Development Toolbox

What does a person need to know, love, obey, and experience in order to flourish as a leader? The Development Toolbox works through some of the primary virtues or skills needed for healthy Christian leadership. All of these skills are sorted into four key areas of growth: Character, Calling, Competency, and Communion.

The Development Toolbox holds a variety of resources for developing leaders. Use this page when you encounter a development need in yourself or in someone you are leading. The page contains readings, resources, trainings, and exercises in a number of different categories. 

Each training tool encourages you to study (reading, listening, or watching), self-reflect (online self-assessment or reflection questions), sit down to discuss (with a leader or a peer), and step out (an assignment or action step). You will automatically receive a copy of whatever you submit online, which can then be forwarded to whomever is walking alongside you. Inviting others into your development will dramatically increase the benefit.

• Potential leaders. Perhaps you are interested in becoming a leader someday, but you're unsure of how to prepare. You are welcome to begin working through the Development Toolbox on your own. Invite someone to meet with you and give you feedback as you go. We encourage you to both share and apply what you are learning with others.

• Current leaders seeking to grow potential leaders. Or perhaps you are a leader who sees leadership potential in someone else, but you are unsure of how to aid them in their development. You might invite them to meet you for coffee once a month, and process and pray over one skill from the Development Toolbox each time you meet. Encourage them to forward you a copy of their completed self-assessments prior to your meetings so you can pray and reflect on their answers beforehand.

1. ❏ Character ➔ Self-Awareness

   • Listen to "Blessed Self-Forgetfulness," Timothy Keller (40:27)

   • Complete the Gospel Self Assessment

2. ❏ Character ➔ Humility

   • Read “Self-Glory,” Dangerous Calling, Paul David Tripp (pp. 167–182)

   • Complete the Identifying Pride self-assessment

3. ❏ Character ➔ Holiness

   • Read “Piety’s Pattern,” and “The Pleasure of God and the Possibility of Holiness,” The Hole in Our Holiness, Kevin DeYoung (pp. 31–47, 63–77)

   • Complete accompanying study questions
     

4. ❏ Character ➔ Teachability

   • Read “Teachability,” ESV Men’s Devotional Study Bible, Dave Kraft

   • Read “The Most Essential Life Skill: Teachability,” David Murray

   • Complete accompanying reflection questions

   • Action Step: We all have blind spots. This week, ask one of your community group leaders for feedback on one or two ways they've noticed you can grow, based on their observation of your participation in the group.

5. ❏ Character ➔ Love God, Love People

   • Read “Love is Indispensable,” Leading With Love, Alexander Strauch (pp. 1–35)

   • Read “Worship: The Feast of Christian Hedonism,” Desiring God, John Piper (pp. 77–109)

   • Complete accompanying reflection questions

   • Additional resource (not required): “Love: The Labor of Christian Hedonism,” Desiring God, John Piper (pp. 111–141)

6. ❏ Character ➔ Push Back Darkness, Pt. 1: Gospel Hospitality and Serving the Poor

   • Watch “The Gospel Comes with a House Key,” Rosario Butterfield (58:08)

   • Watch "Mission Through Meals," Tim Chester (30:08)

   • Read "8 Ways to Easily be Missional," Jonathan Dodson

   • Read “Leading Your Community Towards Feasting with the Poor,” Saturate

   • Complete accompanying reflection questions

   • Additional resource (not required): Watch "Generous Justice," Timothy Keller (29:23)

7. ❏ Calling ➔ Margin and Simplicity

   • Read “Outward Simplicity,” Freedom of Simplicity, Richard Foster (pp. 110–145)

   • Read “The Unbusy Pastor,” Eugene Peterson, Leadership Journal

   • Complete Reality Self-Check Assessment

8. ❏ Calling ➔ Desire to Lead

   • Read “Vocation: Discerning Your Calling,” Timothy Keller

   • Complete the accompanying reflection questions, especially as it relates to your unique role of service in the local church

   • Additional resources (not required): “How to Discover Your Calling,” Michael Horton, and “What is Your Calling?,” David Powlison

9. ❏ Competency ➔ Conflict Resolution

   • Watch “Resolving Everyday Conflict,” Ken Sande (22:15)

   • Read “How to Fight Right,” Paul David Tripp

   • Read “Committing to a Lifestyle of Reconciliation”

   • In Thune and Walker’s The Gospel Centered Life, read “Lesson 9: Conflict,” and complete “Exercise 9: Gospel-Centered Conflict Resolution”

10. ❏ Competency ➔ Leading the Three Rhythms

    • Watch "Mission Through Meals," Tim Chester (30:08)

    • Listen to "Aiming for the Heart" and follow along with the accompanying notes

    • Skim “Family Meal: Ideas, Tips, and Plans”

    • Read Frontline's guide to the Discipleship Groups rhythm, the Discipleship Group Rhythm Sheet, and listen to the accompanying teaching on Discipleship Groups.

