Date
7-21-2026
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
W. Ryan Steenburg
Keywords
action research in ministry, Church Leadership Pipeline, Church networks, discipleship and leadership, empowerment in ministry, high-capacity leaders, lay leadership, leadership development, leadership multiplication
Disciplines
Leadership Studies
Recommended Citation
Hicks, Blake, "A Strategy for Identifying, Equipping, and Empowering High-Capacity Church Leaders within The Zero Collective Network" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8678.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8678
Abstract
This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the shortage of high-capacity lay leaders within The Zero Collective (TZC), a multi-church network in West Michigan, which has limited the sustainability and expansion of ministry initiatives. The purpose of this project was to develop a practical, biblically grounded strategy for identifying, equipping, and empowering high-capacity leaders to strengthen the network’s leadership pipeline and support its mission.
Using an action research methodology, this study engaged a select group of lay leaders identified as having high leadership potential. Data were collected through a triangulated approach, including pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and participant journals, and integrated qualitative and quantitative measures to evaluate growth in leadership competencies, confidence, and ministry engagement. The intervention followed a five-step framework: Discover, Develop, Deploy, Discern, and Duplicate.
Findings revealed greater clarity in leader identification, measurable growth in leadership competencies, increased confidence in ministry leadership, and early indicators of leadership multiplication and greater ministry ownership among participants.
This project contributes to ministry leadership by providing a scalable, reproducible framework that integrates discipleship and leadership development. The results show that intentional, relational, and Spirit-led leadership strategies can significantly expand a church network’s capacity for sustainable growth and multiplication, offering a practical model for churches seeking to develop high-capacity leaders and embed leadership development in their culture.
