In a talk at the 2024 Exponential Global Conference, focused on the theme "Oneighty: The Return to Disciple Making," the speaker reflected on the impact of their home church's commitment to investing in young people, highlighting how many of their peers entered Christian ministry. The church's strategy involved seeing, loving, and investing time, treasure, and talent into individuals, propelling them into various forms of ministry, not just within the church but also in the wider community utilizing their marketplace skills. Guest speaker Sean Sears, who planted Grace Church, exemplified this approach by successfully launching nine church plants. Sears and his church prioritize identifying and developing potential church leaders from the congregation, emphasizing the significance of giving responsibility before assigning authority and adapting leadership development to the individual's spiritual maturity and marketplace skills. Actionable takeaways for pastors include identifying potential leaders within their church, understanding the right time to introduce them to leadership roles, fostering a culture that encourages leadership development, and being intentional about disciple-making by investing their time, talent, and resources into nurturing future leaders who will, in turn, make disciples.

Title: 2024 Exponential Global Conference: Oneighty - The Return to Disciple Making Subtitle 1: Legacy of Discipleship in Church Communities

• Introduction to the concept of generational discipleship

  • Observations of youth group alumni entering full-time or part-time Christian ministry
  • Discussion of the home church's influence in nurturing a legacy of ministry-minded individuals

• Key Concepts:

  • The church's role in seeing, loving, and intentionally investing in younger generations
  • “They loved us, saw us, intentionally invested time, treasure, and talent into discipling, developing, and sending us out.”

• Application Points for Pastors:

  • Evaluate church activities to identify how they contribute to discipleship
  • Foster an environment where time, treasure, and talent can flourish in service of disciple-making

Subtitle 2: Mobilizing the Church for the Great Commission

• Discipleship as a fundamental aspect of the Great Commission

  • Recognition that all required resources and people for the Great Commission exist within the church
  • The importance of intentionality in discipleship
  • "All the people you need to begin fulfilling your part of the great commission are already in your church."

• Application Points for Pastors:

  • Assess the current recognition and utilization of congregational gifts
  • Develop intentional strategies for equipping church members in discipleship roles

Subtitle 3: Church Planting and Leadership Development

• The journey from church planting to developing leaders

  • Identifying potential leaders through service and commitment
  • Embracing non-traditional pathways to church leadership
  • Recognizing the value of marketplace skills within church contexts

• Key Quotes and Concepts:

  • Importance of recognizing and nurturing individuals' potential for ministry
  • “The people that you're undervaluing God has bigger plans and dreams for than you do.”
  • “Don't ever put anybody in a position of leadership who hasn't already demonstrated a pattern of service.”

• Application Points for Pastors:

  • Encourage church members to identify their unique gifts and abilities
  • Provide opportunities for church members to serve in ways that allow them to grow into leadership roles

Subtitle 4: Practical Steps Toward Cultivating Leaders

• The Process of Identifying and Raising Up Leaders

  • Engaging members in progressively responsible roles
  • Nurturing leadership through practical service experiences
  • “Give out responsibility before you assign a position.”

• Application Points for Pastors:

  • Develop an actionable leadership pipeline that aligns with church growth objectives
  • Structure ministry opportunities that allow members to take on meaningful responsibilities
  • Create a culture where service is a pathway to leadership

Subtitle 5: Empowering Leaders Through Vision and Investment

• Sharing vision and investing time, talent, and treasure

  • The significance of providing a platform for potential leaders at church events like conference attendances
  • Mentoring as a tool for leader development by using resources like RadicalMentoring.com and The Multiplication Effect by Mac Lake

• Application Points for Pastors:

  • Consider introducing mentoring programs tailored to your church's context
  • Invest in the church's vision through dedicated training and resources for up-and-coming leaders

Subtitle 6: Q&A and Personal Perspectives From Up-and-Coming Leaders

• Insights from future leaders on their journey in church ministry

  • The role of opportunities and intentional development in their growth
  • The healthy culture of leadership development within the church context

• Application Points for Pastors:

  • Promote transparency and openness in conversations around leadership roles
  • Foster a supportive environment that encourages individuals to explore their calling within the church

Subtitle 7: Final Thoughts and Call to Action

• Encouraging pastors to prioritize disciple-making and leadership development

  • Being proactive in identifying and nurturing the next generation of church leaders
  • The importance of aligning church culture with disciple-making and multiplication efforts

• Closing Remarks:

  • Reinforce the conference theme of returning to intentional disciple-making
  • Impart a greater sense of urgency and purpose in pastors to invest in future church leaders

• Avalon Church in Virginia Beach
• Exponential Conference
• Book of Acts in the Bible
• Grace Church in Boston, Massachusetts
• Radical Mentoring (radicalmentoring.com)
• Mac Lake - "The Multiplication Effect" book
• My Life Church (Church Metrics tool)
• John Bennett at Stadia Church Planting (contact: jbennett@stadia.org)
• Willie George and Church on the Move
• Church on the Move Conference
• Rick Burgess (mentioned as a mutual friend, no specific resources provided)
• Leadership pipeline workshop with Tony Morgan and Mac Lake (no direct link available)

Please note that specific websites or links for some of the resources such as books or the conference might not be provided as the transcript does not include them. However, references like books and conferences can be generally found through online bookstores or on the respective organization's website.

• Question 1: Reflect on the individuals within our congregation whom we may have overlooked—who might they be and what unique skills or passions could they bring to our disciple-making efforts?
  • Context: Consider identifying members who are already demonstrating commitment or interest in certain areas, despite not holding formal leadership roles.
• Question 2: In what tangible ways can we demonstrate that we see and love the members of our congregation, fostering an environment where they feel valued and empowered to contribute?
  • Context: Think about creating systems of recognition, avenues for personal growth, and authentic relationship-building efforts.
• Question 3: How can we develop an intentional investment plan that utilizes time, treasure, and talent to disciple, develop, and send out leaders within our own church?
  • Context: Map out a basic framework that includes mentorship, leadership training, and opportunities for ministry experience in a safe environment.
• Question 4: What does it mean for our church to 'begin fulfilling the Great Commission' with the people we already have, and how can we align our current strategies to this end?
  • Context: Look into current outreach and evangelism efforts—identify the successes and areas for improvement in light of the conference theme.
• Question 5: If you were to 'die on Saturday', metaphorically speaking, who are the two people from your church that you would pass leadership to, and why?
  • Context: Encourage looking for signs of faithfulness, availability, and teachability in individuals, rather than just talent or charisma.