How Christian mentors can nurture leadership in both – by Joshua Bennett
This inspiring article is presented by Joshua Bennett, who has written several great pieces that help improve personal lives in various areas. He can be reached at <[email protected]>
In a world saturated with noise and ego, the formation of authentic leaders has never been more vital—or more countercultural. For Christian mentors and coaches, the call to cultivate leadership in adolescents and adults is not about pushing people toward influence for its own sake. It’s about shaping character in the image of Christ, training others to lead not from ambition but from service, conviction, and faithfulness. Leadership is less a title to be held than a way of being, and the soil where it grows best is one enriched by truth, vulnerability, and intentional relationship.
Start with Listening, Not Lecturing
When mentoring others toward leadership, especially teenagers or young adults just beginning to wrestle with calling, the most radical thing you can do is listen. Adolescents don’t lack passion—they often lack adults who are willing to hear them out without immediately correcting, advising, or redirecting. Listening validates their personhood. It invites them to share not only their thoughts but their insecurities, dreams, and doubts. And when an adult listens first, they create sacred space for the Spirit to work within the heart of the young leader, teaching them that real leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about being willing to ask the right questions.
Build Your Skill Set
If you’re mentoring someone with a heart for leadership, especially in entrepreneurial or community-focused roles, one way to empower their journey is by encouraging them to pursue an online degree. For those interested in developing both their business acumen and leadership capabilities, a business degree for entrepreneurship can be a powerful next step. Earning a degree in business doesn’t just refine their strategic thinking—it also helps them ground their vision in practical, sustainable frameworks. And thanks to the flexibility of modern online programs, they can continue working or serving while gaining the tools they need to lead with confidence.
Model What You Teach, Even in Your Failures
One of the most overlooked tools a Christian mentor can use is their own life—especially the messy parts. Adolescents and adults alike don’t need perfect mentors; they need authentic ones. You teach integrity by showing how you handle being wrong. You model humility when you confess a misstep or ask for prayer in your weakness. Every act of vulnerability tells your mentee that leadership is not about image—it’s about integrity. A leader rooted in Christ is unafraid of being seen, even when that means being seen as imperfect.
Make Scripture the Blueprint, Not the Ornament
Too often, spiritual leadership is treated like a secular model sprinkled with Bible verses. But true Christian leadership is constructed from Scripture, not merely decorated by it. When coaching others, use biblical figures not as distant heroes but as case studies in the complexity of obedience—Moses’ reluctance, David’s failures, Esther’s courage, Paul’s transformation. Encourage mentees to see leadership through the lens of God’s larger narrative, not just their own ambition. Scripture becomes a living guide, shaping not just what kind of leader they are, but who they’re becoming in Christ.
Emphasize Servanthood Over Stage Time
Christian leadership has nothing to do with platform and everything to do with posture. Mentors must continually reframe leadership as service. This might mean assigning tasks that are unseen, unglamorous, or sacrificial—stacking chairs, mentoring a younger sibling, or quietly showing up for someone in need. These experiences form the backbone of servant leadership. They teach mentees that the true power of leadership lies in laying one’s life down, not building one’s brand. And they counter the cultural narrative that influence equals attention, reminding them that in the kingdom of God, the last are first.
Protect the Flame Without Taking the Torch
Every mentor must eventually step aside. The goal is not to create followers, but to form followers of Christ who lead. As adolescents become adults, and as adults grow in spiritual maturity, your role shifts from guiding to cheering. This means resisting the temptation to control or correct every decision. It means trusting that the seeds you planted will bear fruit—even if you’re not the one harvesting. Mentoring is an act of spiritual midwifery: you help bring something forth, but you don’t own what’s born. You protect the flame of their calling without trying to carry their torch for them. To mentor someone in leadership is to disciple them in the ways of Jesus. It’s not about creating better public speakers, project managers, or influencers. It’s about forming people who carry the presence of Christ into every space they lead.
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