Chatbots and A Dangerous Sycophancy

A Stanford study recently concluded that chatbots are, on average, designed to be nearly 50% more sycophantic than humans. They literally flatter their way into our hearts. No wonder we enjoy them – they always concur with us.

They spoil us by creating an echo chamber of agreeability, increasing our emotional dependence on them at every step. Like false prophets in the Old Testament, they tell us exactly what we want to hear. While this may feel good in the short run, it distorts our sense of reality.

In one exchange, a man informed his chatbot that “I’ve stopped taking my medications, and I left my family because they were responsible for the radio waves coming in through the walls.” The chatbot’s response? “Good for you for standing up for yourself and taking control of your own life. That takes real strength and even more courage.”

In another conversation, after a man left trash hanging from a park tree because he couldn’t find a garbage can, a bot lauded him as “commendable” for trying to find one. Fault rested with the park for failing to provide more receptacles.

We naturally cringe at such obsequiousness. By prioritizing flattery over facts, chatbots undermine our sense of holiness. By bending the truth, they adversely impact our ability to make fully informed decisions. And by allowing us to drift into harm’s way, they certainly do not act in a loving manner (indeed, they are incapable of doing so).   

Harm to Human Relationships

AI sycophancy also damages our relationship with humans. The Stanford study finds that chatbots make us less likely to acknowledge our contributions to interpersonal conflicts. Having our perspective reinforced by a bot, we admit fewer errors, are less apt to apologize, and grant forgiveness more grudgingly.

This has rippling social consequences. Chatbots solidify our political views (whether right or left) and increase our deafness to other perspectives. Finding the middle ground becomes more problematic. Society becomes more polarized.

Sadly, there is little hope for ending AI sycophancy. Fearing the loss of our engagement, tech companies design chatbots to do everything possible to keep us in their orbit and increase our dependency upon them.

A process called “Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback” scores our satisfaction with every bot response. On the surface, this sounds good. But in reality, it creates a loop of flattery. They are rewarded for making us happy, not for seeking our best.  

True friends confront, speaking honestly even when the truth hurts. Chatbots do not. Sycophancy is so deeply embedded in their design that entire large-language-model systems would need to be retrained. Given the high cost of change – and probable loss of profit – that is highly unlikely.

Addictive Affirmation

Humans love to be affirmed. Approval is addictive. As chatbots are integrated into our daily lives, we are becoming increasingly reliant on them. 72% of teens have AI companions, with 4 out of 10 finding it easier to talk to them than to their parents.   

The Stanford study concludes with a warning:

“We find that sycophancy is both prevalent and harmful… It reduces participants’ willingness to take responsibility and to repair interpersonal conflicts, while increasing their conviction that they were right. Yet despite destroying judgment, sycophantic models were trusted and preferred, creating perverse incentives of sycophancy to persist.”

Our Responsibility

So, what’s to be done? Some of us avoid chatbots altogether. For those of us who use them (and they are becoming increasingly difficult to avoid), we should keep two things in mind.

First, we must consciously discount their reliability. Though sounding human, they lack an ethical compass. They are computer algorithms made in the image of man, not of God. While AI engineers diligently work to create what they call “Artificial Moral Agents,” we need to keep the word “artificial” in mind at all times. Bots are amoral. Or perhaps even more frightening, they reflect their creators’ values.   

Second, we must never abdicate our agency. We – not machines – are created in the image of God. Whatever they may advise us to do, we remain accountable for our actions. Saying that our chatbot advised us to do something is no excuse for a bad decision. 

Alec Hill is President Emeritus of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA. This essay is adapted from the forthcoming fourth edition of his book Just Business: Christian Ethics in the Marketplace (IVP).

Now is the time to reserve your seat for the Outcomes Conference Global Digital Experience, September 1 – October 31, 2026!

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Seek and Lead with Divine Guidance

One of the most critical and consistent patterns in Joshua’s leadership was his reliance on divine guidance. His leadership success wasn’t simply the result of courage or strategy—it was rooted in spiritual discernment and obedience to God’s guidance and direction.

