You Are a Leader: Jesus Is Your Only Qualification

Aug 31
Feel unqualified to lead, teach, or step out in faith? Discover why your education or your past do not disqualify you, and how Jesus alone qualifies you, at Rise Up Culture.
Have you ever talked yourself out of something God was clearly asking you to do, because you did not feel smart enough, trained enough, or good enough?

You are not alone, and you are not disqualified. Last week we started our You Are a Leader series by looking at who God says you are.

This week we go one layer deeper and ask an even bigger question: what actually qualifies you to lead?
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You Are Not Disqualified by What You Don't Know

Peter was a fisherman. No seminary degree, no formal training, nothing on paper that said he was qualified to lead anything. Jesus called him anyway. In Matthew 4:19-20, Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," and Peter left his nets, the very thing he thought defined him, and followed. Later in Acts 4:13-14, religious leaders were amazed at Peter's boldness. Scripture says they recognized that he had been with Jesus. That is it. That is the whole qualification. Not a degree, not credentials, just time spent with Jesus. Mark 3:13-14 tells us Jesus appointed the twelve so that they might be with Him, and being with Jesus is still the training program today. He is not looking for your resume, He is looking for your yes.
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You Are Not Disqualified by Your Past

Paul had the opposite problem. He had all the education, all the religious credentials, and he used them to hunt down and kill God's people (Acts 8-9). If anyone should have been permanently disqualified, it was him. But Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, gave him new eyes to see, and turned a terrorist into one of the greatest missionaries who ever lived. Grace did what religion and education never could. Whatever you carry today, whatever you have done or had done to you, it does not get the final word on your life. Jesus does.

Jesus Is Your Qualification

Peter did not qualify himself by leaving his nets, and Paul did not qualify himself by unlearning everything he thought he knew. Jesus qualified both of them, and He is doing the same for you. You are not disqualified by a lack of education, and you are not disqualified by your sin or your past. You are empowered and qualified by Jesus, and all He is asking is that you step out in faith and let Him call you forward, the same way He called an uneducated fisherman and a violent persecutor into world changing leaders.

A Simple Next Step

This is just the beginning of what God wants to heal and restore in you. 
Watch the full message to go deeper into this teaching, and come rise up with us in person this Saturday at 6 PM. We'd love to have you.

Taking It Home


Discipleship happens in the home, not just on Saturday night. Here are a few simple ways to bring this message to your family this week.
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Kid-friendly translation

God does not need you to be the smartest or the best behaved to use you. He picked a fisherman who never went to school and a man who used to hurt people, and He used them both in huge ways. All Jesus wants is for you to follow Him.

Dinner table prompt

Has there ever been a time you felt like you were not good enough to do something? What happened when you tried anyway with God's help?

Bedtime question for younger kids

Did you know Jesus does not need you to be smart or perfect to use you? He just wants you to follow Him. What is one way you can follow Jesus tomorrow?

Family challenge

As a family, have everyone write down one thing they feel they are "not qualified" for. Under each one, write "Jesus qualifies me." Put it somewhere your family will see it this week.

Verse to memorize together

Matthew 4:19, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

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