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What If You Were Meant for More?

May 20, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Out There – Part One

There’s a lie we’ve all been sold, and it’s a sneaky one:
Life is about surviving the week, paying the bills, and maybe squeezing in some happiness when you can.

We wake up, grind it out, scroll a bit, sleep a bit, then it’s like rinse and repeat. Maybe post a photo to prove to everyone (including ourselves) that we’re doing okay. But somewhere in the noise, there’s a quiet, persistent question that keeps bubbling up:

Is this it?

Even if your life looks full on the outside with everything you could want job, family, goals, money, faith – there can still be this weird emptiness. A sense that you were meant for something more. And no, you’re not crazy or ungrateful. That ache for “more” isn’t selfish or wrong. It’s a sign of life. A signal. A whisper from God that you were made for something bigger than just getting by.

But here’s where it gets real.

Most people hear that and think bigger means more platform, more attention, more followers. Nope. That’s the world’s version of “more.” Jesus flips that upside down. His version of more is deeply personal, incredibly intentional, and often quieter than we expect.

“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” – Jesus (John 20:21)

That line isn’t church talk. It’s a mission. It’s Jesus saying:
“The same way I was sent to bring healing, hope, and truth? Yeah, now it’s your turn.”

And he didn’t say that to perfect people. He said it to regular folks. People with doubts. People who had failed. People who weren’t totally sure they were even qualified to be part of God’s story.

Which means you and I are exactly the kind of people he’s talking to!

So what does it actually mean to be “sent”?

It doesn’t mean you need to pack up and move to another country (though for a few people, it might). It means you wake up tomorrow with your eyes open. You start seeing your everyday life, everything from your block, to your workplace, to your gym, and even your school – as a place where God might actually want to work through you.

It’s asking questions like:

  • Who around me needs someone to listen?
  • What would it look like to bring peace instead of chaos today?
  • How can I show up for people with no strings attached?

This is what we’re made for! Not a life of safe routines and filtered happiness, but one that risks love, risks presence, and risks purpose.

That doesn’t mean you have to be loud, impressive, or preachy. In fact, the best kind of sent people are the ones who are simply present. Who love without needing credit. Who take the time. Who choose kindness even when it’s not convenient.

Jesus didn’t send out superstars. He sent out available people. People willing to step into the mess, not run from it. People willing to see themselves not just as believers, but as difference-makers.

So yeah, maybe you’re meant for more. Not in the “build your brand” kind of way. But in the “change the temperature of the room” kind of way.

And it all starts with a decision:
To stop seeing your life as small… and start seeing it as sent.

Want to know where to start?

Come back next week for Part Two: “It Starts at Your Front Door.”
Spoiler alert: You don’t need to preach a sermon. You just need to say hello.
We’ll explore what it looks like to live with purpose, one sidewalk at a time.

Dead or Alive

May 19, 2025 / / 1 Comment

Let’s get one thing straight: Life doesn’t just work better with Jesus, without Him, there is no life at all. This week in our “Rooted and Ready” series, we hit one of the most honest, humbling, and hope-filled passages in the Bible. Ephesians 2 doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Paul starts with a punch:

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” (Ephesians 2:1)

Dead. Not hurting. Not confused. Not limping. Spiritually DEAD.

That’s the state we were all in, walking corpses, following the world’s chaos, giving in to the devil’s whispers, driven by our inner selfish cravings. We weren’t “mostly good” with some bad behavior. We were rotten. Like that forgotten takeout container in the back of your fridge, sealed up and festering, and when you finally crack it open… the stench hits you. That’s not something you clean up. That’s something you throw out.

Paul says that was us. Pretty on the outside, moldy and dead on the inside. “Children of wrath,” he says. Not misguided. Not slightly off track. Under judgment. That’s a bold, painful truth, but we need to hear it. Because only when we understand how far gone we were can we fully grasp what God has done.

