Opportunity cost. It’s as much a Kingdom term as it is a business/economics term. For every “yes” there is a “no”. For each step in one direction, there is a cost associated with choosing not to go the other direction. Choosing to walk the path of Kingdom leadership is no different… it will cost you something.

Jesus spoke of such things when he taught. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:14

The way you decide to move forward as a leader has clear implications. But be encouraged! As a leader actively pursuing the Kingdom, you are saying ‘YES’ to His ways.

Let’s dive into the challenges of being a Kingdom leader, then reverse engineer the fear/cost associated with taking this path.

Kingdom leadership requires a surrendered heart.

Are you afraid that if you let go of your business, God will take it a direction you weren’t planning for it to go? It may cost you your 5-10 year business plan.

Kingdom leadership requires you to give away authority.

Are you afraid to give people true authority for fear they will decide to do something differently than you would do it? Giving away authority may cost you the control you currently enjoy.

Kingdom leadership requires you to truly care for people.

Are you afraid of awkward conversations with your employees about their personal lives? It may cost you being seen as a “businessman or businesswoman” to engage on a relational level with the people who work for you.

Kingdom leadership requires you to be held accountable.

If you asked the people in your business how they experience you on a daily basis, are you afraid of what they might say? It might cost you your faults being exposed to allow yourself to be held accountable.

Kingdom leadership requires you to have hard conversations.

On the other hand, are you afraid of how a team member might respond if you brought clarity to how they negatively effect the people around them? It may cost you some of your employees to bring clarity to their struggles.

Kingdom leadership requires you to operate from a place of rest.

Are you afraid of silence? Can you be still for 10 minutes with no noise? It may cost you not being “on” 100% of the time in order to trust God with your business and find rest for your soul.

Thankfully, the cost is worth counting and the fears are worth facing because this path leads to life. By choosing this path, you are rejecting an easier path of leadership that is wide and easy to travel, but will inevitably leave you lifeless.

In our next post, we will talk about the life and fruit that results in choosing this leadership path. Be sure to subscribe to our blogs, here.

Let’s choose the narrow gate together.