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Without great faith, a leader will not last long or lead well.
Even though leaders will go through periods with questions and doubts, those who are successful will develop a strong faith.
I’m not referring to your salvation by faith alone in Christ, but a faith that trusts the Lord to build His church, ministries, and businesses.
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
Leaders filled with faith possess hope for a better future and believe the Lord will help those they lead/serve to realize that vision. Therefore, this hope is based on confidence in the Lord’s promise and the evidence of His will in His Word.
Because faith is subjective, it is difficult to quantity, yet Jesus indicates differing amounts of faith. Jesus talked to His disciples about them having little faith. It suggests that faith can become greater.
Several scripture passages show Jesus’s disappointment and maybe even frustration with the disciples about their little faith. Yet it doesn’t seem Jesus was angry. The source of His emotion was love. He wanted them to appreciate and experience the power and blessing of having great faith.
He also wants this for you and me.
The senior leader or the main communicator are not the only ones who need faith. Every leader, from senior staff to volunteers, is required to have faith in the area they lead.
Five truths that identify your faith as a leader:
- Faith can’t be forced.
- Faith can’t be faked.
- Increased faith can come by asking the Lord for it.
- There is a difference between faith in yourself and faith in the Lord.
- It takes risks to grow faith.
Faith isn’t microwaveable like popcorn. You can’t “discipline” your way to greater faith. It takes time and intentional practice.
Growing your faith takes a process of ups and downs, successes and failures, and belief and doubt.
Faith starts very small, like a tiny mustard seed but grows and matures to something much greater in size.
During seasons when you experience little faith, lean into the faith of those you trust, the leaders above you, and the body of Christ around you. Yet eventually, faith is personal, and every leader must pursue their personal journey of developing their faith.
I’ve known too many leaders who found themselves less than honest about their faith in their church, ministry, or business vision. Whether they stood up and cast vision to the faith family, shared it in a boardroom, or communicated it to their staff, they knew something about it rang hollow. They said all the right words, but they didn’t really believe. At least not entirely.
Uncertainty is different from a lack of belief. No leader can be “certain” about an outcome or results but must still possess great faith in “all things being possible” with God.
Leaders don’t get the option to have the perspective of “let’s just wait and see.” Casual attendees, observers, and those who comment on social media can say, “Perhaps this will work, and maybe it won’t.” But healthy leaders have authentic faith and “move” on that faith.
The purpose of leadership is to lead toward a better future in Christ. From the basic measurement of one transformed life at a time to the church’s or ministry’s more significant impact in the community and worldwide.
Faith-increasement is not developed all by yourself. Yet, it does not relieve us of our part. The Lord can and does increase our faith by you asking and Him answering your request through prayer, the indication of the Holy Spirit’s power, and remembering and reflecting on His abundant faithfulness throughout history.
Faith in yourself and faith in the Lord is a fine line to deconstruct, but you must know where the line is. Both are significant, but what matters is the order of priority.
We achieve nothing of eternal value outside the Lord, yet He gave us spiritual gifts, talents, abilities, experiences, energy, wisdom, and opportunities. It is what we do with all that that becomes our choice. Then the Lord adds His favor, power, and blessing, which makes the real difference.
Scriptures state Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. So, who really produces the fruit? God does, but He expects us to be the instrument of that growth. I have a sign in my office made by a master carver that says, Not I but Christ!
It’s easy to under-believe in the Lord and over-believe in ourselves, maybe not in our thinking but certainly in our actions.
Confidence in your leadership as the Lord “grew” you and faith in yourself is vital. Yet the true source of that faith must always be the Lord.
Those leaders who the Lord used to grow churches, ministries, and God-honoring businesses had growing faith too.
When a leader takes a risk and discovers what God can do, faith will grow larger. Whether you lead a small group, are the senior pastor of a church, or run a business, risk-taking is indispensable to effective leadership and developing your faith.
You don’t have to take a huge risk to begin stretching your faith, but it must be large enough that you know God is in it and that you can’t pull it off alone.