Then come the best two words in the whole Bible:

“But God…”
“…being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us… made us alive together with Christ…” (vv. 4–5)

But God. Not but you prayed harder. Not but you finally cleaned up your act. No. You were dead. But God acted. But God moved. But God resurrected.

Because of His mercy. Because of His love. Because of His grace.

You see, life works best with Jesus because life without Him isn’t life at all, it’s death. But Jesus didn’t wait for you to get your life together. He came to you when you were a spiritual corpse, and by grace, He made you alive.

This is more than inspiration. It’s resurrection.

And now?
You’ve been raised. You’ve been seated with Christ in the heavenly places. You’ve been saved by grace through faith, not by your doing, but by His gift.

You are now God’s workmanship. Not a project to be ashamed of, but a masterpiece with purpose, created in Christ Jesus for good works He’s already prepared for you to walk in.

So here’s the invitation today: Stop trying to look alive on your own. Stop pretending that sin is just a bad habit. Own the truth. You were dead. But God rich in mercy made you alive.

So now? Live like it. Walk in the works He’s prepared. Stay rooted in His Word. Be ready for what’s next.

Because life doesn’t just work better with Jesus—it only works with Him.

When Questions Are Silenced, the Church Suffocates

May 14, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Let’s stop pretending the Church is fine.

It’s not.

The numbers say it. The exodus of young people says it. The stale worship. The empty classrooms. The leadership pipelines that dried up a decade ago. They all scream what no one wants to admit: we are stuck. Not in doctrine. Not in Jesus. But in methods, mindsets, and models that have lost their grip on reality.

And every time someone dares to raise a hand to ask, What if we tried…? the answer isn’t curiosity. It’s control.

Let’s name the poison: fear.
Fear of change. Fear of innovation. Fear of losing comfort, influence, or nostalgia. Fear that masquerades as faithfulness.

And under the weight of that fear, creativity is choked out, ideas are left to rot in meeting minutes, and the Spirit-led boldness that marked the early Church has been traded for policy manuals and committee reports.

When questions are silenced instead of answered, the Church doesn’t just stagnate. She suffers. People suffer.

Whole communities go unreached. Entire generations leave because they were told their questions were divisive, their ideas disruptive, their creativity unorthodox.

All the while, Jesus weeps.

The Gospel is unchanging. But the way we carry it never was.

Jesus didn’t call the disciples to maintain a system. He called them to overturn one. He didn’t say, “Find the most comfortable way to reach people like you.” He said, “Go make disciples of all nations.” That meant language barriers. Cultural shifts. Wild methods. Radical risk.

He preached from boats. He taught with stories. He sat with outcasts. He blew up traditions that had calcified into idolatry.

“You have heard it said… but I say to you…” That wasn’t safe. That was revolutionary.

Yet in 2025, the Church shrinks back from that same edge. We cling to what’s known, what’s approved, what’s “how we’ve always done it.” We turn down the volume on innovation. We run creative leaders out of the room. We label new ministries unnecessary. We crush Holy Spirit dreams under layers of bureaucracy, protocol, and denominational red tape.

Jesus flipped tables in the temple. It seems the best we can do is form a committee to discuss whether the tables are Lutheran enough (insert your own denomination there).

And we wonder why no one’s listening. The world doesn’t care how it’s always been done. They care how Jesus lived, loved and lead.

Silencing questions is not just bad leadership. It’s spiritual malpractice!

When we shut down the dreamers, we shut out the very people God is calling to lead the next generation. When we ignore the young leader with a passion for digital ministry because “we’ve never done it that way,” we lose a voice who could reach those we’ve never reached. Heck we’ve probably never thought of reaching some of these people!

When we refuse to plant new ministries because “the budget doesn’t allow,” what we’re really saying is, “We don’t trust God to provide for the things He inspires.”

