Is Your Career a Calling? Redefining Leadership Beyond the Pulpit
It was such a joy recently on the Learning to Lead podcast to sit down with a close friend of thirty years, Brant Lucy. Brant is the owner of the Brant Lucy Agency, and our conversation really dug into the "heart-wringing" experience of navigating career transitions and the often-misunderstood distinction between a vocational calling and our primary calling as believers. Whether you are leading a boardroom, a classroom, or a local church, the principles of influence and servant leadership remain biblically rooted and grounded in the heart.
One of the most profound takeaways from Brant’s journey—from mechanical engineering at ORU to youth pastoring in Mississippi, and eventually to the marketplace—is the danger of the "perseverance trap." We are often taught to put our heads down and push through difficult seasons, but perseverance can become a trap if we are not following God’s voice. As Brant shared, it is easy to let loyalty to a position or a fear of failure keep us in a role longer than God intended. Sometimes, "giving yourself permission" to step back is the healthiest move you can make for your soul and your family.
We often categorize leadership into "sacred" and "secular," but that is a significant misconception. The body of Christ desperately needs successful marketplace leaders to be salt and light in venues where a pastor might never be invited. Brant’s transition to the insurance and financial services industry didn't end his ministry; it simply shifted his mission field. He took transferable skills—communication, team building, and a heart for people—and applied them to a new arena. Ministry isn't just about preaching and praying for eight hours a day; it’s about rolling up your sleeves and investing in people’s lives wherever God has placed you.
Ultimately, our primary calling is simple: Follow Jesus. Out of that primary call flow various "assignments" that may change throughout our lives. If you find yourself wrestling with your current "fit," I encourage you to trust that God is ordering your steps. He doesn't always show us the ten-year plan; often, He just illuminates the very next step. Stay faithful to your first call—your family and your devotion to Christ—and watch how He uses your unique wiring to make an impact, whether that's from a pulpit or a business office.