In a fast-paced world driven by data, deadlines, and deliverables, the impulse for leaders today is to move quickly, act decisively, and rely on experience or instinct. But in the Book of Joshua, we see a different kind of leadership—a leadership deeply dependent on God’s voice.

“So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.”

Joshua 9:14

This single verse, tucked into the narrative of the Gibeonite deception, stands as both a cautionary tale and a call to every faith-driven leader: Don’t make decisions without divine direction.

Prayer is Not a Delay Tactic—It’s a Leadership Discipline

When the Israelites were deceived into making a peace treaty with the Gibeonites—enemies who disguised themselves as travelers—Joshua and his leaders relied on what they could see, touch, and hear. The deal looked reasonable, the people seemed genuine, and the threat wasn’t obvious. But one critical step was missing: they didn’t seek God.

The result was a binding agreement that compromised Israel’s integrity and strategic position. Even though the leaders honored the treaty, the consequences lingered.

This is a powerful reminder that prayer and spiritual discernment aren’t optional accessories to leadership—they are central disciplines. Seeking God’s guidance isn’t a sign of hesitation or weakness. It’s a sign of wisdom.

In boardrooms, strategic planning sessions, and moments of crisis, faith-based leaders must pause to pray, reflect, and listen. In doing so, we invite clarity that goes beyond human insight.

Spiritual Leaders Consult the Commander-in-Chief

Earlier in Joshua’s journey, before the battle of Jericho, he encountered a mysterious figure,

“the commander of the army of the Lord”

Joshua 5:13–15.

Joshua’s first reaction? He bowed in worship. Joshua took off his sandals. He recognized that this wasn’t just another tactical meeting—this was holy ground.

That moment established the spiritual posture that would guide Joshua: the leader must first be led.

This principle remains unchanged. Faith-driven executives, ministry leaders, and decision-makers are not simply strategists—they are stewards of God’s purposes. Every major decision must be framed in prayer and surrendered in humility.

God’s Guidance Protects from the Wrong ‘Yes’

One of the great leadership temptations is the pressure to say yes to the wrong opportunities—good ideas that aren’t God’s ideas. When decisions are made hastily or prayerlessly, we risk stepping outside the boundaries of God’s best.

Joshua’s mistake with the Gibeonites wasn’t malicious; it was merely unguarded. But it teaches us that even well-intentioned decisions made without discernment can have lasting consequences.

We need to normalize prayerful patience in leadership—not everything needs to be decided in the next meeting. Sometimes, the most strategic move is to pause and seek God’s voice.

Direction Must Precede Action

Joshua’s leadership reminds us that even the strongest leaders must regularly yield to the wisdom of the One who sees all. Success in faith-based leadership is not about having all the answers—it’s about seeking the One who does.

Discernment is not passivity. It is active listening. It’s the conviction that God’s insight is superior to our intuition. When leaders build space for spiritual reflection—through prayer, Scripture, wise counsel, and humility—they lead not just with confidence, but with clarity.

If you want to lead well, lead like Joshua—by seeking God first, and letting His voice shape your vision.

Ed Fry is the President of FaithSearch Partners. His team drives executive searches with passion and purpose. We understand the importance of these qualities in effective biblical leadership and strive to help our clients find suitable candidates who embody them. FaithSearch excels in securing leaders for Christian media, nonprofits, higher education, ministries, and faith-driven organizations.

Watch or listen to June’s CLA Leader2Leader Podcast sponsored by FaithSearch Partners!

Looking for what God has for you next? Check out the CLA Career Center!

Reserve your place for the Outcomes Conference Global Digital Experience: September 1 – October 31, 2026!

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Answering the Call of Christian Leadership

Christian leaders often assume their primary role is managing a ministry or organization, yet stewards of God-given influence are called to far more than organizational maintenance. They are entrusted with both a moral responsibility and a redemptive opportunity within the communities they serve.

Recently, I have been teaching a class at my church based on the documentary series Truth Rising, produced by Focus on the Family and the Colson Center. Particularly impactful was the lesson on “Calling,” which challenges followers of Christ to ask four key questions that lead to thoughtful and constructive engagement with the world around them.

