Be a Strong and Courageous Young Leader

At some point, every pastor discovers that pastoring is more complex than he anticipated.

You need more strength and courage to lead than you imagined. Like Paul, you ask, “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:16).

Brother pastor, where will you turn for strength and courage in those moments?

Lean into God’s Presence

First, since insecurity and fearfulness always lurk, remember that God has not only called you, he’s promised to be with you.

Moses, overwhelmed with his calling, asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Yahweh corrected him, “But I will be with you” (Exod. 3:11–12). Joshua succeeded Moses and was given the same promise from the Lord, “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). King David passed his mantle to Solomon saying, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished” (1 Chr. 28:20). Christ, our Lord, commissioned us to make disciples and promised to be with us until the end of the age (Matt. 28:19–20). The apostle Paul reminded young Timothy to guard the good deposit entrusted to him by the Holy Spirit who dwells within (2 Tim. 1:14).

Brother pastor, where will you find strength and courage to lead when an influential leader or member whom you believed was in your corner suddenly turns on you? Where will you turn when your suggestion of a budget cut to what seems like an obviously unnecessary line item explodes a relational land mine? What will keep your heart at peace when, after teaching on a particular sin, a long-time member has lived unconfronted in that sin for years and wants to meet with you?

In these moments, remember that the same God who called and promised to be with Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Paul, and Timothy is present with you. He even dwells within you. You are never alone in this labor. Your weaknesses and limitations are no threat to God’s ability to accomplish his purposes. In those moments that require great courage and strength, the same God who rescued Israel from Egypt is with you.

Lean into his presence. Run to him in private prayer and plead that he would empower you for your task.

Lead with God’s Word

Second, young pastors in need of strength and courage must remember that God’s Word is living and active and will accomplish all that he wills in the life of the church (Heb. 4:12, Isa. 55:10–11).

In addition to reminding Joshua of his presence, God commanded his servant to be “strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go” (Josh. 1:7). Similarly, when Jeremiah brings his insecurity to the Lord, saying, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth,” the Lord instructs, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord” (Jer. 1:7–8). Or consider the source of Paul’s lion-like courage as he writes from a cold dark prison to his young protégé in the faith, “I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the Word of God is not bound!” (2 Tim. 2:9).

Young pastor, when a congregation looks to you for leadership, but you also sense them looking at you to determine if they are willing to follow your leadership, lead with the Word. Let them see that your goal is not to get them to follow you as an end but to help them follow Christ in his Word.

And do this with great humility, especially as a young pastor. Embrace life in the fishbowl. Let them observe you submitted to the Word by sharing what you are personally convicted, instructed, and encouraged by. As Paul exhorted young Timothy, let them see your progress (1 Tim. 4:11–13). And make sure there is consistency between your public and private ministry of the Word. Don’t be as bold as a lion in the pulpit but as cowardly as a house cat in private. Be a humble beast in both. If you rightly handle the Word of truth in both places, then you will have the clear conscious necessary to lead with courage and strength (Acts 20:20, 2 Tim. 2:15).

In those moments you’re tempted to run and hide, do so behind the text of Scripture. Lead your congregation with the bold humility that comes from a personal submission to the Word and a right fear of the Lord that is genuinely concerned not with pleasing man, but with pleasing Christ (Gal. 1:10).

Brother pastor, maybe you are still in the honeymoon phase of your pastorate. Maybe things are running smoothly. Praise God for that! But eventually, this calling will demand more strength and courage than you might now imagine. When that day comes and you ask with the war-torn apostle, “Who is sufficient for these things?” remember his answer, “Our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5).

God is with you, pastor, and he has spoken. Lean into his presence, and lead with his Word. Be strong and courageous.