When we fail to mentor new leaders because we’re afraid they’ll do things differently, we’re not protecting the Church. We’re burying the talent God gave us and expecting applause for our caution. Newsflash friend, Jesus condemned that talent burying servant as wicked and worthless. I think we might be on the wrong side of this argument.

The Church is dying not because the Gospel lacks power—but because the Gospel-bearers lack courage.

Courage to ask, “What if?”
Courage to step out of the boat.
Courage to let go of sacred cows and grab hold of a cross.

Do we believe the Holy Spirit still speaks? Still moves? Still creates new things?Then why do we act like the Great Commission was fulfilled in 1965 and now we just need to maintain the property?

Jesus didn’t die so we could die on the hill of tradition. He rose so we could move forward with the message of the resurrection into our neighborhoods.

Here’s what has to change:

  • We need leaders who ask dangerous questions. Not heretical ones, but honest ones.
  • We need churches that give permission to fail, to experiment, to build what’s never been built.
  • We need to stop confusing liturgy with legacy. Tradition with truth.
  • We need denominations that empower churches instead of controlling them.
  • We need new expressions of the unchanging Gospel. And we need them now.

This is not a call to throw out doctrine. This is a call to remember that Scripture and our tried and true doctrine is the foundation, not the ceiling. That methods are tools, not idols. That ministry is mission, not museum curation.

If we keep silencing questions, we’ll silence the Church.

But if we listen? If we empower? If we unleash Spirit-filled, question-asking, tradition-challenging, Gospel-rooted pioneers?

Then maybe, just maybe, the next generation will stop walking away. And start walking in.

The Church doesn’t need more meetings. It needs more movement.

Let’s stop being afraid of the unknown. The God I serve…He’s already there.

Towel-Bearers in the Wild: Stories of Real Leaders Doing It the Jesus Way

May 13, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Part 7 of the “Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership” Series

They don’t wear name tags that say “hero.”
They don’t have book deals, podcasts, or one of those larger than life cardboard checks.
But they have towels. And they’re soaked.

These are the leaders you won’t find in conference lineups.
But heaven knows their names.

Because they’re doing it the Jesus way.

The Youth Leader Who Keeps Showing Up

She preps lessons no one seems to remember.
Deals with middle school chaos and sticky floors.
Listens when a kid says, “My dad left.”
And she doesn’t flinch.

Nobody claps.
But she shows up again. And again. And again.

That’s what Jesus looks like.

The Grandma Who Prays in Secret

She doesn’t hold a title.
She can’t stand long enough to volunteer.
But every day, her Bible is open and her hands are raised for her family, her church, her nation.

No one sees the war she’s fighting on her knees.
But the heavens shake because of her faith.

That’s what Jesus looks like.

The Pastor Who Refuses to Climb the Ladder

He’s been overlooked.
Passed over for bigger churches, flashier pulpits.
But he keeps loving his people.
He weeps with them. Marries them. Buries them. Disciples them.
No fanfare. Just faithfulness.

That’s what Jesus looks like.

The Business Leader Who Leads Differently

She could build her brand.
She could chase profit.
But instead, she raises up employees with dignity.
She writes checks to single moms who can’t pay rent.
She mentors with grace and serves without needing credit.

That’s what Jesus looks like.

This Is the New Definition of Leadership

It’s not influence. It’s integrity.
It’s not followers. It’s faithfulness.
It’s not building a name. It’s bearing a cross.

Towel-bearers don’t wait for recognition.
They don’t chase platforms.
They chase Jesus—and stoop to serve.

One Day, the Towels Will Be Traded for Crowns

Maybe nobody sees you right now.
Maybe it feels like you’re throwing seed into dry ground.

But one day, the King will come.
And He’ll say the words the world could never give you:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Not for how loud you were.
But for how low you knelt.
Not for how much you built.
But for how much you poured out.

You didn’t quit.
You carried the towel.

So Here’s to You—The Towel-Bearers in the Wild

You’re the real leaders.
The brave ones.
The hidden ones.
The faithful few.

