Declarations of a Leader

A Moment Etched Forever

There are some moments that never fade—moments permanently pasted into the scrapbook of your heart.

A few years ago, forty-seven of us cleared our calendars, packed our bags, stamped our passports, and headed to Israel. It was nothing short of a ten-day journey of a lifetime.

But day four?
Day four stood alone.

Before the sun had fully awakened the sky, we slipped out from our kibbutz-style hotel and walked quietly toward the shores of the Sea of Galilee. As light broke across the water—painting the surface with gold—seventeen people stepped forward, one by one, to testify through baptism to the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. And one by one, I had the humbling privilege of lowering each into those sacred waters—waters on which our Savior walked two millennia ago.

With voices steady and hearts full, each declared publicly:
“I will follow Jesus Christ all the days of my life.”

It was priceless. Holy. Unforgettable.

The Declarations of a Leader

As I reflect on that morning through the lens of leadership, a question keeps surfacing:

What are the declarations of a leader who longs to lead like Jesus?
Not in theory.
Not in aspiration.
But in the everyday realities of life and leadership.

In that spirit, here are several declarations—offered for your prayerful consideration:

• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will seek God’s plans and purposes and lead only in that direction. This will not be about my dreams, my agenda, or my acclaim.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I am here to serve, not to be served. I will look for where I can contribute to His Kingdom and then roll up my sleeves and get to work.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will confess daily my desperation for God’s divine wisdom and abiding presence, knowing that apart from Him I can do nothing.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will live and lead within a community of counsel and accountability—granting godly voices full access to my life.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will “suit up” each day, remembering that there is an enemy who seeks to destroy my life and my witness.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will embrace leadership as stewardship, rejecting the entitlements that often accompany influence.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will create sacred space—for myself and for those I lead—to hear the whispers of God’s direction.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will make the presence of God—not strategy, charisma, or productivity—the distinguishing mark of my leadership.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will celebrate that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
  
• By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit, I will set my singular aim on the words of my Master: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
  

Your Turn

So let me ask you:

What declaration would you add?

Here’s my encouragement—calendar some solitude and draft your own list. Write them down. Pray over them. Return to them—especially in seasons of challenge, fatigue, or uncertainty.

And as you do, remember this:

Every declaration begins not with resolve, but with reliance— “By the grace of God and the enabling power of His Spirit…”

Because in the end,
leadership is not about our strength,
but His.

Chuck Olson
Founder | Executive Director
Lead With Your Life