Everything in ministry falls or rises on leadership. While Pray for a Mate™ isn't designed to be a ministry, but a prayer group, it will still need leadership for success.
Who Should Lead Pray for a Mate™? Someone who is passionate about prayer, about reaching people for Christ, and seeing lives changed.
Who Should Be On The Pray for a Mate™ Team?
People who share the same passion.
People who are willing to committ to at least a year.
People who are willing to show up and pray ahead of time for the prayer group meeting.
People who are willing to offer input and ideas; suggestions.
People who are willing to be the eyes and ears of the prayer group. Listening for special prayer concerns, issues, etc.
People who are willing and know how to lead the smaller prayer groups you break into.
How Do the Leaders Lead?
Besides the characteristics listed above, the leaders should take some ownership of your Pray for a Mate™.
Assign additional roles to your leaders. For example, besides leading in prayer for the smaller groups, ask them to help identify other prayer warriors--those with a gift for prayer and a passion for Pray for a Mate™ who could become leaders. You can also assign follow-up roles, emailing folks, marketing, refreshments, sharing scripture, icebreakers, etc. Note: Start small and let the Lord build it. As you grow, ask folks to help in areas. Remember, the goal is prayer, not a singles ministry, Bible study, and social time.
Ask your leaders to help identify resources such as divorce recovery experts, counselors, book resources, etc., from those who may be attending your prayer group (as well as those outside your group).
As time goes on and you grow, be willing to multiply and have leaders start their groups in other parts of the city.
How Do I Find My Leaders?
You can start with an information meeting where folks gather who are interested in starting or being a part of a Pray for a Mate™ group. Give yourself plenty of time to market so you can have more folks attend. Utitlize your churches database, social media, word of mouth to get the word out. You might think of printing some business cards or flyers with the logo with your meeting information.
Be sure you tell folks to go to the Pray for a Mate™ website in your marketing to see what it's all about and register. The more information they know ahead of time, the better your info meeting will go.
Your information meeting could simply be to talk about the concept and hear the interest of starting a group. It can also be where you meet potential leaders. You should follow-up personally with each person who attends, finding out more about them, especially if you are looking for leaders. Pray and make a decision if this person is someone who shares the same passion for prayer as you do. If you don't know them well, you might want to have them attend at first and just help so you can get to know them and their heart. But on the other hand, if you do know about them and feel the Lord's leading, then by all means, ask them to be a leader.
After your follow-up, establish another time to meet with your team and go over logistics such as where you are meeting, time, what day of the month, etc. Also spend some time in prayer.
Once you decide on the logistics, start marketing this information out, asking everyone to help.
Working together as a team. Communication is important
They need to know their job and what is expected of them.
They need to have access to you and each other.
They need to be given information from a prayer meeting they have missed although we are asking them to commit at least one year.
Encourage caring and supporting each other
Discipleship is critical
Not only is personal growth important but your team’s growth and eventually others is also.
We want to always, always be training/equipping others to lead ministry.
Delegate work to help build the ministry (Read Exodus 18:13-26). It's important to plan and strategize. Evaluate often as needed to change or adjust direction. Be sure everyone is on the same page in what you believe biblically and with the direction of the prayer group as it applies.
What if a team member quits, fails, or doesn’t get the work done? Questions to ask as their leader: 1. Have I clearly defined the job? 2. Is the task appropriate for the team member? 3. Does the team leader have someone to help them with the job? 4. Does the team member have the tools they need to get the job done? 5. Are there things going on in their life-limiting them from getting the job done? 6. Have I or someone else spent time with this team member? Note: Not everyone can lead prayer, although they may want to be in the prayer group and lead in other ways.
What else?
Have your leaders wear nametags. This is a great way to bring visibility to the ministry to those inside and outside the ministry/church.
Thank your team members/leaders with a free dinner, a certificate, acknowledgment before the church or other gathering.
Continue to let your church staff know your needs, how you are growing etc., so they can be involved.
Keep track of your folks and where they go. If you ever need to give an account of your ministry, you can share how your folks went on to lead this or that ministry, became a missionary, got married, etc.
Get your folks involved in the whole church. Use Pray for a Mate as a gateway to get folks in church and serving.