A few years ago, I was awarded a scholarship to enter a doctoral program at Asbury Theological Seminary. This program afforded me the opportunity to answer a question that had been nagging at me for quite some time: What are the most common characteristics of effective pioneer leaders?
I defined a pioneer leader as “an everyday missionary called to engage and reach a group of people outside the walls of the established church.” That group of people might include those living in a specific geographic area, like a neighborhood or athletic club, or it could be a demographic group of people like teachers, artists, or marketplace leaders.
The word “effective” was quantified in my research with criteria that included objective data like “number of baptisms” or “size of the group” and were recommended for the study by their denominational or network leaders.
The pioneers who participated came from 30 projects representing the largest denominations in the Global Wesleyan Alliance (Nazarene, Church of God Anderson, Wesleyan, and Free Methodist) and two of the most influential local microchurch networks in the United States (Tampa Underground and Kansas City Underground).
A strong cross-section of leaders was represented in diversity of gender, age, and ethnicity. Each pioneer was required to complete assessments, questionnaires, and focus group interviews, as results were then tabulated. The purpose of the study was to determine any common characteristics of effective pioneers in order to help local churches identify these leaders and mobilize them for ministry. What follows are a few of the findings from the research.
If you would like the full results of my dissertation (with nearly 25 charts and graphs), email me at [email protected], and I will send you the PDF.
1. Evangelistic (and Apostolic)
Pioneers blaze new trails and carve new pathways into the frontier. They are willing to go first. This impulse to extend the gospel to unreached areas is often found in highly apostolic people. Paul, perhaps the most well-known of the apostles, famously declared his desire to proclaim the gospel wherever it was not known in Romans 15:13, “So I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.”
However, when we invited participants to complete a popular APEST (apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher) survey, the results were surprising. The evangelistic gift was slightly higher than the apostolic. This was a strange result given that most evangelistic leaders are more attractional. How might we explain these results when most pioneers have a stronger missional impulse?
One reason may be the growing challenge of integrating new believers into established churches. Launching a new expression of ministry with a “new wineskin” may be the only strategy for reaching certain groups of people and keeping them connected to a local church. This realization has perhaps resulted in more evangelistic leaders picking up the mantle of pioneering.
2. Personality Type
Anyone can pioneer something new, but I wanted to see if any personality traits were common in effective pioneers. I used the Myers-Briggs personality profile, a well-established standardized test with 16 possible personality types, to conduct the research and came to the following conclusions.
Effective pioneers were 4X more likely to be extroverted (E) than introverted (I). They were 4X more likely to be intuitive (N) than sensing (S), and they were 5X more likely to be feeling (F) than thinking (T). The combination of all three (ENFJ or ENFP) accounted for more than half (52%) of effective pioneers. If you aren’t familiar with these letters or combinations, I would encourage you to visit 16personalities.com.
The Myers-Briggs website describes these personality types as “Warm, empathetic, enthusiastic, responsive to praise, finding potential in others, spontaneous, and catalytic. They often have deep insights into human nature and can use these insights to influence the people around them.” This keen awareness of others often results in a higher degree of emotional intelligence and a higher sense of purpose. Anyone can pioneer something new, but these personality types emerged in the greatest measure.
3. Humility, and 4. Brokenness
The research invited pioneers and sponsoring agencies to describe effective pioneers in two or three words, and “humility” and “brokenness” were used quite frequently. This is a far cry from the common stereotypes of pioneers in the collective psyche of North American culture. Most people think of pioneers as…
- …the risk-taking adventurer throwing caution to the wind to blaze new trails and achieve new heights.
- …the lone ranger, a solitary figure who single-handedly conquers whatever challenges to come their way.
- …the strong-willed entrepreneur never willing to back down from adversity.
The research paints a very different picture. It appears the most effective pioneers prioritized community over individuality, managed and calculated risk, and were at one time humbled and broken by God. This brokenness is also a vital link to effectiveness and perseverance.
When asked more generally, “What do you think are the 5-7 most important characteristics of a pioneer?” the number one category of responses was “perseverance and commitment.” Humility is often forged through pain and brokenness, and those experiences help pioneers persevere.
5. Passion and 6. Optimism
Colin Powell, former General of the U.S. Armed Forces, once remarked in his 13 Rules of Leaders, “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” This is also true in pioneering something new. Obstacles, setbacks, challenges, spiritual warfare, and other enemies often come against pioneers, and remaining optimistic is a trait that allows effective pioneers to endure.
What emerged from the research was a strong, optimistic bent in the most effective pioneers. Combined with their evangelistic and apostolic zeal along with a deep sense of humility and brokenness, effective pioneers rely on God for continued strength. His grace fuels their optimism and passion. The research asked the effective pioneers, their sponsors, and their friends to write a list of words describing pioneers, and in each case, passion, and optimism were near the top of the list.
Through the focus group interviews, a progression emerged in the conversation: Passion often stemmed from conviction, and conviction came from a clear calling to reach a particular group of people.
7. Indigenous Ministry
The research also asked, “How do you feel uniquely equipped to reach this group of people?” Almost two to one, the most popular answers were grouped in the category of incarnational ministry. A few of the responses were, “I identify with these people,” “They’re my people, culture, and language,” “I’ve had the same pain, struggles, and failures as they have,” “I am one of them,” and, “I’ve been in this city for a long time and have developed a good reputation.”
While certain spiritual gifts, personality traits, and characteristics are found in greater measure, it seems that a pioneer’s effectiveness is often directly correlated to their level of ministry incarnation. When pioneers are removed from their context to start something in another community, their effectiveness decreases. A pioneer’s calling often begins right where God has placed them.
Conclusion
In Luke 10:2, Jesus responded to the growing harvest by saying, “The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few.” I’ve often added that while the harvest is ripe and the workers are few, the harvesting methods need to change. We need to mobilize more pioneering leaders to reach new groups of people with the gospel.
Who are these everyday pioneers? The research seems to paint the following picture. Effective pioneers have a heart for lost people, are more extroverted and intuitive than most, and have experienced brokenness that has led to humility. Their testimony has created an optimistic and passionate spirit that creates resilience. Finally, the most effective pioneers are called to a specific group of people right where they live, work, and play. They are often indigenous in their approach. May God help you identify more pioneers for ministry.
