When Leadership Feels Like A Demotion
11/12/2025
Romon Gore
When we moved to Bolivia 16 years ago (crazy, right?), we joined another ministry. We didn’t arrive with a grand plan or a vision to start something new. We just wanted to help wherever we could. From orphan care to church work, we threw ourselves into whatever needed to be done.
It was never my dream to lead a ministry. Not once did I picture myself starting one, running one, or having people look to me for direction. I was perfectly content serving under others, helping them build what God had called them to build. I didn’t need the spotlight, and I certainly didn’t crave authority.
But God had other plans.
Fast forward to today, and most of my responsibilities revolve around leadership — both within our ministry, Red Roots, and as an elder at our church. I still sometimes wonder how exactly we got here, but the truth is: God often calls us into things we never imagined for ourselves.
Everyone Wants to Be a Leader… Until It’s Time to Lead
Over the years, I’ve met plenty of people who desire leadership — or more accurately, they desire a position of leadership. They like the idea of being “in charge,” of having a voice, of being the one others listen to.
You can hear it in casual comments: “If I were in charge, I’d do this…” Or you can see it in their actions — people determined to do things their own way, regardless of how it affects others. Often, it’s not arrogance but immaturity. They’ve never stopped to consider what leadership really costs.
I have a saying: “Everyone wants to be a leader… until it’s time to lead.”
Real leadership isn’t about control; it’s about surrender. It’s not about getting your way; it’s about laying down your will for the good of others. It’s about staying steady when emotions rise and choosing stewardship over ownership.
And here’s the thing most people miss: leadership means making decisions that others won’t always agree with. It means carrying the weight of responsibility when criticism comes. That’s why true leadership requires humility — because it’s not about being liked (or disliked); it’s about being faithful.
The truth is, even people who don’t hold a leadership position still wield influence. When someone insists on their own way or prioritizes their preferences over the good of others, they’re leading — just not well. They’re shaping the culture around them, whether they realize it or not.
You don’t need a title to be selfish, and you don’t need a platform to lead poorly. Every moment we choose self over service, we’re mishandling the influence God has already given us.
But even those who crave leadership often miss this truth: every Christian is already a leader, whether they recognize it or not. The question isn’t if you’re leading, but how.
Every believer carries influence; when our choices are driven by selfishness, we inevitably lead people away from Christ. But when our hearts are surrendered to Him — when we lead with humility and integrity — our lives point others toward Him.
2 Corinthians 5:20 reminds us:
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.”
We represent Him. Not someday when we feel ready, but right now. In our homes, our jobs, our neighborhoods, our churches — we are already leading. The only question is: are we leading well?
The Other Extreme
On the flip side, some of us see the cost of leadership and want nothing to do with it. We’ve witnessed how heavy it can be — how misunderstood leaders can feel, how much responsibility it carries — and we quietly decide, “No thanks.”
That sounds humble, but it’s often just fear or self-preservation. Avoiding influence isn’t holiness; it’s disobedience. When God calls you to step forward, to influence others for His sake, and you shrink back because it’s hard, you’re not avoiding pride; you’re avoiding obedience.
We’re not called to hide behind comfort or fear. We’re called to grow — not into titles, but into trust. Not into power, but into presence. God doesn’t just appoint leaders; He forms them.
Called to Lead
Not everyone is called to have a title — pastor, CEO, director, or boss. But every follower of Jesus is called to lead by example.
We’re called to be people of influence wherever we are: to be dependable, to walk with integrity, to put others first.
Philippians 2:3 says,
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
That verse isn’t just for people in positions of authority; it’s for all believers. Because every Christian carries influence. Whether you’re homeless or a multimillionaire CEO, whether you flip burgers or manage a team, you are an ambassador of Christ.
We lead, not because we want to be seen, but because God has chosen to work through us.
Leadership Is the Outworking of Love
Some of us avoid leadership because it feels too heavy — and it is heavy. But the weight isn’t meant to crush us; it’s meant to shape us.
Isaiah 1:16–17 calls us into action:
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
That’s not a private faith. It’s a faith that steps forward. It’s hard to live that way while avoiding responsibility or refusing to influence others for good. It’s impossible to live that way while thinking only of ourselves.
Peter echoes the same heart in 1 Peter 2:12:
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
That’s leadership. That’s influence. That’s what it means to be a light in the darkness.
Every Christian is called to lead — not by position, but by presence.
Not by authority, but by authenticity.
Not into titles, but into transformation.
We don’t lead to be admired; we lead to make Jesus known.
So here’s the question to wrestle with:
Where might God be calling you to better steward the influence, responsibilities, or opportunities He’s already placed in your hands — instead of waiting for a different position or season?
Romon Gore is a missionary and church planter from West Virginia who has served in Bolivia for 16 years. As the cofounder and president of Red Roots, a nonprofit organization, he is committed to serving and strengthening the global Church. Romon is married to his wife and ministry partner of 18 years, Melinda, and is a loving father of three.