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Disciple to Leader: Walking the Path of Faithful Influence
- oscardelgado80
- Oct 23
- 8 min read
Introduction: Redefining Leadership
There's something about the word leader that often feels bigger than us.
When we hear it, most of us imagine someone standing on a stage, surrounded by followers, managing teams, or directing large projects. We think of people who seem born for the spotlight, people with authority, confidence, or natural charisma.
However, the truth is that leadership in the Kingdom of God doesn't begin with a platform.
It begins in the quiet corners of our daily decisions.
It begins in the places where no one else is watching.
It begins with faithfulness.
Why Faithfulness Matters in Christian Leadership
Because faithfulness, that steady, deliberate choice to honor God in every season, is the birthplace of authentic leadership.
And if we're honest, most of us struggle to see ourselves as leaders, especially when we're young. Especially when we're still figuring out who we are and what our calling to lead might look like.
It's easy to think:
"Who's really following me?"
"What kind of influence could I possibly have?"
But leadership, at its core, is not about having followers. It's about cultivating character. It's about the choices that reveal who we are when no one applauds.
Faithfulness shapes leadership. And leadership, in turn, produces influence, whether we are aware of it or not.
Leadership as Personal Governance
Over time, we learn that the most valid form of leadership development begins long before anyone calls us "leader."
It begins with personal governance, the sacred responsibility of ruling over our own heart, mind, and motives.
Every decision, every reaction, every act of obedience becomes a training ground.
Biblical Foundation: 2 Timothy 2:2
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, urging him not to search for people with the most dazzling gifts or magnetic personalities, but to look for one thing: faithfulness.
"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrusted to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." — 2 Timothy 2:2
Paul's instruction is timeless. He doesn't say, "Find people with potential," or "Find those who speak well." He says, "Find the faithful."
Faithfulness: Chosen, Not Inherited
Because skill can be taught, strategy can be trained. But faithfulness, faithfulness is chosen. It is not inherited; it's decided.
Faithfulness is the covenant commitment to stay the course when:
Enthusiasm fades
Recognition doesn't come
The work feels invisible
It's that quiet "yes" that keeps showing up even when no one else does.
And it's no coincidence that, in this same passage, the Apostle Paul gives Timothy three images to describe this kind of leadership: the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer.
Each one reveals a layer of what it means to lead well.
The Three Images of Faithful Leadership
The Soldier: Commitment and Covenant
A soldier doesn't serve for applause. A covenant of loyalty binds a soldier to their leader.
Discipline and obedience define their daily rhythm.
When Paul tells Timothy to endure hardship "like a good soldier of Christ Jesus," he's reminding him that leadership is forged in the place of endurance, not comfort.
Kingdom Leadership vs. Cultural Leadership
We live in a culture that celebrates quick results and visible progress, but the Kingdom grows in a different way.
In God's timeline, victory often appears as staying faithful when no one else sees the battle but Him.
True leaders are covenant keepers, people who learn to surrender even when the fight feels personal. Their commitment becomes a witness to their relationship with God, a testament to their faith.
The Athlete: Discipline and Resilience
An athlete competes according to the rules, not to earn favor, but to honor the process.
Leadership that lasts requires discipline, not the kind that exhausts us, but the kind that roots us.
The Training Season of Leadership
There are seasons when it feels like we're training more than performing, when God is building muscles we don't yet understand.
But every repetition, every small act of obedience, every stretch of surrender prepares us for endurance.
Faithfulness, like training, doesn't always feel glamorous. However, it's the invisible consistency that yields visible results in the long term.
The Farmer: Patience and Perseverance
The farmer doesn't rush the harvest. He understands that growth takes time.
He tills, he plants, he waters, and he waits, trusting that what's unseen beneath the soil will one day bear fruit.
Sowing Seeds of Influence
Leadership in the Kingdom is the same.
We sow seeds of:
Grace
Integrity
Humility
Love
Often, without seeing immediate results. But we keep showing up because faithfulness has its own rhythm.
We lead not because people follow us, but because Christ in us continues to grow through us.
Faithfulness: The Thread Between Discipleship and Leadership
You cannot discuss discipleship without mentioning faithfulness, and you cannot discuss leadership without returning to the topic of discipleship.
They are two sides of the same journey.
From Follower to Leader
A disciple learns to follow; a leader learns to surrender and continues following while others learn through their example.
One does not replace the other; they coexist.
When we are faithful disciples, our decisions, our posture, and our endurance become living testimonies. We begin to lead simply by how we live.
Redefining Influence in Ministry
Let's talk about influence, because that word carries a lot of weight today.
We hear it and instantly think of:
Algorithms
Platforms
Followers
Reach
Influence has become a measure of numbers, of visibility, of applause.
Biblical Influence vs. Cultural Influence
Biblical influence is different. It's not about how many people know your name; it's about how many people see Christ because of you.
Insights from General Lyndon Buckingham's Teaching.
