Leader Development
Growing as a Shepherd
As you help others grow in relationship with Jesus, your own growth matters too. Leading a T-Life Group is an ongoing opportunity to deepen your faith, learn through experience, and grow in how you know, guide, and care for people.
This section will help you stay intentional about your spiritual growth, learn alongside your coach and other leaders, and equip an apprentice to grow in leadership. You don’t need to have everything figured out. Keep following Jesus, remain teachable, and take your next step.
Your Growth as a Shepherd
Keep growing as you help others grow.
Your role as a leader flows from your own relationship with Jesus. As you prepare to lead others, make room for God to work in your life too.
Grow in Your Relationship with Jesus
Spend time in Scripture and prayer for your own growth, beyond preparing for group. Pay attention to what God is teaching you and how He is inviting you to respond.
You don’t have to present yourself as someone who has arrived. Appropriately sharing what you’re learning—and where you need to grow—helps model a life of following Jesus.
Remain Curious, Humble, and Teachable
Leadership brings opportunities to learn. Listen carefully, ask questions, and be willing to adjust when something isn’t helping your group grow.
After group, take a moment to reflect: Did I listen well? Did I make room for others? Is there someone I need to follow up with?
Stay Connected to Support
Make time for your coach and participate in leader equipping opportunities. Share what’s encouraging you, where you feel unsure, and where you need help. You don’t have to wait for a difficult situation to ask for support.
Take One Intentional Step
Choose one area where you want to grow spiritually or practically. Talk with your coach about a step you can take, then revisit it together.
Growth happens as you keep following Jesus, practicing what you’re learning, and allowing others to speak into your life.
Developing an Apprentice
Help someone grow as a shepherd.
An apprentice is someone being trained by a leader to become a leader. Apprenticeship provides an intentional process for developing the skills, character, and confidence needed to shepherd a T-Life Group.
Identify Interest and Connect with Anna
Pay attention to people in your group who may have an interest in leadership. Begin a conversation about what they’re learning, how they’re growing, and whether they would like to explore becoming a T-Life Group Leader.
Once someone expresses interest, connect them with Anna to schedule a conversation before beginning the apprenticeship process. Anna will walk through what the process looks like, explain expectations, and help determine the next steps.
Participating in apprenticeship is an opportunity to explore and prepare for leadership. It is not a commitment by the person to become a leader or a guarantee that they will be approved to lead.
Follow the Apprenticeship Process Together
After that conversation with Anna, review the Apprenticeship Overview and Training Checklist together. Make a plan to meet at least once a month outside of group to discuss progress, provide encouragement, and support their growth.
Use the established process and resources to guide their development.
Model, Practice, and Debrief
Gradually give your apprentice opportunities to practice leadership using this progression:
Leader does, apprentice watches; they debrief.
Leader does, apprentice helps; they debrief.
Apprentice does, leader helps; they debrief.
Apprentice does, leader watches; they debrief.
Help them understand why you lead the way you do. After each opportunity, discuss what went well, what was challenging, and what they can learn for next time.
Develop the Whole Leader
Apprenticeship includes more than facilitating discussion. Your resources identify four areas of growth:
Competency: Developing the skills to lead effectively.
Character: Growing in integrity, humility, and spiritual maturity.
Courage: Following God’s leading, even when it is uncomfortable.
Capacity: Developing the emotional, spiritual, and practical ability to carry leadership responsibilities.
Stay attentive to their relationship with Jesus as well as their progress through the checklist.
Stay Connected with Anna
Keep Anna informed as your apprentice develops. When you believe they are ready for additional leadership, connect with her about the next steps in training and approval before they lead or launch a group.
Connect with Your Network Lead, Coach or Anna
You don’t have to figure out your growth—or your apprentice’s growth—alone. When you connect with someone in leadership, share:
Your spiritual growth: What you’re learning in your relationship with Jesus and how you’re responding.
Your leadership challenges: Areas of shepherding your group where you feel unsure or need support.
Your growth as a leader: An area you’d like to strengthen and feedback that would help.
Developing future leaders: People who may be interested in leadership and need a conversation with Anna, or the progress of an apprentice already participating in the process.
Together, identify one practical next step, pray, and plan to follow up.