“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Psalm 78:72

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

The development of Christlike leaders is one of our priorities at Step Forward. The process involves spiritual, skill, and strategic formation. We believe the following characteristics mark the life of a genuine servant-leader. Spirit-guided leaders…

• Guard their hearts. They fully surrender to Christ and maintain a close relationship with Him. They saturate their minds with the Word of God and walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
• Possess a courage to stand strong regardless of personal cost, a conviction that ignites a passion to overcome adversity, and a connection to the divine Helper Who inspires confidence that all things are possible.
• Care deeply about their people. They are others-focused. They serve their people with a Christlike spirit of humility, servanthood, and generosity.
• Earn the respect of their people because of their character and competence. Character + competence equals trust.
• Commit themselves to personal growth. They are always learning.
• Make the tough decisions. They are confident, but they don’t pretend to know everything. They invite input from their team and accept responsibility for bad decisions.
• Prioritize the development of leaders around them. They multiply their influence by training and empowering other leaders. They are secure enough to help others reach their maximum potential. They embrace the power of partnership.
• Keep their team focused on obedience to our Lord’s Great Commission mandate. They are aware of the danger of “vision leak” and “mission drift”.
• Lead by example. They model what they teach.
• Finish well. Their bodies may become weak and their eyes grow dim, but the joy of knowing Christ shines brightly through their lives.
• Leave a legacy of multiplied impact through the lives of those in whom they have invested.

Dr. Doug Carter 

Step Forward, Chairman