And that's precisely what the General of The Salvation Army, Lyndon Buckingham, reminded us at the 2025 Bible Conference in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.
In his closing message, he shared that the Army stands in a "halftime moment."
The first half of our history has been full of victories and grace, but the second half, the season ahead, requires a deeper kind of leadership: courageous, adaptable, and faithful.
He told the crowd:
"You have an influencer role. You can change the atmosphere of a room by who you carry and how you let that get lived out in your life."
Carrying the Presence of Christ
That's the kind of influence the world needs. The type that carries the Presence of Christ into every room.
In the same message, the General described visiting St. Paul's Cathedral, a majestic, magnificent building, and while there, the Lord whispered to his heart:
"As beautiful as this building is, my preference is to dwell in you."
That is influence. Not popularity. Not visibility.
The Creator of the universe chooses to dwell in us so that His Presence can move through us, wherever we go, whatever we do.
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Presence
The General went on to remind us that this planet "needs to be populated with men and women who are carrying the very presence of the Redeemer."
That is what faithful influence looks like: ordinary people carrying extraordinary Presence.
It's not the kind of influence you measure in likes; it's the kind you feel in the atmosphere when grace walks into the room.
Practicing the Faith
During that same message, the General said something else that reframed how we think about leadership:
"What will set your Corps on fire is when those who are coming to the Corps are actually practicing their faith."
The Power of Practice
Practicing faith. Not performing it. Not preserving it. Practicing it.
That word changes everything.
Because a doctor "practices" medicine, not because he's experimenting, but because his craft is ongoing. There's always more to learn.
A musician "practices" her instrument not because she's uncertain of her talent, but because excellence requires rhythm and repetition.
Faith as a Discipline
Faith works in the same way.
Leadership grows when disciples continue to practice their faith, when love, forgiveness, and humility are not just ideals we quote, but spiritual disciplines we apply in our daily lives.
It's what turns a gathering into a community and a believer into a leader.
Influence That Outlives Titles
When Paul reminded the Corinthians that "it is required of stewards that they be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2), he wasn't referring to managing wealth or power; instead, he was referring to managing trust.
Stewarding Influence Well
God entrusts us with:
People
Moments
Opportunities to reflect Him
And influence is what happens when our faithfulness leaves a lasting impression of Christ in those spaces.
Leadership Beyond Titles
You don't have to lead a department to be a leader.
You don't have to preach a sermon to influence hearts.
If you're a parent raising your child with integrity, you're setting a great example.
If you're a student who chooses honesty when no one else does, you're a leader.
If you're a Corps member showing up with grace, patience, and prayer, you're making a positive influence.
Leadership is not what we hold; it's what we release.
Carrying Christ Into the Second Half
As the General said, "We're heading back onto the field."
The Halftime Moment
And maybe the halftime locker room is where the Holy Spirit meets us right now, reminding us that the same God who called us to follow is the God who now calls us to lead.
Your Personal Count Me In
Count me in:
By carrying His Presence into my workplace
By influencing my community with grace
By leading with faith, not fear
By being part of the second half, the one that belongs to those who walk in faithfulness
Because, as the General said that day:
"You could be the solution."
And that could be what faithful influence means: choosing to be the solution through steadfast love, humility, and obedience.
Walking As a Leader Training Course
Here's where all of this comes to a halt.
If discipleship is the root and leadership is the fruit, Walking As A Leader, one of SLED's Specialized Training Courses, is the path that helps connect them.
What Is Walking As A Leader?
This course was created to help Salvation Army leaders, officers, and ministry participants understand how spiritual formation translates into everyday leadership.
It's not about theory. It's about walking.
Course Overview
Each module is designed to help participants:
Develop self-awareness
Deepen their devotional life
Recognize how Christlike character can transform every context—from ministry to the workplace to home
It's an intentional journey of aligning faith with action, of learning how to lead from within—a leadership philosophy rooted in God's Word.
Who Should Take This Course?
If you've ever wrestled with questions like:
How can I grow in leadership without losing humility?
How do I influence others without forcing control?
How can my faith shape the way I make decisions?
Then, Walking as a Leader is for you.
This course is a leadership program for developing leaders who embrace servant leadership and understand their leadership role within the Body of Christ.
Why It Works
Because leadership is not the next step after discipleship, it's the continuation of it.
Through guided reflection, mentoring, and community practice, the course invites participants to let the Spirit form in them the kind of faithfulness that naturally produces influence.
It's not about becoming more impressive; it's about becoming more intentional—developing leadership skills that honor both team members and the ministry leader's calling.
Your Next Step in Faithful Leadership
The General closed his message in Junaluska by asking one question:
"Can I count you in?"
The Invitation
And maybe that's the same question God is asking of each of us.
Not, "Can you lead?" but "Will you be faithful?"
Not, "Can you influence thousands?" but "Will you carry My presence faithfully into the places I send you?"
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Discover how spiritual formation becomes leadership in action.
Because the world doesn't need more influencers, it needs more faithful ones.