I love being a leader. I really do. I get to hang out with, talk ministry with and do ministry with some pretty great people, but as we grow as leaders some have the tendency to become what I call:

Isolated Leaders.

What do I mean by that?

Many leaders are the ones who lead because they have authority and they pigeonhole themselves because they are the one who makes all of the decisions and all of their ideas are the ones being used. This is why I love this quote from Simon Sinek that says, “There are leaders and there are those who lead. Leaders hold a position of power or influence. Those who lead inspire us.” Leading is already hard. Why make it harder by being isolated?

Good leaders are developing a culture of people who are constantly being inspired to come up with great ideas and ways for your ministry to be moved forward, using the gifts God has given them to propel spiritual growth in volunteers and students. As leaders, we should be reproducing leaders who can replace us without the fear of being replaced. If you’re scared to train your replacement because they will replace you so you hold onto all the power, then you’re mindset needs some changing. The best leaders duplicate themselves because they know they will be more effective in ministry. Great leaders give away power and help others be leaders themselves.

Life always produces more life. Real leadership produces more leadership. Don’t fall into the lie that you need to make yourself indispensable but instead focus on making yourself be repeatable and give yourself, your leadership, your ministry away to your team, your volunteers and your students and watch what God through them. It will be more than what He can do just with you.