The traditional divisions of group leadership are twofold: teachers and directors. Teachers, as you might expect, teach. Directors then take care of roll, fellowships, and whatever else needs doing. In good situations, directors do an awesome job. In not-so-good situations, the director position becomes vague and can be overlooked. Because of the possibility for vagueness, I think we need to be more specific in how we structure group leadership. In seeking to name positions, we should begin by identifying the things that all successful groups do well. These are:

  1. Successful groups have good Sunday morning content.
  2. Successful groups integrate new members.
  3. Successful groups have monthly fellowships.
  4. Successful groups are organized and communicate well.

With these traits of successful groups in mind, we need to find leaders who can pay attention to content, fellowship, and organization. And we should be specific in what we call them. I’d go for something like this:

  1. Teacher(s) – Is responsible for preparing engaging content for Sunday mornings.
  2. Connector – Is responsible for helping new group members make friends and the “what” of fellowships.
  3. Organizer – Is responsible for taking roll, group communication, and calendaring.

Dividing responsibilities in this way shuts down opportunities for confusion. It’s pretty easy to know what each job entails and to know if those jobs are being accomplished. Moreover, designating leadership titles in this way caters to people’s giftings and personalities.  A shy, organized person might not be sure about a director position. An organizer position, though, is a different story. Likewise, an outgoing person might not be interested in the logistics of being a director but would jump a the chance to be a connector.

When we are clear regarding what is required, we have a better chance of succeeding. Groups need teachers, connectors, and organizers. When these leaders function well, groups are set up for success.