My pastoral journey began more than twenty years ago. In those early years, I was fortunate to have been blessed with mentors who taught me how to plan, budget, lead, and resolve conflicts. Their lessons were practical and helped me understand how to guide people and build ministries with care and purpose. As the years went on, another question began to stir in me: What is all this leadership really for?
That question has changed how I see ministry. Leadership in the church is not just about managing programs or growing churches. It is about shaping lives. It is about helping people learn how to follow Jesus in real, everyday ways. Many models of church leadership seem to assume that discipleship will happen naturally as people participate in church activities. But I’ve learned that discipleship must be intentional. If we’re not careful, we end up focusing more on keeping the church running than on helping the church become holy.
When I look at our Wesleyan heritage, I see that John Wesley didn’t assume discipleship. He organized it. He knew that holiness was not achieved in isolation but formed through community, through small groups, prayer, and accountability. Wesley understood that grace shapes us, holiness refines us, and community sustains us.
That’s the kind of leadership the church still needs: leaders who help others grow in grace, love deeply, and live faithfully. We are called to nurture disciples, not just manage ministries.
Today, I invite you to reflect: In your own leadership, home, or relationships, are you helping others grow closer to Christ, or are you just keeping things running smoothly? Ask God to guide you in forming lives, not just maintaining church to-do lists. Let your leadership, in whatever form it takes, become an act of holy love.
Stay blessed...john | 
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