In Acts, Chapter 13 we find a model of courageous leadership. The church gathered in Antioch to determine the restructuring of leadership in their midst. Antioch was a church that was truly Jewish and Gentile believers joined in one community. The apostle Paul had aligned himself with this group for a number of years. Now, he and his friend Barnabas were sent out on a mission to develop Gentile-only churches in regions unknown to the young fledgling church. They were heading not only into the unknown but into a missions activity that would be sure to bring prosecution in front as well as persecution and hatred from the Jews to their back. Yet, these leaders responded to a higher mission than their own comfort.

This is another factor that is strongly present in courageous leaders. They all have a sense of vision and destiny, aligning with a vision and destiny far bigger than themselves. It is this focal point that becomes the source of their drive to achieve the cost. Fearful leaders get their negative energy from three factors:

* Discouragement over their lack of achievement
* Pessimistic thinking that denies the “God factor”
* Excessive need for human affirmation