One of the greatest marks of leadership isn’t what you accomplish—it’s who you raise up along the way. Leaders aren’t just responsible for tasks and goals; we’re stewards of people’s growth. Jesus didn’t just minister to crowds—He invested in a small group of followers and gave them room to grow, make mistakes, and become leaders themselves.

See What Others Can’t
Great leaders don’t just see people as they are—they see who they could become. When you call out potential in someone, you’re helping them see a future they may not even realize is possible. Paul told Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example…” (1 Timothy 4:12, NIV). Sometimes, all it takes is someone to say, “I see something in you.”

Create Space for Growth
Leadership development doesn’t happen by accident. It takes:

• Opportunity – Let others lead something meaningful
• Encouragement – Build confidence without micromanaging
• Feedback – Offer clear, grace-filled coaching
• Permission to fail – Growth comes through trial and error

If everything depends on you, you’re not leading—you’re bottlenecking. Letting others lead doesn’t dilute your leadership. It multiplies it.

Model What You Want to Multiply
You reproduce what you are. If you want future leaders who are humble, teachable, bold, and compassionate, you’ve got to model that. Paul said in Philippians 4:9, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.” The people you’re developing are watching your example more than your instructions.

Invest for the Long Haul
Raising up leaders is slow work. It takes time, intentionality, and prayer. But it’s worth it. Think about the leaders who invested in you. What if they hadn’t? Now it’s your turn to do for others what someone once did for you. Don’t just build your leadership—build a legacy.​

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions and casting vision—it’s about showing up, even when you’re running on empty. Emotional exhaustion is real, especially when you’re carrying the weight of others, navigating conflict, or pushing through extended seasons of uncertainty. But even when your emotional tank is low, your calling doesn’t pause.

Acknowledge the Weight
There’s no strength in pretending. Leaders get tired. Elijah, after one of his greatest spiritual victories, found himself isolated and emotionally crushed (1 Kings 19). God didn’t shame him—He met him in that exhaustion with rest and reassurance. Denying your weariness doesn’t make you strong. Owning it with humility puts you in a posture to be restored.

Don’t Lead Alone
When you’re emotionally drained, the worst thing you can do is isolate. Lean into trusted people—mentors, friends, counselors—who can remind you of what’s true. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (NIV) Leadership doesn’t mean doing it all—it means leading in community.

Reconnect to the Source
You don’t lead out of willpower—you lead out of overflow. When your emotional reserves are depleted, go back to the well. Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul.” The best thing you can do for your team or ministry when you’re running dry is to slow down and be with God. Worship. Rest. Journal. Read. Be refilled.

Make Decisions with Margin
Vision and decision-making suffer when we’re emotionally drained. Don’t force major moves from a depleted place. Delay what can wait. Bring others into the decision-making process. Clarity often comes after rest and reset. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)

Faithfulness Over Flash
Sometimes the most powerful leadership isn’t bold vision—it’s just showing up. When you’re tired, be faithful. When you’re unclear, be prayerful. When you’re weak, be honest. Jesus understands exhaustion. He wept. He withdrew. He carried more than we ever will. And He still invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)

Social media isn’t just for scrolling and sharing—it’s a leadership platform whether we realize it or not. Every post, comment, and like tells a story about who we are and what we value. In a digital age, leaders don’t just shape culture in boardrooms or pulpits—they influence people from their phones.

Influence in the Open
One of the unique realities of leadership in a digital world is visibility. Social media puts leadership on display 24/7. That doesn’t mean we need to perform or pretend—it means we have an opportunity to model integrity, compassion, clarity, and consistency in real time.

Paul told the Corinthian church, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV). If people were to follow our online example, would it lead them toward Christ or just more noise?

Your Feed, Your Voice
Jesus said in Luke 6:45, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (NIV) In today's context, that applies just as much to our keyboards. What we post reveals what we treasure. Whether you lead a church, a team, a classroom, or just your family, your feed is an extension of your voice. What you share, celebrate, or amplify tells people what matters to you. As leaders, we should:

• Use our platforms to encourage, not tear down
• Share hope, not just hot takes
• Reflect our real lives, not a filtered version of perfection
• Be as thoughtful with our comments as we are with our conversations

Leading in the Tension
We all wrestle with the balance of authenticity and discretion. Should we be transparent? Should we stay neutral? Should we engage at all? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are a few guiding principles:

• Ask before you post – Is this helpful? Is this true? Will this reflect Jesus well?
• Don’t substitute posting for pastoring – Relationships still matter more than reach
• Be aware of your audience – Your post might hit different than you intend
• Let grace lead – You don’t have to comment on everything, but when you do, do it in love

What Would Jesus Post?
Imagine Jesus with a smartphone. He wouldn’t be afraid to speak truth, but He’d do it with love. He’d probably share stories of redemption, snapshots of grace, and real moments that reflect the heart of the Father. That’s our aim, too—not just using social media, but redeeming it as a tool for encouragement, truth, and connection.

Whether you have 50 followers or 50,000, someone is watching. Your leadership influence extends further than you think. Social media isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it is a tool—and like any tool, it can build or break, uplift or undo. Let’s use it wisely.

Failure is inevitable in leadership. If you lead long enough, you’ll miss the mark, drop the ball, or make a decision that just doesn’t work out. The question isn’t if you’ll fail—it’s how you’ll respond when you do. Proverbs 24:16 reminds us, “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” (NIV) Great leaders don’t pretend they never fail. They own it, learn from it, and grow stronger.

Admit It Without Excuses
The first step in leading through failure is owning your part. No blame-shifting, no sugarcoating. Just honesty. People are quicker to forgive a humble leader than one who deflects responsibility. Owning failure models accountability and builds trust.

Learn from What Went Wrong
Failure is a terrible teacher if you ignore it—but a powerful one if you engage it. Ask:

• What decisions led to this?
• Where did I misread the moment?
• What would I do differently next time?

Let failure shape you, not shame you.

Make It Right Where You Can
If your failure impacted others, make amends. Apologize. Seek forgiveness. Repair what you can. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (NIV) Restoration speaks louder than regret.

Move Forward with Wisdom
Failure doesn’t disqualify you from leadership—it deepens your capacity for it. You now lead with more perspective, more compassion, and more humility. Don’t stay stuck in regret. Let God use it to refine you.

Grace Covers It
At the end of the day, our identity isn’t defined by our failures—it’s defined by God’s grace. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Your failure isn’t the end of the story. It might be the moment God uses to write a better one.