Keep serving.
Keep loving.
Keep kneeling.

The world may not know your name—but heaven already carved it in glory.

Hope. Worth. Power.

May 12, 2025 / / 1 Comment

There’s a prayer in Ephesians that punches through the noise of our weary, distracted lives. Paul writes to believers—people already following Jesus—and he doesn’t pray for their circumstances to change. He doesn’t ask for them to be more successful, less anxious, or more comfortable. He prays they see. That the eyes of their hearts would be opened to what they already have in Jesus.

Let’s not miss that. This is a prayer for Christians. Not that they would get something new, but that they’d finally realize what’s been right in front of them the whole time.

Hope. Worth. Power.

Let’s start with hope—not the vague, wishy-washy kind the world offers. This is hope that is anchored in Jesus. Paul says we’ve been “called” to it. And when Jesus calls something into being, it happens. This hope isn’t fragile. It’s not on backorder. It’s a done deal—certain, real, and alive. You don’t have to wonder if God will come through. The cross and the empty tomb already proved He has. Your hope isn’t hanging by a thread; it’s standing in front of you with nail-scarred hands.

Then Paul prays we’d see the “riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” That’s not just future language—some pie-in-the-sky promise. That’s worth. Right now. God has already placed infinite value on you. Not because of what you’ve achieved or how holy you act, but because Jesus chose you, adopted you, and calls you family. You’re not a spiritual orphan trying to earn your place. You’re a loved, named, claimed child of God. That’s your worth. And no failure, label, or lie can undo that.

And finally—power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you. That’s not metaphor. That’s resurrection reality. This is not about mustering up your own strength. This is about tapping into the power source that conquered sin, death, and hell. Paul stacks up words for it: immeasurable greatness… according to the working of his great might… that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead. That’s a power no enemy can touch. And it’s yours. Today.

We live like we’re powerless. We walk around as if we’re barely scraping by spiritually. We forget the very Spirit who raised Jesus lives inside us. Paul’s prayer is that we wake up to that power—that we stop living like victims and start standing in victory.

So let me ask you:
Do you see the hope that’s already yours?
Do you know your worth in Jesus is already settled?
Are you walking in the resurrection power you already possess?

You don’t have to beg God for more. You don’t need to prove yourself. You just need eyes to see what’s already true.

Open your Bible. Read Ephesians 1:15–23 again. Then pray this:
Lord, open the eyes of my heart. Let me see the hope, the worth, and the power that are already mine in Jesus. Amen.

Don’t Drop the Towel: What to Do When You Want to Quit

May 8, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Part 6 of the “Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership” Series

You’ve prayed. You’ve poured out. You’ve kept showing up.
But if you’re honest—you’re tired.
Not just physically. Soul tired.

Ministry can hurt in ways you didn’t know possible.
People ghost you.
Plans fall flat.
Recognition for carrying the extra load never comes.
The critics? Oh, they never miss a beat.

And somewhere deep inside, you hear it:

“Just walk away. Drop the towel. You gave it your best shot.”

But hear me out:
Don’t do that!

Jesus Didn’t Quit—Even When Everyone Else Did

When things got hard, the disciples scattered.
The crowds vanished.
The miracles weren’t enough to keep people loyal.

But Jesus didn’t drop the towel.
He picked up the cross.

And He kept walking—for you.

You’re not carrying something He doesn’t understand.
He felt betrayal. He knows rejection. He walked the lonely road.

Hebrews 12:3 (ESV): “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

He didn’t quit on you.
Don’t quit on what He’s put in you.

3 Ways to Hold the Towel When Everything in You Wants to Let Go

1. Name the Burnout. Don’t Fake the Strength.

You’re not superhuman. You’re not weak for needing rest.
You’re honest. That’s holy.

Jesus rested. Jesus wept. Jesus withdrew.

If He needed it, you definitely do.
So name it. Own it. And then bring it to Him.

