Rooted in Community, Anchored in Christ
How Surrender, Community, and Faith Can Transform the Way We Lead
There was a time when I thought leadership meant holding everything together.
The inbox. The meetings. The tough decisions. The people dilemmas. The long days that blur into late nights. I kept thinking that if I just worked harder, thought smarter, or carried a little more weight, then things would finally settle down.
But they never did.
Then one day, on the California coast, God met me in a way that changed everything.
A Reminder from the Redwoods
It was the last morning of a long-overdue vacation with my wife. We’d spent the week driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, soaking in those stretches of ocean and shoreline that feel almost otherworldly in beauty.
As we wound through the forest of redwoods toward Pfeiffer Falls, the morning mist caught the sunlight, creating a soft haze that hung over the canyon. When we stepped out onto the bridge overlooking the falls, I just stopped, speechless. It was one of those breathtaking moments that arrests your attention and silences every thought.
And yet, even there, I felt my mind begin to drift back home. Tomorrow meant the return to reality, back into “the matrix” of life. I felt the crushing weight of it all like Atlas trying to hold the world on my shoulders.
That’s when, in that stillness on the bridge, I sensed God whisper to my heart:
I created all of this without your help. You are My child, not My consultant. I didn’t ask you to solve or carry it all. Just walk with Me. Be My son. Take the next step. Trust Me.
It stopped me in my tracks.
I realized I’d been living like God’s overworked contractor—building, striving, performing—when all He wanted was for me to abide as His son.
That moment reshaped how I see leadership. I even hung a painting of that scene of the Big Sur, California, coast in my home to remind me: I’m not Atlas. I don’t have to hold the world together—and neither do you.
From Atlas to Abiding
As a leader, you likely wrestle with the same tension, the pull between trusting God and trying to do His job.
We care deeply about our people, our families, and the outcomes entrusted to us. That’s a good thing. But when our sense of worth or control hinges on performance, growth, or crisis management, we end up exhausted. Can you relate?
The good news is, you’re not crazy, and you’re not alone.
In working with thousands of CEOs, I’m constantly reminded that leadership was never meant to be a solo act. We were designed to be rooted in community, standing strong, together.
What the Redwoods Teach Us
Redwoods are among the tallest and oldest trees on Earth. They can stand for thousands of years, weathering storms and surviving regular wildfires. The neat thing is, their strength doesn’t come from how deep their roots go. It comes from how far they spread and how interwoven they are with adjacent titans of the forest.
Beneath the surface, their roots intertwine with others, creating a living network that shares strength and stability. When one tree stands, it’s because others are holding it up.
You never see a solo redwood, and you rarely see one fall.
That’s how I see the C12 community: a forest of leaders, rooted in community, anchored in Christ, and intertwined by purpose. We’re not here to stand taller than others. We’re here to stand stronger together.
Building What Lasts
This past year, I’ve watched God grow this “forest” in ways that still amaze me.
From South Africa to Seattle, Kenya to Nebraska, C12 leaders are showing the world what happens when business becomes ministry, when profit and purpose no longer compete but unite for God’s glory.
We’ve seen incredible momentum:
Leaders are finding peace in surrender, joy in service, and greater purpose as they live out Business as a Ministry (BaaM). This is what Kingdom fruit looks like.
As we look toward 2026, I believe God is calling us to go deeper and further still—to expand globally while remaining grounded locally, building businesses that leave an eternal impact.
Letting Go to Lead Well
Perhaps this past year stretched you more than you thought it would. Maybe you’re entering this next season tired, uncertain, or wondering if you have what it takes.
If that’s you, hear this:
The Kingdom is not at risk. You are not holding the world together. He is.
You were never meant to bear that weight alone. God is inviting you not to do more, but to abide more, experience more, and build more—in Him, by Him, and with Him.
When we lead from rest in our identity in Christ, surrendering control and trusting His sovereignty, we find the kind of freedom and courage that no business strategy can produce.
Every day, around 1 million people go to work for companies served by C12, impacting nearly 40 million lives through their businesses. When we pursue BaaM, it transforms us and the world by the power of the gospel.
So as you look ahead, let me invite you:
We’re in this together—building great businesses for a greater purpose, anchored in Christ, connected like redwoods, and confident in the One who makes it all grow.
Keep pressing on.
C12 Business Forums provides an architected environment for Christian business leaders that integrates work, life, and leadership transformation. To learn more about C12’s approach to Christ-centered business leadership, find a C12 Business Forum near you.
December 1, 2025
@mikesharrow
