Leadership Analysis

At Life Over Coffee, leadership development is a soul-deep work, whether it’s our Mastermind Program, ACBC Supervision, and our Leader Over Coffee membership level. Our worldview is not merely about training leaders to perform tasks but transforming people to reflect Christ through leadership, which means evaluating each person’s unique gift mix.

That’s why we’ve developed the Five-Point Leadership Analysis, a framework we use to evaluate and shepherd individuals preparing for discipleship roles, including biblical counseling, which is a formalized discipleship context that requires a higher ceiling from the individual.

Each point begins with the letter “C,” helping us clearly understand how God has shaped an individual. But more than a clever mnemonic, this framework represents an order of development—starting with Character, the root system from which everything else grows. Without godly character, no amount of gifting or education will produce enduring fruit in others.

1. Character is non-negotiable. Integrity, self-control, purity, and faithfulness are evidence of regeneration and gospel transformation. They reflect Christ. This isn’t about being sinless but being sober-minded about your own weaknesses and submitting to God’s refining work. We must be becoming what we’re asking others to become—Christlike.
2. Capacity considers a person’s spiritual, intellectual, and psychological bandwidth. Think of it like the size of the cup into which we pour truth and responsibility. Not all containers are the same size—and that’s not a deficit. It’s a call to steward what God has entrusted well. God did not create all disciplers and biblical counselors equally.
3. Competence is where capacity and competence meet action. Can this individual take knowledge and apply it in real life, Christlike behavior and practicing? Competence is where we begin to discern whether someone can translate theory into gospel-centered, practicalized care.
4. Courage is critical in soul care. This need is where the fear of man is either confronted or accommodated. Leaders must speak hard truths, lead others gently, and not shrink back from conflict. Without courage, we are tempted to appease rather than shepherd. We empathetically jump into their problems instead of courageously standing apart from them while lifting them out of their problems.
5. Compassion anchors courage in Christ’s gentleness. Without compassion, leadership becomes harsh, and without courage, compassion can become permissive. Biblical soul care demands both—the balance of truth and love, clarity and kindness. Christian counseling is neither Christian nor counseling without tears.

Now, let’s apply elements of leadership to a real case: Biff.

Case Study: Biff and the Limits of Leadership Aspirations

Biff came into the Life Over Coffee training with great enthusiasm. He wanted to become a formalized biblical counselor, convinced that helping others in formal settings was his calling. But beneath his ambition lay a misplaced confidence—what Scripture might describe as selfish ambition (James 3:14-16), cloaked in good intentions. At first glance, Biff was likable. He had a growing grasp of Scripture, a heart to help others, and a passion for ministry. However, when assessed through the Five-Point Leadership Analysis, several areas of concern began to surface.

1. Character: While outwardly moral and generally faithful, Biff lacked self-awareness and humility. He struggled to hear corrections and often deflected feedback. Teaching him became a delicate balance of bringing oversight while guarding against his justifications and resistance. He became a tedious person to train.
2. Capacity: His intellectual grasp was surface-level. Though he could repeat concepts, deeper analysis and discernment were lacking. He missed nuance, took Scripture out of context, and couldn’t identify ruling motives beneath external behavior. He counseled in a one-to-one ratio: what was said by the counselee was all he heard. He could not speculate biblically.
3. Competence: Biff applied truths mechanistically. He offered Scripture like aspirin—“Take this verse and call me in the morning”—rather than customizing God’s Word to a person’s unique context. He could not yet draw out the heart or build long-term gospel strategies. His aim was for God’s Word to identify the problem, renew the mind, and transform the heart. He was like a doctor with a prescription pad—providing verses.
4. Courage: Biff confused bluntness with boldness. He lacked the internal poise to speak hard truths in love, often defaulting to either silence or self-righteous correction. Biff was more eager to be seen as helpful than actually shepherd the soul before him. Being a formalized counselor was more about an identity that brought significance than his identity in Christ.
5. Compassion: His compassion was inconsistent. He could encourage in casual conversation but lacked the patience and care to walk with someone through deep suffering or sin. When sessions got difficult, he became irritated or dismissive.

Biff needs sober self-awareness—the kind Romans 12:3 talks about when Paul urges us “not to think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought.” He can and should still participate in his local church, engage in small groups, offer encouragement, and live out the “one anothers” of Scripture. Doing life over coffee is a good fit for Biff. But formalized biblical counseling requires a different gift mix, one that he does not presently possess.

If Biff refuses to see this, his desire for significance may lead to disillusionment, poor counsel, and damaged relationships. In love, someone from his church must come alongside him—not to shame, but to shepherd. He must be shown that certification is training, not a permission slip. And through that, God may still use him mightily in his lane.

Biblical leadership is not about climbing a ministry ladder. It’s about embracing how God has gifted you and serving with humility. Biff’s path may not be formal counseling—but it can still be beautiful, faithful, and Christ-honoring.

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Peace,
Rick