2. Let Others Carry You for a While

Even Jesus let someone else carry His cross for a stretch. (See: Simon of Cyrene.)

So why are you trying to be the hero?

Ask for help. Tell someone you’re worn out.
You’re not less of a leader for leaning on others—you’re just finally leading real.

3. Reconnect to the Why

You didn’t start this to be famous.
You started because Jesus flipped your life upside down with grace.
You said yes because people matter. Because eternity matters.

When the “what” feels heavy, remember the “why.”

And remember Who you’re doing this for.

Grace Is for You Too.

Sometimes the hardest person to show grace to is the one in the mirror.
You preach it to others—now preach it to yourself:

You’re not failing. You’re not forgotten. You’re not done.

The towel might feel soaked with sweat, tears, and frustration—but it’s still in your hands. And Jesus is still washing feet with you.

Before You Quit, Remember This:

Quitting might quiet the pain—but it also silences your calling.
What you’re doing matters. Even if no one claps. Even if no one sees.

So no, don’t drop the towel.
Wipe your brow.
Fall into the arms of grace.
And keep going.

Because He’s not finished with you yet.

Next up in Part 7 of the Towel-Bearers series:
👉 “Towel-Bearers in the Wild: Stories of Real Leaders Doing It the Jesus Way” — a celebration of the unfiltered, unpolished, radically faithful.

When Nobody Claps: Finding Joy in Obscure Faithfulness

May 6, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Part 5 of the “Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership” Series

There’s no spotlight.
No applause.
No thank-you note.
No social media post shouting you out.

You vacuumed the church hallway.
Held the crying baby in the nursery.
Prayed for someone who never knew.
Texted the hurting at 2 a.m.
Showed up again. And again. And again.

And not a soul noticed.

But heaven did.

The World Cheers the Loudest Voices. The Kingdom Honors the Faithful Ones.

You won’t trend for folding chairs.
You won’t get likes for discipling one kid at a time.
No one will interview you for spending 10 years loving a community that barely responds.

But this is what Kingdom greatness actually looks like.

Jesus didn’t praise the Pharisees for their platforms.
He praised a widow for her two coins.
He honored a woman who poured perfume on His feet.

No PR team. No followers. No fame.
Just faithfulness.

Why Obscurity Might Be Your Greatest Gift

1. Obscurity Starves the Ego

When no one’s watching, there’s no performance to maintain.
No masks. No hype. No pressure.

It’s just you and Jesus.
And that’s where real leadership is forged.

The spotlight can inflate your pride.
Obscurity? That’s where the roots grow deep.

2. God Sees What Nobody Else Does

Hebrews 6:10 (ESV): “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.”

You’re not overlooked.
You’re not forgotten.
You’re not wasting your time.

The God who counts the hairs on your head counts every act of hidden faithfulness too.

3. Your Reward Is Coming—And It’s Better Than Applause

Let the world have their claps. You’re waiting for the well done.

Matthew 6:4 (ESV): “And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

One day, Jesus will look you in the eyes—not the crowd, not your peers—you—and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

No mic drop. No stage. Just resting in His glory.

So Keep Going, Towel-Bearer

If you’re tired of doing good and getting silence in return—don’t quit.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth it when no one seems to notice—keep showing up.

You’re not serving for a standing ovation.
You’re serving the One who knelt low and washed feet.

That’s where the joy is.
Not in being seen—but in being His.

Coming up in Part 6 of the Towel-Bearers series:
“Don’t Drop the Towel: What to Do When You Want to Quit” — because leadership is heavy, but grace is stronger.

Not Your Platform: The Kingdom Isn’t About You

May 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Part 4 of the “Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership” Series

Let’s say the quiet part out loud:
Ministry has a branding problem.
Not the logos. Not the livestreams. Not the fonts.
The ego that sometimes hides behind it all.

