Today, Pastor Stephen Nyakairu from Grace Chapel Watertown reflects on leadership lessons he’s gained over years in ministry through his attendance at the Global Leadership Summit (GLS). He reminds us that the slow work of the Kingdom of God begins with ourselves: a posture of humility, a willingness to learn, and the discernment that comes with time and community.
Building off of the GLS theme of this year, “what you repeat becomes what you produce,” read below to hear Pastor Stephen’s challenge to approach leadership growth with a commitment to the long, deep work that often happens in hidden places before bearing its best fruit.
By Pastor Stephen Nyakairu, Grace Chapel Watertown
The world is facing significant challenges on multiple fronts—division, loneliness, uncertainty, polarization, and complex social needs that affect every community. Meeting these challenges will require leaders who are growing in wisdom, humility, courage, and effectiveness.
No single church, organization, or leader can address these realities alone. The future will require greater collaboration, deeper learning, and stronger partnerships across communities, sectors, and the Body of Christ.
That is one of the reasons I keep coming back to the Global Leadership Summit.
For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege of serving as a pastor in Greater Boston. I spent 11 years serving a church in Shirley, Massachusetts, and today I serve at Grace Chapel. Through every season of ministry, one conviction has remained constant: I want to keep growing as a leader.
My first experience with the Global Leadership Summit came at a pivotal time in my ministry in 2006. I had just begun serving as the pastor of a church that had been established for more than 100 years. While it had a rich history, it had stopped growing, and we knew we needed to transition toward becoming a church that intentionally reached our neighbors, friends, and family members.
I had just graduated from Gordon Conwell Theological seminary. I had theological and biblical training, but I quickly realized that leading change was a different challenge altogether. I knew I needed help, so I attended the Global Leadership Summit.
There, I was introduced to John Maxwell’s teaching that “leadership is influence.” That simple definition reshaped the way I thought about leadership and ministry. He then taught the Five Levels of Leadership, and I began to see where I was in my own journey.
I realized that I had been leading from position. People followed me because I was the pastor. But I learned that positional leadership is only the beginning. I needed to earn permission by building trust and healthy relationships.
Then I learned I needed to move into production—helping the church accomplish meaningful goals so people could see the fruit of our work together. As our ministry grew, I discovered the importance of developing people, not just producing results. Leadership became less about what I could accomplish and more about raising up other leaders who could multiply the mission.
Today, as I reflect on that journey, I realize that much of my passion is centered on people development. I love helping others discover their gifts, grow in their leadership, and become leaders who develop even more leaders.
Maxwell’s final level, personhood, reminds me that the greatest influence comes not from a title but from a life marked by character, integrity, and consistent service. That vision continues to shape the kind of leader I want to become.
Another lesson from the Global Leadership Summit that has stayed with me came from Andy Stanley. He challenged leaders to choose to be students rather than critics.
That idea has profoundly influenced how I lead teams. When someone brings a new idea, my first response shouldn’t be, “How are we going to do that?” Instead, it should be, “What an incredible idea.” This is much easier said than done. When someone brings us an idea, our first response is never to say, “WOW!” Our instincts should be to ask, “HOW!”
I’ve realized that too often, dreams and creativity die because we ask “how” before we embrace the possibility. Great leaders cultivate curiosity before they evaluate feasibility.
I also learned that leadership begins with listening and learning before leading. Many of us instinctively want to lead first and listen later, but I’ve found the opposite to be true. The most effective leaders listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, invite feedback, and remain teachable.
Even criticism can become a gift because it provides information we can use to grow.
These principles have shaped not only my ministry but also my family. When my wife, Rebekah, and I married 13 years ago, we made a commitment to be students, not critics—to remain lifelong learners who listen well so we can lead well together.
Now, four kids later, we’re seeking to instill that same love of lifelong learning in our children, encouraging them to keep growing as they take their own steps to follow Jesus.
That is one reason this year’s GLS theme resonates so deeply with me:
“What you repeat becomes what you produce.”
That is one of the reasons I continue to attend the Global Leadership Summit every year. I see it as an investment in my own growth. Every time I attend, I leave with fresh ideas, renewed vision, and practical tools that help me become a better leader for my church, my family, and my community. The Summit has been one of the most significant leadership investments of my life, and I am deeply grateful for the impact it has had on my journey.
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give ourselves—and the people we lead—is the willingness to keep learning. That is why I keep coming back to the Global Leadership Summit, and why I want to personally invite Christian leaders in Boston to join me. Not because I have everything figured out, but because I do not.
We need one another. I’m convinced we need spaces that challenge our assumptions, expand our perspective, and equip us for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Every year I am reminded that leadership growth is never finished, and every year I leave grateful for the opportunity to learn, reflect, and take another step forward. I hope you will join us.
Pastor Stephen has eloquently shared the impact of the Global Leadership Summit – We encourage Christian leaders in Boston to join in! It will take place on August 6-7 at Watertown, Wilmington and Lexington. You can sign up www.grace.org/gls
