The ground is shaking beneath us. Policies shift overnight. Communities fracture. Neighbors disappear. Congregations scatter. Leaders everywhere feel the pressure to respond: to rally the troops, cast the vision, and charge the next hill.
Yet I’m sensing that many of us don’t know which hill to take anymore. Some of us don’t even have the energy left to climb. The instinct to charge is strong, but the path forward feels uncertain. And maybe, just maybe, this moment doesn’t need another hill taken. Maybe it needs something else.
For much of my life, I’ve watched Christian leaders storm hills. Cast vision. Inspire crowds. Build brands. Launch movements.
That model has mattered. It’s mobilized people, shaped institutions, and sparked transformation. But many of us are staring at the next hill and wondering if we’ve got anything left…or if it’s even the right hill anymore.
I imagine you’ve felt it: political, cultural, racial, and theological divides pulling us apart. The terrain of church, family, friendship, and neighboring feels foreign. The old playbook isn’t working. People are tired. And so are you.
Maybe this isn’t the season for hill-taking leadership. Maybe it’s time for something quieter, harder, and more faithful. Maybe it’s time to lead from within.
It’s an approach that prioritizes:
Presence over momentum. We’ve been trained to keep things moving, but when the ground is shifting, what people need most is presence. To listen, to remain, to resist the urge to fix.
Posture over platform. Leadership isn’t about projecting charisma; it’s about discerning vision together. Slowing down. Praying deeply. Staying tethered to Spirit and reality.
Perseverance over performance. The world doesn’t need you to be a celebrity. It needs shepherds who grieve what’s been lost while rooting themselves in resilient hope.
Remember. Faithful, paced presence is not a lesser calling. It’s the Way of Jesus. He could have taken every hill. Instead, He took on flesh, moved into the neighborhood, and took up a cross.
Maybe your role right now isn’t to take the hill. Maybe it’s to stay with the people. To stay close to Jesus. To lead at the slow pace of relationship.
So take heart, dear friend. Breathe deep. Lean in.
The world doesn’t need more driven leaders. It needs more rooted ones.
If the notion of “Leadership From Within” resonates, Global Immersion’s 2026 Leadership Cohort is for you or, perhaps, for the leaders in your life. It’s a six-month immersive journey of formation for unpretentious, imperfect, and in-process leaders who want to become rooted, resilient, and conflict-competent guides, fueled by our faith, into a fractured world. The application portal is now open and closes on October 31, 2025. Come with us!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Hopeful Alternative, a free Substack by Dr. Jer Swigart, co-founder and executive director of Global Immersion. Featuring “provocations for disarming conflict and remaking our world”, Hopeful Alternative invites readers into the everyday work of peacemaking. (Learn more)
RLC welcomes and encourages individuals who engage in critical thinking at the intersection of faith and justice to contribute to our blog. The views and opinions expressed by our blog authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of RLC, its staff, members, or officers.