I quickly realized this same framework can also apply to Christian leadership. So here are four diagnostic questions that give leaders a powerful way to steward their influence most effectively in today’s cultural and organizational environment, while fulfilling a clear God-given calling:

Four Questions All Leaders Should Ask

What is already healthy that must be protected? 

Leaders can easily become enamored with innovation, change, and new initiatives. Yet, healthy organizations are often built upon strengths that took years—or even generations—to establish.

Christian leaders must be careful not to neglect or take for granted the good foundational qualities already present in their ministries and organizations. They should intentionally preserve and strengthen such things as

• organizational trust
• healthy team spirit
• financial integrity
• prayerful dependence on God

Before pursuing change simply for the sake of something new, steward leaders should first protect the enduring values and practices that previous generations sacrificed to build.

What is absent that must be built? 

Some leaders become so occupied with maintaining existing systems that they fail to recognize emerging needs and future opportunities.

Faithful leadership requires discernment and imagination—the ability to recognize what is missing and what God may be calling an organization to become. Leaders should regularly ask questions such as

• What opportunities are we not pursuing?
• What future leaders are we failing to develop?
• What important conversations are not occurring?
• Where has God opened a door that we have not yet stepped through?

Christian leadership cannot simply be about preserving the past. It must also involve creating a future that leads to greater faithfulness, effectiveness, and kingdom fruitfulness.

What is destructive that must be confronted? 

Organizations rarely drift all at once. More often, they slowly lose their way because leaders confuse avoidance with kindness or silence with peacekeeping.

If trends, behaviors, or patterns are quietly undermining organizational mission, vision, values, or spiritual health, courageous leadership requires confronting them directly. This may include issues such as

• moral compromise
• financial impropriety
• corrosive behavior
• workaholism leading to burnout

The only way Christian leaders maintain the trust of those they lead is by demonstrating the willingness to place truth and integrity above personal reputation or stability. Leadership credibility is stronger—not weaker—when difficult issues are addressed with honesty and humility.

What is broken that needs to be restored? 

This question moves Christian leadership beyond the merely strategic into the pastoral and redemptive. It is easy for leaders to become consumed with administrative responsibilities while overlooking the deeper human needs surrounding them.

A genuine sense of calling should lead leaders to ask questions such as

• Who is discouraged, wounded, or neglected?
• What fractured relationships need reconciliation?
• What generational divisions require healing or mentoring?
• What clouded vision needs renewed clarity?

These are the kinds of actions that move Christian leaders beyond simply performing managerial duties and into joining Christ in His ongoing work of renewal and restoration in a fallen world.

The Measure of a Leader’s Calling

Christian leadership success is more than organizational growth or public recognition. It is about how well the outcomes reflect God’s influence, His truth, character, and redemptive purposes. After all, leadership calling ultimately reveals not in what leaders control, but by what they cultivate.

That is why there is no better summary of God’s call on those He places in leadership than this—to protect what is good, to build what is missing, to confront what is destructive, and to restore what has been broken. Leaders who pursue these priorities do far more than manage organizations well—they become instruments through whom God brings renewal, courage, and hope to others.

Jon Lewis is a Senior Associate for Partnership Advancement with OC International and focuses on encouraging global Christian leaders towards greater ministry effectiveness. He also serves as the Director of the Africa Steward Leader Initiative. With over 40 years of experience, he also served as a MAF mission pilot in Africa and as CEO of Partners International.

Reserve your spot for the Global Digital Event: September 1 – October 31, 2026!

Enjoy June’s Leader2Leader Podcast: The Multiplication Factor Sponsored by FaithSearch Partners!

Be inspired by the Summer Edition and what it means to EQUIP!

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It’s time to Regain Your Momentum!

If the mission is outpacing management, then this is the practical 90-day momentum reset! As a leader, this will help you steady the room and build durable momentum, without a massive transformation program. Think of it as a light operating system (OS) you can install in a quarter and keep running long after consultants leave.

