Some pastors look at rising leaders as a rock in their shoe, forgetting they used to be that rock. My experience at Mars Hill has been the exact opposite. In no way have I arrived, but God has used the pastors here to sanctify me, so that one day I might be one.

Here are my top 10 ways to build up young guns.

10. Pray for them.

I’ll never forget when Pastors Tim, Bubba, Mark, Brad, James, Phil and other Ballard elders laid their hands on my shoulders one Sunday, praying for me and the College Mission, as we launched a mid-week event in the U-District. I’m not sure I have ever been more encouraged for the mission God has called me on.

9. Pull them up and push them out.

I remember 2 things, from when I first began to work at Mars Hill, that changed the way I look at leadership.

1. Pastor Mark Driscoll said, ”I like to create a platform for the Gospel and pull everyone I can up on it with me.” I see this happening all the time, and its in the DNA of Mars Hill. Whenever a leader gets a platform he or she pulls other people up on it with them, to see the Gospel go forward, as broadly as possible, by utilizing as many peoples gifts as possible.

2.  Pastor Scott Thomas (@acts29) told me on my first day working with him: “I will never ever hold you back. When God calls you somewhere either away from Acts 29, above me, beside me, wherever, I will never hold you back.” And he lived up to his word and trained me up and sent me out to start the College Mission. But that promise made me want to follow him all the more and learn everything I could from him.

Part 2 Later 
This series is inspired by this blog post.