The Church is in need of a new generation of leaders. God is looking for young influencers who will run with the baton as one generation passes it off to another. However, being a young leader is tough.

For the majority of my leadership journey, I was in my twenties. Every important lesson I’ve learned, I feel like I’ve learned the hard way.

Here’s 4 things that I thought I had to do in order to earn the position of being a leader. They really got me caught up and distracted. I feel like I wasted a ton of time and energy chasing these things as I was trying to figure out how to be a leader in the Church. Maybe you can learn from some of my heartaches!

1. I Have to be Smarter than the People I Lead

I never went to Bible College. I actually was probably the most unlikely person to lead every team I've been a part of. The first youth ministry I was ever attended was the one I got hired to be the Pastor of! I could always look out and see people who were more qualified than me to do my job. This made me really insecure.

God continues to show me all I need is a desire to grow and ask questions and He’ll fill in the gaps where I’m weak and inexperienced.

2. I Have to be More Spiritual Than the People I Lead

Early on, I prided myself in being the most spiritual person in any given situation I was a part of. And I was really humble too!… haha, not. I felt like this was what qualified me to be the leader. I guess this worked for a while until I realized how limiting this way of thinking was. I felt like I was always having to prove my spirituality to anyone who would dare challenge me, or, I would sulk and be defensive.

God showed me I was His son. He showed me how incredibly much He loved me. He showed me I was enough and I could trust Him as I learned to lead. He showed me I had no need to compare myself to others.

3. I Have To Be Perfect, or Appear More Perfect than the people I lead

Leadership quickly became a competition about who was the most “perfect.” Similarly to how I felt like my level of spirituality qualified me as a leader above my peers, likewise, my reputation as being super holy and perfect also began to become something I put my trust in.

I wouldn’t laugh at dirty jokes. Not because I didn’t think they were funny. Not because The Holy Spirit was transforming who I was on the inside. I didn’t laugh because I didn’t want people thinking any less of me. I felt like I had to be this perfect person in order to deserve the right to be the leader of the youth ministry.

I obviously want to live a life pleasing to God, but today it is a vertical pursuit of following Jesus; not a horizontal race of trying to staying ahead of the rest of the pack.

God shows me that even in my weakness, He is strong. What qualifies me isn’t that I’m better than anyone else. What qualifies me is that God called me to follow Him.

4. I Have To Have a Title To Be A Leader

Yeah.... Nope.

God has shown me time and time again: You just go after what I’ve put on your life and the positions and titles will go after you!

If you’re a young adult and in a ministry role, or, just new to a church leadership role, keep your head up! It’s tough and lonely but God is good and He will be with you!