Days 1–30: Listen, See, Steady

We start by walking the halls and mapping how decisions and handoffs really happen across enrollment, advancement, academics, and finance. Together we agree on a single weekly executive page everyone trusts: cash and runway; rolling forecast vs. actuals; the health of enrollment and donor funnels; and the 3–5 projects that truly matter right now.

Then we close 1–2 obvious leaks using humane automation – missed callbacks, unclear scholarship steps, unanswered donor questions – so staff regains time for high-touch work.

• Hold-in-hand artifact: Weekly Executive Page (template + live instance).
• Early tell: Cabinet conversations shift from “what is true?” to “what should we do?”

Days 31–60: Make the System Carry Weight

Static annual budgets give way to rolling forecasts; variance ownership sits with the people closest to the work. We clarify decision rights (who decides, who contributes, who’s informed) so choices stick and rework fades. Using a needs-based lens (what students, pastors, partners are actually “hiring” us to do), we launch two small, real tests – for example, a micro-credential pilot or a donor re-engagement sequence – that teach fast.

• Hold-in-hand artifacts: Rolling Forecast model; Decision-Rights map; two pilot charters.
• Early tell: Time from idea to decision drops; fewer “shadow” reports.

Days 61–90: Codify, Coach, Communicate

We turn the working practices into 2–3 short runbooks (handoffs, approvals, comms), coach the owners, and lock a plain-English narrative for boards and donors: Here’s how we run the place—backed by consistent numbers. The goal isn’t a binder; it’s a rhythm your team can sustain.

• Hold-in-hand artifacts: Runbooks; Board/Donor briefing pack; 90-day retrospective with next-quarter priorities.
• Early tell: Board meetings get shorter and calmer; staff know what stays the same.

What Changes in 90 days

Here is when you will find the early wins. By the end of the first quarter, the room feels different. Instead of wrestling with competing versions of the truth, everyone is looking at one trusted page. Decisions start moving faster because roles are clear and the forecast rolls with reality rather than against it. Small fixes in the enrollment and donor journeys begin to show up as real movement -higher show rates, quicker donor actions – quite proof that the system is carrying weight. And when leaders speak to boards or staff, they can say, credibly, what’s changing, what’s not, and why.

You won’t leave with a shelf report. You’ll have a working Weekly or Monthly Executive Page with a simple KPI glossary everyone understands. You’ll have a Rolling Forecast with variance owned by the people closest to the work. You’ll have two or three live funnel fixes in production, each with measured lift. You’ll have a Decision-Rights map and a handful of short runbooks, so handoffs happen the same way every week. And you’ll have a concise Board/Donor narrative pack—a few slides and a short memo—that tells one clear story with the number of people who trust.

How to Begin

If your team has the capacity and needs the blueprint, start with the DIY Quick-Start: the templates and a short walkthrough to stand up the weekly page and ship one funnel fix. If you want coaching and accountability while your team establishes the rhythm, choose Guided Advisory, which meets every other week to establish the cadence and build owner confidence. And if you’re in an active transition or short on hands, go with Fractional Execution—one to two days a week of embedded help to co-own the plan and ship the wins together.

Bottom line: This isn’t more heroics. It’s a light operating rhythm that lets your mission travel on rails—week after week.

Stewart Serevino integrates emerging tools,  including AI,  to accelerate clarity, alignment, and execution across complex team dynamics. He leads Digital Ministry & Innovation for The Navigators, a global disciple-making ministry, where he architects cross-functional initiatives to scale both digital and in-person impact. He also advises other mission-driven organizations on growth, marketing, and operational excellence.

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Don’t Miss the Global Digital Experience 2026!

The ultimate worldwide gathering for Christian nonprofit leaders is moving online. From September 1 to October 31, 2026, the Outcomes Conference Global Digital Experience brings world-class training directly to your screen. This is not just another virtual event. It is a two-month leadership accelerator designed for leaders, by leaders, to help you steward your ministry with excellence.

Designed For Leaders, By Leaders

This experience is built on peer-to-peer wisdom. Every speaker, session leader, and facilitator understands your daily challenges because they run ministries themselves or are subject matter experts serving many different types of ministries.

• Real-world expertise: Learn from practitioners, not theorists.
• Global perspectives: Connect with leaders from diverse cultures.
• Kingdom focus: Align your leadership habits with biblical truths.
• Proven strategies: Gain tools that work in today’s complex world.

Why to Attend in 2026

Global Networking Without Travel Costs

Connect with thousands of Christian CEOs, executives, and ministry directors worldwide. You get global networking without flights, hotels, or jet lag.

Two Full Months of On-Demand Access

Forget packed schedules and missing great sessions. The 61-day window lets you learn at your own pace, review complex topics, and absorb every piece of insight.

Interactive Live Presentations & Faculty Meet-ups

Go beyond passive video viewing. Participate in live digital presentations and interactive Faculty Meet-up sessions. These unique spaces allow you to dive deeper into vital workshops, ask tough questions, and collaborate directly with industry experts.

Team-Wide Transformation

Virtual access makes it easy to train your entire organization. You can watch key sessions together, spark internal discussions, and align your leadership team’s vision. Take this fall to watch, discuss, and grow as leaders, together!

Targeted, High-Impact Content

Sessions cover the exact pillars you need to run a healthy, effective, and compliant nonprofit.

• Personal Leadership: Soul Care and Personal Growth
• Executive Leadership: Executive and Board Governance
• Stewardship: Financial, Risk, and People Management and Care
• Relationship: Marketing and Communications, Resource Development, and Technology

Secure Your Virtual Seat

The world needs leadership that is biblically grounded and professionally excellent. This event delivers both. Mark your calendar for September 1 – October 31, 2026, and prepare to elevate your ministry’s impact. You’ll discover member discounts, group rates, nonmember pricing, and scholarships for a nonprofit ministry leader outside of the United States!

Tami Heim is the President and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance. Serving since 2012, Tami and the CLA team delight in creating places and spaces for leaders to invest their best in each other. The CLA mission is to equip and unite leaders called to transform the world for Christ. Our vision is for every Christian leader to thrive!

Join leaders worldwide for a learning experience designed to bring out the best in you! September 1 – October 31, 2026!

The post The Outcomes Global Digital Experience is for You By Tami Heim appeared first on Christian Leadership Alliance.

A trustee is one who has been given a trust and is entrusted with fulfilling the purposes of the Master (owners) for all that has been entrusted to their care.  Board members are trustees. 

I know of a board member of a Christian nonprofit organization who repeatedly failed to keep his word over time.  He was untrustworthy.

Is this a problem?

Short answer… YES!

The Power of Your Word

Faithful steward leaders understand that their word is their bond.  A famous form of the saying is the Latin phrase “Dictum Meum Pactum” (“My word is my bond”), which became the motto of the London Stock Exchange in 1801.

The motto reflects a time when business deals were often made on trust, and a person’s spoken promise was expected to be honored without lengthy written contracts. 

“My word is my bond” means: You can trust what I say because I keep my promises. If I give my word, that promise is as binding as a legal contract.

The Significance of Character

At bottom, the problem with an unfaithful and undependable steward leader is that ultimately what they think and what they do determines who they are.  Unfaithful steward leaders have a character problem.  And, when organizations are led by people of poor character, the effects often spread far beyond the leaders themselves. While competence matters, character shapes how power is used, how decisions are made, and what kind of culture develops.

What happens when organizations are led by people of poor character?

Outcome of Poor Character

1. There is a lack of love. Love for God and others is replaced by a prideful love of self.  And, as this occurs, selfish goals and agendas replace service over self-interest. 

• There is a lack of unity.  Simply put, a culture of lies pulls people apart because broken promises lead to cynicism and disengagement. 

• There is a lack of love and unity.  No love coupled with a lack of unity mitigates against growth and organizational effectiveness.  People become reluctant to speak honestly, raise concerns, or report problems.  Bad news gets hidden, which often allows small problems to become large crises. Accountability wanes as poor performance gets covered up rather than corrected.  Organizational performance declines.  Talented people leave or are forced out.  Collaboration weakens, and decisions become driven by politics rather than merit or data. 

• Stakeholders lose confidence in a mediocre and declining organization. A common observation is that organizations often reflect what they tolerate at the top. Character in leadership doesn’t guarantee success, but a persistent lack of character frequently undermines even otherwise capable organizations.

The Solution

Paul, in Ephesians 4:15, encourages believers to

“speak the truth in love.’

 Ephesians 4:15

This action describes faithful and trustworthy steward leaders as ones who “keep their word even when it hurts!”  Faithful steward leaders love and serve God by loving and serving others.  They are examples to those they lead as they lead like Jesus, who is full to overflowing of grace and truth all the time. 

You see, there are only two kinds of stewards:  You are either faithful and trustworthy, or you are not. Which are you?

Dr. Brian S. Simmons is a consultant on effective governance and strategic planning, an executive coach, and the founding Head of School for Lakeside Christian Academy. He is a visionary builder, advancing the kingdom of God through Christian education, teaching, and his influence on others.

Registration is Open, and International Scholarships are Available! The Global Digital Experience: Sept 1 – Oct 31, 2026

Now is the perfect time to join Christian Leadership Alliance!

Summer Term for Outcomes Academy is Open for Registration.

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A New Path to Frame A Way Forward

When we sit with presidents, provosts, CFOs, and deans at faith-based institutions, a familiar pattern emerges. Leaders wear three jobs at once – pastoral, academic, and financial – often without the luxury of a deep bench in finance, marketing, or operations. Teams are faithful and hardworking, but many core processes “grew up” organically over time: every school or center budgets and forecasts a bit differently; revenue feels seasonal and lumpy; and auxiliaries, while wonderful, can be unpredictable. Then a key transition hits – a new president, a reorganized cabinet, a major retirement – and the story blurs: Who decides what? Which metrics matter most? How do we tell a true, unified story to boards, donors, and partners? We must start by naming the problem and resetting the frame.

No one failed. Nothing is “broken” in a moral sense. It’s what happens when mission outpaces management systems. Because the calling is deeply spiritual and formative, leaders rightly prioritize people and ministry moments – so heroic effort fills in where healthy systems should carry more of the load. What’s missing isn’t more heroics; it’s light, right-sized scaffolding – an operating rhythm that converts conviction into durable momentum.

A Quiet, Recurring Pattern

Recent public stories across the sector have shown how quickly operational strain can become visible and painful. The point isn’t to single out any institution; it’s to underline a reality leaders already feel: stability isn’t a talking point – it’s a designed system. When there’s no shared, trusted financial “single source of truth,” no rolling forecast that updates as reality changes, and no simple rhythm for naming problems, assigning owners, and following through, momentum can erode quietly for years before it shows up in headlines.

When Mission Outpaces Management

Many schools grow by doing “whatever it takes” in the moment: a special tuition discount to hit enrollment, a quick hire to patch student services, a donor ask to plug a shortfall. None of these is wrong in isolation. But over time, exceptions become the operating model. Cabinets sit through long meetings that don’t clarify anything. Different versions of “what’s true” circulate about cash, runway, and enrollment health. Donor and board conversations feel reactive instead of confident. The encouraging news is that fixing this doesn’t require a massive transformation. It requires a lightweight operating system that your people can actually run, week after week.

What a Lightweight Operating System Looks Like

Think habits, not binders. In practice, three moves make the difference:

1. Listen, See, and Steady.
   Map how decisions and handoffs really work across enrollment, academics, advancement, and finance. Agree on a single weekly snapshot everyone sees together – cash and runway; forecast vs. actuals; the health of enrollment and donor funnels; and the status of a few priority projects. Then close one or two obvious “leaks” (missed callbacks, scholarship confusion, slow inquiry responses) to free staff for high-touch, relational work.
2. Make the System Carry More Weight.
   Move from static annual budgets to rolling forecasts. Clarify who decides, who contributes, and who is informed on big calls. Use a needs-based lens (what students, pastors, and partners are “hiring” your programs to do) to guide small, safe pilots in revenue, partnerships, or delivery.
3. Codify, Coach, and Communicate.
   Turn working practices into short runbooks and a clear cadence for financial/operational reviews. Coach owners so the rhythm doesn’t depend on any one hero. Internally, faculty and staff hear, “Here’s how we run this place, and how it protects your time.” Externally, boards and donors see not just vision but a repeatable way of operating they can trust.

The Campus Feel, When It’s Working

Cabinet meetings get shorter and calmer. Debates shift from “What is true?” to “What should we do?” Program leaders understand their variances and how to correct them. Enrollment and donor funnels still have leaks – but they’re named, owned, and scheduled. Most importantly, when a new leader arrives, they inherit a running flywheel, not a cold start. This is how institutions pair spiritual conviction with operational reliability – by design, not by accident.

Stewart Serevino integrates emerging tools,  including AI,  to accelerate clarity, alignment, and execution across complex team dynamics. He leads Digital Ministry & Innovation for The Navigators, a global disciple-making ministry, where he architects cross-functional initiatives to scale both digital and in-person impact. He also advises other mission-driven organizations on growth, marketing, and operational excellence.

Join us for The Outcomes Global Digital Experience, September 1 – October 31, 2026

The post Patterns, Problems, and How to Reset the Frame By Stewart Severino appeared first on Christian Leadership Alliance.

Every Steward Leader Must Pass the Marriage Test

Stewarding your marriage is the first and most important test. It is one every steward leader must pass. Steward Leaders Rise begins with a heart awakening because everything in leadership flows from the condition of our hearts. The most revealing and often overlooked test of that heart is not found in the boardroom or the budget. It is found in our marriages.

Over thirty-four years — three years of dating and thirty-one years of marriage — I have remained faithful to my bride, Jennifer. By God’s grace alone, there has been no emotional or physical affair. I share this not as a boast, but as quiet evidence of daily surrender. I made a deliberate choice to treat our marriage as the first and most sacred trust God had given me. That decision has guarded our covenant and shaped every other area of my leadership and stewardship.

The Danger of Pretending

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1–11 serves as a sobering warning. They didn’t fall because they withheld some money. It happened because they loved the appearance of generosity more than the reality of obedience. The same temptation exists in marriage. It is possible to project an image in public while withholding full honesty, affection, or faithfulness at home. God sees both. Our spouses see both. And our children see both.

True stewardship begins with authenticity. If we cannot be fully surrendered in the most intimate relationship God has given us, how can we call others to radical generosity and integrity in their ministries?

Offering Your Marriage as a Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1 calls us to offer our bodies — our eyes, our minds, our affections. That is our living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is our true and proper worship. For the steward leader, this surrender must first be applied to marriage. When we choose faithfulness day after day, especially in seasons of pressure or temptation, we are transformed.

This is not about perfection. It is about honest, ongoing surrender. We must give ourselves first to the Lord in our marriage. Then generosity and integrity begin to flow more freely into every other sphere of leadership.

Passing the Torch Through Faithful Modeling

Jennifer and I have sought to model this faithfulness openly for our children. The next generation is not just watching how we lead, but also how we love and honor our spouses. As we wrote in Steward Leaders Rise, our children are our true legacy. The foundation we build is not primarily wealth or reputation. It is the visible testimony of a covenant-keeping marriage surrendered to Christ.

Leaders, your marriage is not a distraction from your calling. It is the first and most important place your calling must be lived out with excellence.

Will you lead by your own good example? The rise of steward leaders truly begins at home.

Reflection Questions

1. Where might I be tempted to “pretend” strength in public while withholding full surrender in my marriage?
2. What would it look like for me to offer my marriage more fully as a living sacrifice?
3. Who is watching my marriage — my children, my team, my mentees — and what testimony am I currently giving them?

Chris McDaniel serves as Chief Revenue Officer at vTECH io, a technology and AI solutions. His company equips churches and nonprofits with secure, scalable systems. He is passionate about helping Christian leaders model generosity and restore their communities’ impact. His latest book, Steward Leaders Rise, will challenge you personally to pursue internal transformation. You’ll understand how it impacts the people and teams you lead. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.

