Frameworks for Leadership
I just wrapped up one of the most significant teaching series I’ve ever done: Holy Rebels. In this series, I tackled some of the most sensitive topics of our day—gender, sexuality, and politics. Believe it or not, I didn’t receive a single email saying, “I’m leaving the church” or “How dare you!”
It wasn’t because I’m a great communicator or a beloved leader, nor was it because everyone fully agreed with me. My conviction is that it went well because the Holy Spirit provided a framework for addressing these topics.
For the past few years, I knew I needed to address these issues, but I lacked the internal peace or permission from God to do so—until I had the right framework. That framework came from two key questions:
1. Who are we called to be in the midst of a culture in chaos?
2. How do I help our people adopt a kingdom paradigm that allows them to engage with clarity and confidence?
The issue wasn’t simply what the truth was on these topics, but how to present the truth in a way that equips people to engage with difficult issues from a kingdom perspective. Once I had the right framework, plugging in the topics and answering the “what” questions became much easier.
Why Frameworks Matter
I’m convinced that one of the most vital things leaders need isn’t more information or better people. Instead, we need the right frameworks to process information and equip the people we already have. With the right frameworks, everything else falls into place.
I want to share three frameworks that have shaped the way I do ministry. I’m not claiming expertise in these areas, nor am I saying my frameworks are superior to others. My point is that having the right frameworks for filtering challenges and making decisions can simplify everything you do.
A Real-World Example
As a church, we know we need a new meeting space and a place to call our own. At the same time, we are called to plant churches. These two goals aren’t mutually exclusive, but if we cast two different visions, they can become too big to tackle simultaneously.
Our primary calling as a church isn’t about building buildings—it’s about transforming culture by planting and resourcing churches. However, we also recognize that for the next season, we need a dedicated space to gather, equip, and send people out. As our elders wrestled with this tension, we realized we needed a framework big enough to hold both priorities.
Here’s a key principle about frameworks: If it seems like you can’t do both, you might need a bigger framework.
So instead of raising money for either a new building or church planting, we’re casting vision for who we are called to be. A new building and church planting both fit within that clarified vision. We know we’re called to be an apostolic hub, a lighthouse, salt and light, and a family on mission. That’s the real vision. So rather than focusing solely on funding a building or church plants, we’re inviting our people to sow into that larger vision.
Yes, there’s still an enormous challenge ahead, but having the right framework makes it more approachable.
Three Frameworks That Changed the Way I Lead
1. Kingdom Calling & Fivefold Ministry
One of the greatest questions a leader can ask is: What is the end result of people being with us and being shaped by who we are?
The church isn’t just a place to go—it’s a people who are sent. It’s both a family and an equipping center. That means our vision is inextricably linked to people discovering and walking in God’s call on their lives. We call this Kingdom Calling.
People aren’t robots in a drone army, nor are they just cogs in a machine. They are individuals God has entrusted to our leadership so they can step into their calling while also contributing to our collective calling as a church.
In Ephesians 4, Paul discusses our calling and the Fivefold Ministry. Many interpret this passage as a hierarchical structure of church leadership. But when I started reading Alan Hirsch and Mike Breen, I gained a fresh perspective.
Hirsch and Breen present the fivefold not as offices or titles, but as a lens for understanding the church’s mission. Breen describes the fivefold as the core calling of the church, with everyone being hardwired for a particular gifting. He distinguishes between:
• Base gifting – What we are naturally wired for.
• Phase gifting – A ministry grace we experience in different seasons as we grow to be more like Jesus.
Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 4:7 that these gifts aren’t limited to a select few. The Greek word hekasto means “to each and everyone.” As John Wimber put it: “Everyone gets to play!”
This framework has shaped my leadership in two key ways:
1. Everyone is called – My role as a leader is to help people discover their calling, activate their gifts, and grow in all five areas to become more like Jesus. The issue usually isn’t a lack of resources, but a failure to see and develop the people we already have.
2. A healthy church expresses the fivefold – When evaluating our church, I ask:
• Are we caring for people and helping them grow? (Pastor)
• Are we training people to understand and apply Scripture? (Teacher)
• Are people being saved and are we sharing the Gospel effectively? (Evangelist)
• Are people learning to hear God’s voice for themselves and others? (Prophet)
• Are we raising up leaders and advancing the kingdom? (Apostle)
Right now, I see evangelism as our greatest area for growth, and I’m working on refining strategies to strengthen that aspect of our ministry.
2. Better Covenant Theology
When we started Sozo, I wanted to build a supernatural culture, but my theological frameworks felt like a patchwork. I struggled to reconcile the God of the Old Testament, the God revealed in Jesus, and my personal experiences.
Then, Dustin, Steve, and I each independently discovered Jonathan Welton’s Better Covenant Theology. This framework helped me see the Bible as an unfolding story of God’s interactions with humanity through covenants. It clarified that:
• God never changes—He is always faithful to the covenant He is in.
• Jesus is the clearest revelation of who God is.
• God’s actions under different covenants are based on the terms of that covenant, not a change in His character.
This framework resolved contradictions I had wrestled with and provided a consistent lens for interpreting Scripture. Instead of endlessly debating interpretations, I now have a trustworthy framework that integrates seamlessly with my other perspectives on ministry and life.
3. Wholehearted Living
This framework prioritizes relationship over performance, trusting that deep connection leads to lasting collaboration and greater fruitfulness.
The two core tools of this framework are:
• Relational Needs – Similar to love languages but with more nuance, this helps us understand how we give and receive love.
• The Baseball Diamond – A journey of building trust and connection in stages:
1. Know & Care
2. Serve & Trust
3. Support & Accomplish
4. Connected & Creative
Teams that prioritize connection over accomplishment create environments of longevity and synergy, leading to greater impact.
The Power of Frameworks
I’m not trying to sell you my frameworks—I want you to see the immense value of having frameworks. They help you:
• Clearly see what you’re building.
• Maintain consistency across different topics.
• Develop a shared paradigm with your team for faster, deeper collaboration.
Resources
Fivefold Ministry:
• The Forgotten Ways – Alan Hirsch
• Building a Disciple-Making Culture – Mike Breen
Better Covenant Theology:
• Seeing Through a Better Lens – Steve Smothers
• New Covenant Revolution – Jonathan Welton
Wholehearted Living:
• RARE Leadership – Marcus Warner & Jim Wilder
• Wholehearted with the Lowrys Podcast
Let’s keep growing together!
