How Church Leaders Nurture Both High Achievers and Less-Engaged Members

Healthy churches grow when every person is growing—those who seem spiritually driven and those who are still discovering what walking with Jesus looks like. While people start at different places and develop at different paces, the role of a church leader is not to produce uniformity but to cultivate maturity. Developing high achievers and low-engagement members requires wisdom, intentionality, and a shepherd’s heart.

Recognize That Growth Looks Different for Everyone

Jesus discipled fishermen, tax collectors, doubters, and zealots. Their readiness levels, personalities, and spiritual capacities varied widely. Church leaders today face the same spectrum.

• ·High achievers may be quick to take initiative, assume responsibility, and pursue spiritual disciplines.

• ·Low-engagement members may struggle with consistency, confidence, or clarity about where they fit.

A leader’s first responsibility is seeing people the way Jesus does—valuing their potential, not just their present level of activity.

Develop High Achievers by Channeling Their Drive Toward Kingdom Impact

High achievers often come with energy, ideas, and a desire for responsibility. This is a gift—but only if stewarded well.

Give Them Meaningful Opportunities

High achievers thrive when they feel challenged. Assign them roles that require leadership, ownership, and creativity. This prevents boredom and burnout while encouraging spiritual depth.

Call Them to Character, Not Just Competence

Driven people can easily lean on their skills. Remind them that spiritual maturity requires slowing down, practicing humility, embracing rest, and staying rooted in Scripture.

Invest in Them Personally

Meet with them, mentor them, and ask hard questions. High achievers become spiritual leaders when someone helps them align their ambition with God’s calling.

Develop Less-Engaged Members Through Encouragement and Clear Steps

Not everyone comes ready to lead—and that’s okay. Many believers grow best through patient, personal attention and simple next steps.

Start With Belonging Before Expecting Behavior

People who feel known and valued are far more likely to grow. A warm welcome, a personal invitation, or a simple “we missed you” goes a long way.

Clarify the Next Step

Low-engagement often isn’t laziness—it’s uncertainty.

Offer clear, bite-sized steps:

• ·“Join us for lunch after service.”

• ·“Try serving once this month.”

• ·“Would you like to meet to talk about reading the Bible?”

Clarity builds confidence.

Celebrate Small Wins

Growth is rarely instantaneous. A person attending consistently, joining a group, or volunteering once is still progress worth noting and affirming.

Build a Culture of Grace and Discipleship for Everyone

At the heart of development—whether for the eager or the hesitant—is a culture soaked in grace.

Teach That Everyone Has a Role

High achievers need to know they are not the only ones who matter, and less-engaged members need to know they are vital to the body.

Model Spiritual Practices Publicly and Privately

People rise to the expectations and examples leaders set. When church leaders demonstrate prayer, humility, repentance, and a passion for people, the whole church is strengthened.

Normalize Slow, Steady Growth

Spiritual maturity is a lifelong journey. Teach your church to value faithfulness over flashiness and transformation over quick results.

Walk With People at Their Pace, Not Yours

Great church leaders learn to adjust their expectations according to the person in front of them. Jesus did this masterfully—meeting Nicodemus at night, calling Peter out of a boat, and restoring Thomas gently.

Some people blossom quickly. Others take years. Your job is not to force growth but to cultivate an environment where growth becomes natural.

Remember: Development Is Personal Before It's Organizational

Strategy and systems matter, but they never replace shepherding.

• ·High achievers need direction, challenge, and character formation.

• ·Less-engaged members need encouragement, belonging, and clarity.

• ·Every believer needs someone who believes in what God can do in them.

When church leaders embrace every person—regardless of where they begin—Jesus builds a church full of disciples, not just attenders.