Developing the Leaders Around You: Week Five

Pastor Ashley Evans   -   December 16, 2024

Session 5 – Developing the Leaders Around You

How can AI help us in everyday life?

I ASKED CHAT GPT ITSELF FOR THESE ANSWERS 

  1. Writing and Content Creation
  • Use ChatGPT to draft emails, write blog posts,
  1. Brainstorming Ideas
  2. Learning New Skills or Subjects
  3. Improving Personal Communication
  4. Daily Planning and Goal Setting
  5. Simplifying Research
  6. Cooking and Meal Planning
  7. Language Learning and Translation
  8. Professional Development
  9. Creative Outlets

RESILIENT LEADERSHIP – BUILDING UNBREAKABLE PEOPLE

PART 1: THE ART OF PUSHING PEOPLE PAST THE COMFORT ZONE

Key Verse 1: Philippians 1:6

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Key Verse 2: 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

What keeps me up at night as a leader?

Not the future, not our finances, Not our goals. Not even the challenges we face.

It’s this: Am I building enough people who can handle what’s coming?

One of the hardest leadership skills is knowing when to push people and when to protect them. When to stretch them and when to shelter them.

Example:

A few years ago, two of our best connect group leaders came to me. Their baby had been born premature – just 3 grams. They spent every spare moment at the hospital.

As their leader, I had a choice:

  • Encourage them to keep leading through the crisis?
  • Or give them space to focus on what mattered most?

I chose to give them space. That was the right call. Sometimes the most resilient thing you can do is let people rest.

But on another occasion, another leader came to me facing a different crisis. This time, I knew pulling them out of leadership would hurt them more than help them. They needed to push through.

So How Do You Know the Difference?

Let’s look at how Jesus handled this balance:

  1. HE KNEW WHEN TO PUSH

In Mark 6, Jesus feeds the 5,000. The disciples witness one of the greatest miracles ever. So what does Jesus do next?

He sends them straight into a storm.

Why? Because watching miracles doesn’t build resilience. Going through storms does.

  1. HE ALSO KNEW WHEN TO PROTECT

Mark 6:31 – “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

Jesus wasn’t being soft. He was being strategic.

HOW TO DISCERN WHEN TO PUSH OR PROTECT

  1. Look at the Type of Crisis
  • Is it temporary or ongoing?
  • Is it personal or professional?
  • Is it development or devastation?
  1. Look at the Available Support
  • What resources do they have?
  • Who’s in their corner?
  • What’s their emotional capacity?
  1. Look at the Potential Impact
  • Will this build them or break them?
  • Is this a sprint or a marathon?
  • What’s at stake if they fail?

Example:

With the CG leaders, it was clear:  It was Temporary and Personal. A clear endpoint.

Their baby needed them more than their group did.

But with my other leader, the crisis was different. Pulling them out would have reinforced their fears rather than building their faith.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION TIME

  1. The 48-Hour Rule

When something goes wrong, give your team 48 hours to:

  • Feel the emotion
  • Find the lesson
  • Form the plan
  • Forward motion
  1. The Resilience Review

Monthly one-on-ones:

  • What stretched you this month?
  • Where did you feel most uncomfortable?
  • What new capacity did you discover?
  • What support do you need?
  1. The Story Shift

Teach them to reframe their perspective:

  • From “I’m overwhelmed” → “I’m in training.”
  • From “This is too hard” → “This is making me stronger.”
  • From “I’m not ready” → “I’m learning.”

THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE PUSHING SOMEONE

  1. Is This Their Storm or Their Tsunami?
  • Storms build resilience.
  • Tsunamis require shelter.
  1. Will This Challenge Make Them Better or Bitter?
  • Some pressure creates diamonds.
  • Too much pressure creates dust.
  1. Am I Protecting Them From Growth or For Growth?
  • Sometimes we protect people to prepare them for bigger challenges.
  • Sometimes we protect them because we’re afraid of their failure.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: “Endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Look at the 4 members of your team. For each person, ask:

  • Am I pushing them enough?
  • Am I protecting them enough?
  • Do I know the difference?

Jesus didn’t call His disciples to comfort. He called them to greatness. But He also knew when they needed rest.

Who’s ready to build some resilient leaders?

THE JOURNEY 

Here are 10 reasons why people need to know what’s ahead of them, written in your style, with biblical depth and practical application:

  1. Vision Provides Direction
  • Without vision, people drift. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” A clear path shows people where they are going and why it matters, anchoring them to God’s purpose for their lives.
  1. Clarity Builds Confidence
  • When people know the steps ahead, they move with confidence. Uncertainty breeds hesitation, but clarity allows them to trust the process and take each step with faith.
  1. The Journey Gives Meaning to the Moment
  • David didn’t become king overnight; every step—tending sheep, fighting giants, serving Saul—had a purpose. Knowing what’s ahead gives people hope that today’s small steps are building toward God’s greater plan.
  1. Growth Requires Intentionality
  • Transformation doesn’t happen by accident. Knowing the path gives people opportunities to grow intentionally—whether through a course, training, or serving—each step shapes them into who God has called them to be.
  1. It Turns Volunteers into Vision-Carriers
  • When people see the path, they stop seeing themselves as “just volunteers” and start seeing themselves as part of God’s unfolding story. They take ownership of the mission and their role in it.
  1. Prepares Hearts for the Next Step
  • Like the Israelites in the wilderness, preparation always comes before possession. When people know what’s ahead, they position their hearts to move when God calls them forward.
  1. Progress Fuels Perseverance
  • The journey can feel long, but when people can see milestones ahead, it keeps them encouraged. Celebrating each step—no matter how small—reminds them that God is at work.
  1. It Aligns Effort with Eternity
  • A clear path reminds people that their service, learning, and obedience have eternal significance. “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
  1. People Thrive When They Know What’s Expected
  • Clarity removes confusion. Knowing the path gives people a clear understanding of their next step and how they can contribute—whether on a team, in the workplace, or in the church.
  1. The Pathway Unlocks Purpose
  • God has a plan for each life, but purpose is revealed step by step. A clear pathway helps people discover their gifts, grow in their calling, and step into their God-ordained destiny.

By showing people what’s ahead, you’re not just giving them a plan—you’re giving them purpose. You’re helping them see that every step has meaning, every moment has value, and every act of obedience moves them closer to becoming who God created them to be. The pathway matters because their purpose matters.