Building a Culture of Honor
Every move of God starts with a vision that is birthed deep in the soul of an individual. It is not just an idea or a plan but rather it is a fire that will not let them go. And when a new leader steps into church leadership, they often carry that fire. It feels fresh and alive. It invigorates people toward what could be.
But the truth is, no vision stands on its own. It rests on a foundation that was laid by those who came before.
The mistake many leaders make is thinking that to move forward, they must cut off the past. I have seen it happen, sometimes through silence, sometimes through criticism, sometimes through simply ignoring the work of those who were here before. But that is not how God builds His kingdom. He does not throw away seasons. He does not discard people. He weaves it all together, even the parts that were messy and hard, into His story.
Building a culture of honor means we pause long enough to recognize that God was at work before us. That the prayers, sacrifices, and obedience of others laid down a path we now get to walk. Yes, some leaders failed. Some made decisions that hurt the church. Some fell into sin or simply ran out of strength. I have seen the pain and damage those failures cause, and it is real. But here is the thing: failure does not cancel calling. Brokenness does not erase fruit. Even through weakness, God still worked. People still met Jesus. Lives were still changed. That matters.
Now, honoring the past does not mean idolizing it. It does not mean pretending everything was perfect. It means we choose to see with God’s eyes. We acknowledge the good, we learn from the struggles and failures, and we carry forward what is eternal. And when we do that, something powerful happens: the story of the church becomes bigger than one leader’s moment in time. It becomes part of God’s unfolding work across generations.
If your vision is really worth living for, maybe even dying for, then it is also worth honoring what has already been done. Because the future is not about rejecting the past. It is about continuing the eternally significant story that God has been writing all along.
Five Ways to Build a Culture of Honor in Your Church
1. Speak with gratitude about past leaders.
Make it a habit to talk with thankfulness about those who came before you. Even if their story ended in struggle, remember that God still worked through them. People were reached, lives were changed, and that fruit still matter
2. Tell the story of your church.
Every church has its own story, filled with testimonies, milestones, and answered prayers. Share those moments often. Remind people that they are part of something bigger than today, that God has been writing a story here long before we arrived, and He is not finished yet.
3. Model honor in leadership transitions.
When leadership changes, resist the temptation to compare yourself to the person who led before you. Instead, as you can, speak well of them. Point out what God did through their ministry and then share how you hope to build on that foundation. That kind of humility speaks louder than any sermon.
4. Honor publicly and correct privately.
When mistakes need to be addressed, have those hard conversations in private. But when you are in front of the church, choose encouragement, grace, and unity. People notice how leaders talk about one another, and nothing builds trust faster than words seasoned with honor.
5. Celebrate foundation builders.
Take time to recognize those who have carried the weight of ministry over the years such as long-time members, faithful volunteers, former leaders. Whether in a service, a dinner, or written words of thanks, remind them that their labor is not forgotten. They are part of the foundation God is using to shape the future.
