Lead, Let Go, Repeat: The Long Game of Developing Leaders with Jim Mullins

What does it actually look like to lead in a way that outlasts you?In this episode, we sit down with Pastor Jim Mullins to unpack a leadership decision most leaders avoid: intentionally raising up and handing off leadership to others—before you have to.After nearly two decades of ministry, Jim didn’t just talk about leadership development—he lived it. Through a years-long process, he identified, invested in, and ultimately promoted two leaders to take his place… while he stepped aside to serve under them.But this isn’t just a conversation about succession planning.It’s about the deeper work most leaders never address:The hidden idol of significance that drives so much of our ambitionWhy letting go feels like death (because, in many ways, it is)How to build a culture where leadership actually multiplies instead of bottlenecksThe overlooked power of small, consistent investments over timeAnd why the healthiest leaders are thinking about replacement from day oneJim also shares practical frameworks like Model–Assist–Watch–Leave, the importance of creating a leadership ecosystem (not just a pipeline), and why most leaders fail at the final—and most important—step: leaving.Along the way, this conversation expands beyond church leadership into a bigger vision: What if every role—no matter how unseen—actually mattered in the Kingdom of God?From spreadsheets to sermons, from gardens to boardrooms, this episode reframes what meaningful work really looks like—and how to lead in a way that reflects it.If you’re a pastor, leader, or anyone who wants their life to count for something bigger than themselves, this conversation will challenge you, stretch you, and give you a vision worth building toward.You can check out Jim’s book HERE.I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one… Feel free to email me HERE. Join the conversation on our Instagram Channel HERE.You can find SermonCentral on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube