Christian Leaders Must Be Delegators

We tend to associate the highest godliness with the lowliest service. This is perhaps why most of our discussions on Christian leadership focus on “servant leadership” and we do need this kind of leadership. We need leaders who do something. But I would suggest to you that Scripture teaches leaders lead by both doing and delegating, and it’s the latter we struggle with the most.

Many pastors and lay leaders struggle with stress and lack of ministerial fulfillment. I believe that this struggle is real in part because they 'go, go, go' but fail to teach others to 'go.' The best cure for this stress and lack of fulfillment is learning to delegate. D.L. Moody said, “It is better to get ten men to do the work than to do the work of ten men!” Moody’s advice is filled with Scriptural wisdom. The Bible is full of detailed descriptions of leaders who delegate.

• Solomon mastered the art of delegation and the kingdom was enlarged as a result. 1 Kings 4 introduces us to those men who were delegated the responsibilities of managing Solomon’s armies, meals, and taxes.
• Barnabas was willing to take a back seat and push Paul to the front. In Acts 11:25-26 we read how Barnabas intentionally goes to Tarsus that he might enlist Paul’s help. With Barnabas’s strategic investment in Paul he helped push on the man who would eventually write 1/3rd of our New Testament.
• Jesus Christ was certainly willing to delegate. Luke 10:1-18 records the sending out of 70 itinerant preachers. Though these men were naturally less skilled than the master, their ministry was greatly blessed by God. Eventually these preachers would “turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).

Solomon, Barnabas, and even our Savior all knew something that those in modern day ministries often forget. Those who are called to make disciples (which is all of us) must be reminded again that disciples are made through delegation. Delegation is a godly exercise and frankly failure to delegate is ungodly. The Psalmist explicitly reveals that it is God’s intention to delegate.

• “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.” (Psalm 8:4-6)

God delegated a tremendous amount of authority to humanity, and Christians leaders should learn to delegate in the same way. Yet sadly many ministries within the local church fail to thrive or they even collapse altogether because the leader of that ministry is an eager doer but reluctant delegator.


​​Why do we not delegate?

We fail to delegate because we are proud. Most people who never give tasks to others do so because they think no one else can do the job as well as they can. We think that because the other person doesn’t have our experience or education or whatever else he just can’t do the job like we can. How foolish. In order to delegate the way God calls us to we must be humble.

We fail to delegate because we fail to plan. Recruiting someone to help you do something is not delegation. Successful delegation requires successful communication ahead of time. In order for you to be a proper delegator you need to be a thorough planner.

We fail to delegate because we fail to push for advancement. Let’s face it; the reason many churches don’t grow is because their comfortable where they’re at. The same Sunday School teachers, same ushers, same deacons, and same just about everything have left them in a state of lethargy. But in order to have growth, we must have delegation. Spectators become critics, but participants become partners. If we would grow taller, we need to be sure the base of our pyramid is broader.

We fail to delegate because we fail to pray. Many churches just use the same people to do the same things because they fear that’s all they have. But if God intends for us to disciple by delegation than God will certainly open the door for that to become possible. It is natural that involvement in ministry will prompt people to pray for that ministry.

We fail to delegate because we’ve been burned in the past. Perhaps you’ve tried this before to some pretty dim results. But since you serve a God of second chances you should likewise be willing to do the same. Use the great encourager Barnabas as your example. He was willing to give John Mark another chance. It is also possible that your failure in the past is because you didn’t plan it out (Ex., not giving clear instructions, not providing proper tools, not checking in, etc.).

Many faithful servants of God need to pause and listen to the wise counsel Jethro gave to Moses. Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery. In the midst of the desert, Moses now found himself laboring from early morning until late at night attempting to resolve a myriad of conflicts amongst the people he was leading (see Exodus 18:13-16). Moses had become a workaholic. Seeing this struggle, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came and give him some advice: “Divide and conquer” or else be you’ll be too frustrated to continue (see Exodus 18:18-23). In response Moses recruited the aid of 70 men to help him and peace entered the camp.

Perhaps many of the problems facing churches today have less to do with leaders doing, and more to do with leaders not delegating. Myron Rush makes this point: “A person may be in a leadership position, but if he isn’t willing to delegate, he isn’t a leader at all – he is a hired hand.”[1]


[1] Myron Rush, Management: A Biblical Approach (Colorado Springs: Cook Communications Ministries, 2002) p. 132.
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Caleb Phelps graduated from BJU with a BA in Bible and an MA in Theology. After graduating from seminary Caleb traveled in evangelism which took him across the country to many different churches and camps. While he was traveling Caleb met the love of his life, Rachel. They got married and moved to Indianapolis, IN where Caleb now serves as the youth pastor at Crosspointe Baptist Church. You can check out his youth group's website at www.crosspointeyouth.com.

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