As you raise up a new Bible study leader, the time will come for you to enter the third stage of training: You do, I help. At this point, you hand over the meeting’s leadership and let the apprentice have at it. Because your apprentice has demonstrated much faithfulness and readiness to advance, you may be tempted to jump too quickly to the fourth stage (You do, I watch). Or, you might suddenly feel greater fear of failure and be tempted to clamp back down.
noheadlights (2012), Creative Commons
So this transition needs some delicacy as you hold competing values in tension.
1. Take risks, but don’t be foolish
Face it: You don’t know how the apprentice will do. That’s okay, and that’s the risk of training. It would be simpler to continue leading yourself, but you know it’s not worth it. Handing over leadership is scary and relieving at the same time, so we should prepare for the risk.
However, we’re not jumping off a cliff, blind-folded. If the apprentice is not ready, don’t do it. If a moral failure or clear incompetence comes to light, deal with it. Riskiness may sometimes feel like idiocy, but the two are as different as Jacob and Esau.
2. Be present, but don’t take over
You’re not turning the whole thing over just yet; your apprentice needs you to continue attending the meetings. And as you attend, people will still see you as the leader. And when people see you as the leader, they’ll continue treating you as the leader. And when they treat you as the leader, you’ll fall back into that role like a recovering alcoholic in a liquor store.
You must resist this urge. If someone directs a question at you, deflect it over to the apprentice. As people make eye contact with you, turn your gaze toward the apprentice. Don’t make too many suggestions, even if the apprentice clearly misses what to do next.
Don’t be awkward, of course. You should take part in the discussion just as much as anyone else. Just as much, that is, and no more.
3. Empower, but don’t enable
Make sure the apprentice knows who is holding the baton. Clarify your role: That you will take part in the discussion, but you won’t set the direction. The apprentice has real authority to conduct this orchestra. The apprentice may make different choices than you have made with this group. The apprentice will receive credit for the orchestra’s performance. And the apprentice will be held responsible for anything out of tune.
And if the apprentice offends everyone in the room with an unforeseen lack of discernment, don’t make excuses in the name of delegation. Deal with issues as they arise.
4. Plan and evaluate, but don’t execute
Continue meeting with the apprentice to discuss each meeting. Evaluate the last one, and plan for the next one. Clarify the goals for each meeting, and possibly for each group member. Study the next Bible passage together to develop a main point and some possible applications.
But then let the apprentice pull it off. Be a coach, not a lifeguard. You might call the plays, but you’re not allowed on the field. You can’t jump in for the rescue when things go wrong.
In short, if you keep your grip while passing the baton, you’ll never finish the race.
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