How to Identify Future Leaders in Your Church

David Helm, Mike Bullmore, and Bryan Chapell are pastors with a passion for raising up other pastors. Listen to them discuss how they recognize those in their congregation who may be fit for pastoral ministry.

This conversation was recorded in 2011. Since that time, Bryan Chapell has left Covenant Seminary to pastor Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois.

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The Simeon Trust, mentioned in the conversation, is an organization that helps train pastors and future pastors in expository teaching. Look to see if they have a workshop planned near you.

You can watch this discussion on video or view a follow-up conversation, “Training Future Leaders and Preachers.”

Download your free Christmas playlist by TGC editor Brett McCracken!

It’s that time of year, when the world falls in love—with Christmas music! If you’re ready to immerse yourself in the sounds of the season, we’ve got a brand-new playlist for you. The Gospel Coalition’s free 2025 Christmas playlist is full of joyful, festive, and nostalgic songs to help you celebrate the sweetness of this sacred season.

The 75 songs on this playlist are all recordings from at least 20 years ago—most of them from further back in the 1950s and 1960s. Each song has been thoughtfully selected by TGC Arts & Culture Editor Brett McCracken to cultivate a fun but meaningful mix of vintage Christmas vibes.

To start listening to this free resource, simply click below to receive your link to the private playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.

Get instant access to TGC’s Christmas playlist »

Bryan Chapell (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary; PhD, Southern Illinois University Carbondale) is a founding Council member of The Gospel Coalition, pastor emeritus of the historic Grace Presbyterian Church and president emeritus of Covenant Theological Seminary. His preaching and teaching are broadcast in many nations through Unlimited Grace Media. Bryan is the author of many books, including The Multigenerational Church Crisis, Christ-Centered Preaching, and The Hardest Sermons You’ll Ever Have to Preach. He and his wife, Kathy, have four adult children and a growing number of grandchildren.

David Helm (MDiv, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is the senior pastor of Christ Church Chicago, chairman of the board of the Charles Simeon Trust, and a Council member for The Gospel Coalition. He has authored a number of books, including The Big Picture Story Bible, Expositional Preaching, and A Conversation With Jesus. He and his wife, Lisa, have five children.

Mike Bullmore (MDiv, ThM, PhD Northwestern University) served for 25 years as Senior Pastor of Crossway Community Church in Bristol, WI and is now teaching and training pastors in multiple venues. He is a founding member of The Gospel Coalition. He and his wife, Beverly, have three adult children and a growing number of grand-children.