Somewhere along the way, some have stopped preaching Jesus and started promoting ourselves. They stopped building altars and started building platforms.
And if we’re not careful, we’ll confuse applause with anointing—and miss the whole point of the Kingdom.

This Isn’t About You

We say it’s for Jesus. We sing it loud. We hashtag it.
But if we peel back the layers… too many of us are more concerned with followers on Instagram than with following the Savior.

And that’s not leadership. That’s show business in a clerical collar.

Jesus didn’t come to be admired—He came to die.
And He didn’t call us to be influencers. He called us to be cross-bearers.

3 Platform Pitfalls That Kill Kingdom Work

1. Performance Over Presence

When the platform becomes the goal, performance becomes the method.
You start curating moments for likes, not for lives changed. You start preaching for a reaction, not transformation.

Here’s the truth: performance might impress people—but it doesn’t move heaven.

Presence does.
And you can’t manufacture that. You get it by dying to self and staying rooted in Jesus.

2. Applause Becomes the Addiction

If the only time you feel valuable is when people are clapping, you’re already in trouble.

Applause is a drug. And it will never be enough.
Ask the preachers who burned out trying to chase the next standing ovation. Ask the worship leaders who lost their joy when the setlist didn’t get a standing ovation.

Kingdom leadership isn’t about being celebrated. It’s about being faithful, even when no one notices.

3. Jesus Gets Drowned Out By Our Name

We slap His name on events, but our faces are front and center.
We say “To God be the glory,” but let’s be honest—we’re tracking analytics like stockbrokers.

Let this sink in: If people remember your name but forget His, you failed.

John the Baptist had it right: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30, ESV)

That’s not poetic. That’s the point. It’s time to show Jesus to others not require them to hail us as king or pastor or president or whatever our title might be.

The Platform Is a Tool—Not a Throne

God may give you influence. That’s fine. Use it well.
But the moment you start climbing the stage like it’s your throne, the towel’s slipping out of your hands.

Jesus washed feet. And then He went to a cross.
The only crown He wore down here had thorns on it.

If you’re going to follow Him, leave the spotlight behind. You can’t carry a cross and your brand at the same time.

Let’s Get Back to the Mission

The Kingdom is not about building your name. It’s about surrendering it.

Drop the need to be known.
Let go of the platform you’re building.
Pick up the towel. Take the lower seat.
And let Jesus be the only name that echoes when the lights go out.

Up next in the Towel-Bearers series:
“When Nobody Claps: Finding Joy in Obscure Faithfulness” — because sometimes, the holiest work happens when no one’s watching.

The Weight of the Towel: When Serving Hurts

April 29, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Part 3 of the “Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership” Series

You said yes to serve.
You said yes to love.
You said yes to Jesus – (after he said yes to you).

But somewhere along the way, that towel you picked up started to feel like a weight chained to your soul.

You’re tired. Not just in your body—but in your spirit.
You still show up. Still pour out. Still smile when you’re asked, “How’s ministry going?” But underneath it all, you’re running on fumes.

Welcome to the weight of the towel.

Serving Hurts Sometimes. And That’s Not a Sign You’re Doing It Wrong.

Myth: “If I were really called to this, it wouldn’t feel this hard.”

Jesus was called. Perfectly. And still—He sweat blood in the garden.

He served, knowing the cross was waiting. He washed Judas’ feet, knowing the betrayal was coming.
He kept showing up—not because it didn’t hurt—but because love is stronger than pain.

So yeah, it’s going to hurt sometimes.
Not because you’re broken.
But because you’re becoming like Jesus.

3 Realities of Leading With a Tired Soul

1. You Will Run Out—That’s Why You Need to Be Filled

You’re not the source. Never were. You were never meant to carry the weight of every need, every crisis, every expectation.

Even Jesus withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16).
If the Son of God had to unplug to be filled—what makes you think you can run without stopping?

This is your reminder: Rest is not weakness. It’s worship.
You’re not abandoning the mission when you sabbath—you’re sustaining it.

