This past Sunday I found myself thinking about our pastor in a different way. He is an excellent preacher—gifted communicator, strong Bible teacher, seasoned leader. As I listened to him preach, I had a simple but important thought: How does someone like him continue to grow?
He’s already been a Bible teacher. A teaching pastor. A professional speaker. He’s spent years communicating God’s Word. So where does growth come from at that level? And maybe even more importantly—why should he still want to grow?
No One Has Arrived
The answer is simple and uncomfortable at the same time: No one has arrived.
No matter how gifted, how experienced, or how respected we are, God is not finished with us. We don’t know where He will take us next. We don’t know what influence He may expand. So the only faithful response is to stay committed to becoming our best—for His glory and for the people we serve.
Growth Doesn’t Happen by Accident
But then another realization hit me: his growth won’t happen by accident.
It’s going to require people around him—people like me—who love him enough to challenge him. If no one ever pushes him, encourages him, sharpens him, or stretches him, it becomes very easy to plateau. Comfort is the enemy of growth. And isolation is one of leadership’s greatest dangers.
That thought shifted something in me.
Choosing to Challenge Growth Intentionally
This coming year, I want to work intentionally at helping people grow—not just by encouraging them, but by challenging them to raise their game. I want to be the kind of leader, friend, and teammate who doesn’t leave people the same. Not because I’m harsh. Not because I’m critical. But because I care too much about their calling to let them settle.
Why Healthy Challenge Matters in Youth Ministry
This is especially important in youth ministry.
We work with student leaders who are discovering their gifts for the first time. We serve alongside adult volunteers who often feel unsure, undertrained, and underappreciated. We lead on staff teams that can easily slip into routine, survival mode, and “good enough” ministry. If no one challenges growth, we all slowly drift toward maintenance instead of movement.
Encouragement vs. Challenge
Encouragement tells someone, “You’re doing great.”
Challenge says, “You’re capable of more.”
Both matter—but without challenge, encouragement can quietly become permission to stay the same.
What Healthy Challenge Could Look Like
Imagine how different our ministries would look if we truly challenged one another in healthy, life-giving ways.
What if:
We challenged our student leaders to take real ownership instead of just helping when asked?
We challenged our volunteers to grow spiritually, not just show up faithfully?
We challenged our staff teams to sharpen skills, address blind spots, and refuse to settle for average?
We challenged our pastors and senior leaders not with criticism, but with belief in who they could become?
The Fruit of a Culture That Challenges Growth
What would our churches, schools, and ministries look like if loving challenge was part of our culture?
I believe we’d see:
More humility
More hunger
More innovation
More courage
And ultimately, more transformation
A Personal Commitment to Healthy Challenge
This year, my goal is simple: I want to help people grow by refusing to leave them where they are. I want to ask better questions. I want to speak truth more clearly. I want to call out potential more boldly. And I want to do it with grace, relationship, and trust.
Love Requires Challenge
Because the opposite of love isn’t challenge.
The opposite of love is indifference.
If we truly care about the next generation of leaders, we must be willing to step into their lives—not just with affirmation, but with intentional, faith-building challenge.
Two Questions Every Leader Should Ask
And maybe the question we all need to ask is this:
Who is challenging me to grow?
And just as important—who am I challenging to grow?
