I went on a leadership retreat once where we had to do high ropes courses, ziplining between each section. We ended by ziplining on one of the fastest and longest zip lines in the world. About halfway through our challenge, one of my colleagues and I were nearly in tears because we couldn’t figure out how to physically maneuver from one platform to the other. At one point she finally started to laugh and cry at the same time. When asked what was wrong she said,
“I’m supposed to be a bad ascot. I should be able to do this!!!!”
Only she didn’t say “ascot.”
We still talk about that retreat and how it developed leadership in us. Sometimes we are still unsure, but we have all said that we discovered the importance of doing things that we are afraid of, especially when we have no idea how to do them.
In this sermon series, we’ve had …Three weeks. Three moves. And here we are at the one that sends you out the door.
We started by choosing to Love Boldly — not because we felt it, but because God loved us first. Then we discovered that Serve Joyfully isn’t about grinding through service with a smile. Joy is the fuel, not the reward. And now? We land the plane.
Lead Courageously.
Leadership isn’t a title. It’s not a corner office or a mic in your hand. It’s a choice. The choice to go first. To use what God already put in you. To point people toward something bigger than yourself.
That’s it. That’s the whole thing.
And here’s what Week 3 of Vision of UMC is built around:
Courageous leadership isn’t about being in charge — it’s about going first with what God already
Grace Fills You. Joy Carries You. Courage Sends You Out.
Look at the arc of this series one more time:
- Love Boldly → Grace comes first. You were chosen before you were ready.
- Serve Joyfully → Joy isn’t the reward for showing up. It’s what makes showing up possible.
- Lead Courageously → Now you go. Not because you’re qualified. Because you’re willing.
