspiring and delegating.

3. Group talks as a way to begin to build group accountability.