Raising the Sails: Leadership Skills and the Spirit
It’s not unusual, in my work as a leadership consultant serving church, charity, and Christian business leaders, for people to approach me with a common assumption: “If I can just sharpen my skills - if I find the right coach, read the right book, or attend the right seminar - then my ministry or work will be effective”. It’s an attractive idea, because it gives the illusion of control. If success purely comes down to technique, then results feel almost guaranteed by our own effort. But Christian ministry doesn’t work like that. Skills are very helpful, yes - but, ultimately, they cannot give life. In fact, no amount of planning, training, or organising can transform a human heart.
Others, however, swing to the opposite extreme: “We don’t need leadership development - we just need the Spirit. After all, look how rarely Jesus talked about leadership”. On one level this can sound spiritual, but in practice it can leave people unprepared and ministries or organisations without direction. Even Paul urged Timothy to “entrust what you’ve learned to faithful people who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). In other words, leadership development is biblical - and if we are to equip others well, we must first invest in growing ourselves.
Letting the Wind Move You
The truth is we need both. The Spirit gives life - He alone can change hearts. But we are still called to prepare our own vessel: to be trained, equipped, and sharpened, so that when God moves, we are ready tools in His hands.
It’s like raising the sails on a boat. You can set them with perfect precision, but without the wind, you go nowhere. Yet if the sails are never raised, the wind cannot carry you forward. Our preparation doesn’t generate the Spirit’s power - but it does position us to move when He does.
All that said, we need to be careful not to slip into a false dichotomy: either rely on your skills or rely on God. The reality is that even our preparation can be Spirit-led. Studying, practicing, seeking feedback, or learning from others are not just self-help activities - they’re opportunities for the Spirit to shape us. When we approach these things with prayer, humility, and dependence on God, our preparation becomes an act of cooperation with Him rather than a solo effort.
Doing Our Part, Trusting His Part
It’s a partnership: we do our part - we do all that we can do (with God’s help!) - and then we leave it up to God to do His part - what only He can do. Our part is faithfulness: investing in our growth, developing our character, cultivating our gifts, and refining our skills. God’s part is transformation: opening hearts, drawing people to Himself, and producing lasting fruit.
When we find this kind of balance, it’s liberating. We must prepare diligently, but we don’t carry the crushing burden of results. So yes - develop your gifts, sharpen your skills, grow as a leader, and keep your heart aligned with the Lord. But don’t be deceived into thinking those things alone will bear fruit. At the end of the day, it is the Spirit who brings growth. Our role is to prepare the vessel and then trust the wind to God.