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In Pentecostal circles, the concept of spiritual covering is well established. The idea goes like this. God has established authority and it comes with a set chain of command. Submit to the chain of command (the leader God has put above you) and God's blessing will flow.

I wonder if we are missing something way more basic. Firstly, an honest understanding of why younger leaders may not want to take on a senior leadership role. And secondly, how the structure itself sets itself up to fail. The two are linked.

I was one of the lucky ones. I survived. I made it through. But many didn’t. Some lost their faith entirely. Some kept loving Jesus but suffered such hurt in the church that they’re still not back. Others burnt out, lost marriages and plenty more. It is my conviction that the Leadership Factory model will inevitably always damage people.

It took me a long time to even realise that being a leader actually brings with it a level of power. And that power needs to be wielded correctly. I just assumed that nothing had changed. But in fact a lot of things had changed. I had authority (real or assumed) and people began to treat me differently as a result.