    • Read Frontline's guide to the Family Meal rhythm, Making Family Meal Meaningful.

    • Read Frontline's guide to the Missional Gatherings rhythm, Pushing Back Darkness Together: A Guide to Missional Gatherings.

    • Complete the accompanying reflection questions

    • Additional resources (not required):

11. ❏ Competency ➔ Multiplication

    • Read “Multiplying Life-Giving Groups,” Life-Giving Groups, Linneman (pp. 35–53)

    • Read excerpt from Frontline Community Group Manual

    • Answer the following discussion questions

12. ❏ Competency ➔ Push Back Darkness: Missional Living

    • Purchase and read “Everyday Rhythms,” “An Everyday Plan,” and “Everyday People on Mission,” Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life, Vanderstelt (pp. 169–228)

    • Schedule orientation with Hub Coordinator or Hub Leader on congregational city partners

13. ❏ Competency ➔ Biblical Friendship and Pastoral Care, Pt. 1: Moving Towards Others

    • Purchase and read “Move Toward and Greet One Another,” “Have Thoughtful Conversations,” See the Good, Enjoy One Another,” and “Walk Together, Tell Stories,” Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love, Welch (pp. 72–99)

    • Read “Do Your Friendships Live Out the Gospel?,” Holmes

    • Answer selected Discussion and Response questions from Side by Side.

14. ❏ Competency ➔ Biblical Friendship and Pastoral Care, Pt. 2: Sins and Sorrows

    • Watch “Sin, Wounds, and Weakness,” by Andrew Burkhart

    • Read “Have Compassion during Trouble,” “Pray during Trouble,” “Be Alert to Satan’s Devices,” “Prepare to Talk About Sin,” “Help Fellow Sinners,” Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love, Welch (pp. 100–139)

    • Read "'I've Had it with You!' Learning to Be Tender When People are Tough," Smith

    • Answer selected Discussion and Response questions from Side by Side.

    • Additional Resource: ReadSaints, Sufferers, and Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us, Emlet

15. ❏ Communion & Chemistry ➔ Embracing Growth and Human Frailty

    • Read “Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset”

    • Read “Part 2: The Temptations We Face,” The Imperfect Pastor, Eswine (pp. 73–131)

    • Complete the Gospel Self-Assessment if you have not already done so in your initial training.

    • Confess to another person which of Eswine’s three temptations you are most prone to and why. Provide examples. Ask them to pray for you on the spot. Invite them to follow up with you in the future.

16. ❏ Communion & Chemistry ➔ Gospel-Centered

    • Read “Everyone is an Unbeliever,” “Give Them Jesus,” and “Fluency,” Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life, Vanderstelt (pp. 19–45)

    • Read “All of Life is Repentance,” Keller

    • Read “The Gospel in All Its Forms,” Keller

    • Read “Ten Things You Should Know About the Sovereignty of God,” Storms

    • Read over this chart entitled “Religion vs. Gospel” and answer the reflection questions.

    • Read “The Centrality of the Gospel” Keller

    • Work through “A Prayerful Reflection,” Smith

17. ❏ Communion & Chemistry ➔ Bible-Honoring

    • Watch “Making Scripture Personal,” Powlison (9:19)

    • Watch "Donald Whitney on the Benefit of Praying the Bible"  (15:22)

    • Read “Reading the Bible Theologically,” Packer

    • Read “Reading the Bible for Personal Application,” Powlison

    • Read “How Does Scripture Change You?,” Powlison

    • Answer the following reflection questions

    • Additional resources:

18. ❏ Communion & Chemistry ➔ Spirit-Filled

    • Read “Understanding God’s Meaning, Giving Prophetic Messages, and Avoiding Prophetic Craziness,” The Beginner’s Guide to the Gift of Prophecy, Deere (pp. 79–130)

    • Read “Letting Your Gift Find You,” The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts, Storms (pp. 199–203)

    • Read “Discerning God's Voice,” The Beginner’s Guide to the Gift of Prophecy, Deere (pp. 63–78)

    • Read the following excerpt from The Holy Spirit, Allison and Köstenberger

    • Answer the following reflection questions

    • Additional resource: 

19. ❏ Communion & Chemistry ➔ Gender-Redeeming

    • Listen to “Is God a Misogynist?,” Mary Willson (56:05)

    • Read “Beautiful Difference: The Complementarity Of Male And Female,” Wilson

    • Read "What If I'm Not the 'Submissive' Type?," McLaughlin

    • Read excerpt from Men and Women in Ministry, Storms

    • Additional resource: 

20. ❏ Communion & Chemistry ➔ Kingdom-Focused

    • Read The Kingdom of God, Um

    • Read "The Kingdom of God—5 Questions: 2 Scholars,” Taylor

    • Answer the following reflection questions