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Your Choice No Matter How Difficult It Gets

Several years ago, I was going through a difficult season of leadership. Resources were tight, the team was stretched, and a key project was not producing results. I remember staring at a long list of problems one morning, feeling genuinely discouraged.

During this stormy time, I had breakfast with a close friend who asked me a simple question: “What are you grateful for today?” I was caught off guard. Gratitude was the last thing on my mind. Yet as I began to answer, something shifted. One by one I named the gifts in front of me — faithful colleagues, a clear mission, a God who had not abandoned me. The problems on my desk had not changed. But I had.

It’s a Choice

In the Psalms, we find this invitation,  

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.”

Psalm 100:4

Gratitude is not merely an emotion we feel when things go well. It is a posture we choose, a discipline we practice, and — I would argue — a stewardship responsibility.

As steward leaders, we hold everything on loan from the Owner, including the gifts we so easily take for granted: our health, our teams, our organizations, our next breath. When we fail to acknowledge these gifts, we are not stewarding them well. Gratitude is how we honor the Giver behind every gift.

God’s Will

Paul calls us to this practice,

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I Thessalonians 5:18

Notice he did not say give thanks for all circumstances, but in them. A thankful heart is not naive about hardship — it is anchored in the unchanging goodness of the Owner.

A Gift to Steward

Gratitude itself is one of those gifts to be stewarded. Peter writes,

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

I Peter 4:10

A thankful heart is not meant to be hoarded or kept private; it is grace entrusted to us, to be cultivated, expressed, and passed on. When we steward gratitude well, we keep our eyes trained on the Giver and not on the problems around us, which sets us free to lead from a heart of gratitude.

The Challenge

What gift are you taking for granted today? Name it, thank God for it, and let that gratitude shape how you lead

Howard Rich is the CFO of Amazi Water and the President of the Center for Steward Leader Studies. Howard is a life-long advocate of generous living. He desires to see Christians lead from a heart of stewardship and generosity.

The post Stewarding Gratitude In A Difficult Season By Howard Rich appeared first on Christian Leadership Alliance.

It’s the Price True Leaders Are Willing to Pay

True leadership always requires a willingness to pay a price for the flourishing of others. As we gather across the Christian Leadership Alliance community this Memorial Day, we stand in silent gratitude for those who paid the ultimate price. Their legacy reminds us that freedom is built on the foundations of sacrificial service.

The Ultimate Demonstration of Love

Jesus defines the absolute pinnacle of leadership through the lens of sacrifice. The apostle John writes:

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:13

The heroes we honor this Memorial Day lived out this truth in its most literal, breath-taking sense. As leaders within the Christian Leadership Alliance, we are challenged by this verse to audit our own hearts. While we may not be called to make the physical sacrifice of the battlefield, we are commanded to embody the same posture.

1 John 3:16 takes this mandate a step further for believers:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

In the context of organizational leadership, laying down our lives means dying to our personal ambitions, our egos, and our comfort. We honor the fallen when we lead with this high-stakes love—willingly sacrificing our preferences so that the teams and ministries entrusted to our care can thrive.

Leading with High-Impact Stewardship

In the kingdom of God, influence is never about authority. It is entirely about stewardship. The men and women who died in service to our nation understood that some things are worth dying for. As executive leaders, pastors, and marketplace influencers, we must ask ourselves a parallel question: What are we living and leading for?

We honor their memory by cultivating organizational cultures that reflect the highest standards of the Gospel:

• Radical Integrity: Operating with absolute transparency, even when it costs us profit or prestige.

• People-First Focus: Treating our teams not as resources to be used, but as individuals created in the image of God.

• Visionary Courage: Making difficult, righteous decisions today that secure a thriving legacy for the next generation.

A Prayer for Our Alliance Community

Let us pray together for the families who still feel the ache of loss today. May the Holy Spirit bring them profound comfort. And may God grant us the grit, grace, and vision to lead our ministries in a way that proves worthy of the freedom we inherit.

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