The Trust Fall
Why releasing others into leadership is an act of faith not just strategy
In the last of this series, we talked about sorting what’s in your hands - what to hold, what to share, what to pass on. The passing on part is where many of us get stuck.
Not because we don’t want help and not because we don’t see potential in others, but because we know how we’d do it and we may as well crack on, because it would be faster, or more polished, or if we’re really honest, we think it would just be that bit better.
This isn’t really about unwillingness, or arrogance, it’s often about fear. Fear they won’t do it right, that they’ll miss something important, that it won’t be done in time. But when that becomes our underlying attitude, we stop releasing and start micromanaging, even if it’s dressed up as discipleship.
“They’re not ready” is sometimes just another way of saying “I’m not ready.”
We find a thousand ways to say it: Their theology isn’t quite there yet. They’ve not always been reliable. They tried it once and didn’t do it well.
And there’s wisdom in discernment. But when we catch ourselves giving feedback that begins with, “I would have...” or “If I were you...” or find ourselves jumping into the middle of their plans, it’s time to reflect.
That kind of feedback often isn’t about helping them grow, but becomes about getting them to do things our way. Are we shaping leaders who reflect Jesus, or extensions of ourselves? We need our leaders to reflect all the wonderful ways Jesus is, not just one version of it.
Jesus sent them before they were ready
In Luke 10, Jesus sends out the seventy-two. He tells them, “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” That’s not exactly a confidence booster. Jesus knew full well they weren’t yet trained enough, or equipped enough to handle everything that might come their way, and he certainly knew they weren’t going to be as good as him.
But he sent them anyway.
He trusted that God would be with them. He didn’t protect them from the risk, he empowered them in the risk.
This wasn’t reckless, it was Kingdom logic. The harvest was plentiful, and the workers were few, so Jesus multiplied the workers by trusting ordinary, unfinished people to carry the message. And the Kingdom came through them.
A story: Prepare to be wrong
Recently, one of the team I oversee was planning the activity for our Friday night youth session. I’ll be completely honest, I didn’t think it was going to work. My instinct was to step in, tweak the plan, or at the very least offer suggestions that would have made it more like something I would do. Catching myself, I asked a few questions instead. Curious ones, not leading ones, and then I let him run with it. I was prepared for it to fall flat AND most importantly I was very prepared to be wrong… and I was.
It was fantastic. The young people were engaged, the activity was thoughtful, and the whole evening went better than if I’d taken control. If I’d jumped in with “I wouldn’t do that,” I’d have robbed him of ownership, and us of the fruit that came from it.
The Kingdom will come with or without your permission
The reality is this: the Kingdom is coming, and God will release his people whether you’re ready or not. He is raising up labourers for the harvest, and if we’re not willing to entrust others with real leadership, we might find ourselves becoming the ones standing in the way.
So let me ask:
Are you prepared to hold back someone who may bring others to Jesus, simply because you’re not sure they’ll do it your way?
Releasing others into leadership is not just a practical decision, it’s an act of faith. It’s saying to God: “I trust you more than I trust myself.” It’s an act of worship that says the ministry was never ours to begin with.
Reflection and Prayer
Set aside some time this week to be still before God. Read Luke 10 slowly, picturing the moment Jesus sent out the seventy-two.
Ask yourself:
- What might it have felt like for Jesus to release seventy-two unpolished disciples into towns and villages he would not personally visit, where he could not manage or correct their interactions?
- Who in my own context might I be holding back because I want it done my way?
- Where is God inviting me to trust him more than I trust myself?
- What step of release might he be nudging me to take this month?
