In this episode of The Red Letter Disciple, Zach Zehnder talks with Dave Miller about one of the biggest challenges facing the Church today: developing the next generation of leaders.
Dave shares how years of working with churches revealed a growing leadership pipeline problem—not just for pastors, but for youth directors, worship leaders, kids ministry leaders, and other vital staff roles. Together, Zach and Dave explore why so many churches struggle to find and keep young leaders, what makes Gen Z uniquely open to spiritual formation right now, and why mentorship matters more than ever.
They also unpack the difference between internships and residency programs, why leadership development must go beyond education alone, and how churches can begin identifying and investing in “the next you.” For churches feeling the pressure of staffing shortages and an uncertain future, this episode offers both realism and hope.
Whether you’re a pastor, ministry leader, or church member who wants to help raise up future leaders, this conversation will challenge you to stop waiting for someone else to solve the problem—and start building a pathway in your own church.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Hodos. Hodos is a new non-profit designed to pave the way for the next generation of Lutherans. Designed for 18-29 year olds, Hodos is currently planning a national Young Adult Gathering for 2027. For interest, updated information, or donation options, please go to www.HodosWay.com.
Leadership Pathway
Book: Who’s the Next You? by Dave and Kristen Miller
Many churches do not just have a staffing problem—they have a leadership pipeline problem.
Gen Z is showing a renewed spiritual openness and a desire to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Young leaders are not just looking for management; they are looking for mentorship.
Leadership development today must involve the whole person: spiritual life, emotional health, relationships, and ministry skills.
Internships help people explore ministry, while residencies are designed to prepare someone to become truly hireable in ministry.
Churches cannot rely only on outside hiring; they need to raise up leaders from within.
The next youth pastor, worship leader, kids director, or ministry staff member may already be sitting in the pews.
Leadership development does not scale easily—it happens through intentional relationships over time.
Waiting on larger systems or institutions to solve the leadership crisis is not enough; local churches can act now.
A simple starting point is to ask: “Who’s the next you?”
Challenge every staff member or key volunteer leader to identify one person who could someday do what they do. Write that name down, pray over it, invest in them, and begin walking with them intentionally. Ask yourself: Who’s the next you?
Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.
In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.
You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.
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