2. Just Because It Hurts Doesn’t Mean It’s Not Holy

Pain doesn’t always mean you’re out of place. Sometimes, it’s proof you’re walking the right path.

Paul didn’t plant churches from a place of comfort—he planted them with scars.
Real servant leaders don’t avoid pain—they endure it for the sake of others.

But here’s the catch: Suffering in silence isn’t sainthood—it’s pride. Don’t wear burnout like a badge. Talk to someone. Let people in. You’re not less spiritual for needing help—you’re more human.

3. You’re Not Saving Anyone—Jesus Is

You’re not the Messiah. You’re not the answer. You’re a messenger.

When the weight gets too heavy, remember: you were never meant to carry the cross. You’re just called to carry the towel.

Let Jesus carry you.

To the Worn-Out Leader…

You don’t have to be strong every day.
You don’t have to fix everything.
You don’t have to carry this alone.

God sees you.
Not the polished version. Not the public one. The real you.

He sees the tears you’ve cried in your car.
The text messages you never got a response to.
The late nights. The misunderstood moments. The quiet serving no one ever applauded.

And He says, “Well done.”

Want more?
Stay with us for Part 4 of Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership:
“Not Your Platform: The Kingdom Isn’t About You” — a gut-check on ego, branding, and who the spotlight really belongs to.

How to Spot a Counterfeit Leader (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

April 25, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Part 2 of the “Towel-Bearers: Redefining Leadership” Series

Not everyone with a Bible and a microphone should be leading people.
Yeah, there are counterfeit leaders in the Church. And they’re not always easy to spot. They sound holy. They know the lingo. They wear the “right” clothes. They inspire crowds, cast vision, and quote Scripture on demand. But behind the scenes, it’s not about Jesus—it’s about their own control, ego, and power.

Jesus warned us: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”(Matthew 7:15, ESV)

We should’ve been listening.

4 Signs of a Counterfeit Leader

1. People Are Used, Not Shepherded

Counterfeit leaders don’t build people up—they use them to build their platform. If you’re only celebrated when you’re useful, and ghosted when you’re not, you’re not being pastored. You’re being leveraged.

Servant-hearted leaders walk with you—especially when you can’t offer anything in return.

2. Disagreement Is Punished, Not Processed

Try questioning their decision. Watch what happens.

If the response is silence, guilt-tripping, or spiritual intimidation (“Touch not the Lord’s anointed!”), that’s not leadership. That’s dictatorship in a title or position.

Jesus welcomed correction, modeled vulnerability, and still stooped to wash His disciples’ feet.

3. Fear Replaces Freedom

If you constantly feel anxious around your leader—like any wrong move will cost you your place—you’re not under godly authority. You’re under human control.

Jesus sets people free. Leadership that leads with fear doesn’t come from Him.

4. Their Private Life Doesn’t Match Their Platform

This is the hardest one. You don’t always see it right away. But true leadership shows up in the home, in the staff culture, in the way they treat the least powerful around them.

If their public presence is polished but the people closest to them are walking on eggshells—pay attention.

There’s Grace for This

Maybe this stings because you’ve followed a counterfeit leader.
Maybe it stings more because you’ve been (or are) one.

There’s grace. There’s always grace. But grace doesn’t mean silence. And it doesn’t mean ignoring the pain of those who’ve been hurt in the name of “leadership.”

You’re not crazy. You’re not bitter. You’re just waking up.

The Call: Watch for Fruit, Not Flash

We need leaders who bleed love, not demand loyalty.
Who show up in silence, not just in the spotlight.
Who carry towels, not just sit on their personal thrones.

Don’t settle for stage lights. Look for the ones who stay when the lights go out.

Want more?
Stay tuned for Part 3 of our Towel-Bearers series:
“The Weight of the Towel: When Serving Hurts” — how to lead with a servant’s heart when your soul is tired.

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