From Vision to Burden: Identifying Top-Tier Leaders

Jodi Seidler
Jul 25, 2025
3 min read

Over the past 17 years, I have had the privilege of running and leading a wide variety of ministries—from evangelism and church planting, to college ministry across the Northeast via, to caring for global missionaries, and now pioneering 3 new ministries. Each assignment has looked radically different. Yet one thing remains constant: the need to identify and empower top-tier leaders—those who don’t just serve, but carry the vision and the burden.

The Eternal Leadership Search

No matter the ministry or season, I’m always asking: Who will run with us?

Who carries not only the heart of the vision but the burden of the call? I’m not talking about just filling volunteer slots. I’m talking about discerning those leaders who will take the mission further than we ever could.

Every ministry, every church, carries a unique inheritance from the Lord. And here’s the truth: You and I cannot fulfill that inheritance alone.

We get a piece of the vision for the season we’re in—a snapshot. But God builds across generations and layers the vision through multiple leaders. That’s why identifying the right ones is so critical.

So, How Do You Spot a Top-Tier Leader?

Let me narrow in on one key insight.

This is the #1 question I ask when discerning top-tier leaders—after I’ve already looked for character, faithfulness, teachability, and a proven track record:

Do they carry a burden—or only a vision?

Vision alone isn’t enough. We’ve seen it time and again: leaders who are full of vision can start strong but fade quickly. When ministry gets mundane… when there's no spotlight… when goals aren’t reached in the first year… when opposition comes—vision alone won’t sustain them.

But a burden? That’s different. A burden drives them to the cross, not just the harvest.

Burden vs. Vision: What’s the Difference?

Vision is shiny. It inspires, energizes, and draws people in.

But burden is a deep well. It’s costly. It looks like quiet tears in prayer. It looks like staying when things get hard.

Too often in ministry, we pass on vision without transferring the burden. And it’s the burden that turns a renter into an owner.

With vision, you might join a ministry.

With burden, you bleed for it.

Think of the vision God gave you—it cost you something, didn’t it? That same cost, that same divine weight, must rest on those stepping into top-tier leadership. And here's the kicker—you can’t place that burden on them yourself.

If you try, even with the purest motives, it becomes a heavy yoke. Like Saul’s armor on David. A burden not given by the Lord breeds exhaustion, disappointment, and control. But a burden placed by Jesus? That’s light—because it's graced. (Matt. 11:29–30)

The Campfire Test: Jesus, Peter & the Call Renewed

John 21 paints one of the most tender pictures of calling:

“Come and dine… Do you love me?... Feed my sheep.”

This wasn’t Peter’s first call—it was his restorative one. After failure, storms, and doubt, Jesus brings him back to the fire. This moment wasn’t just vision—it was a burden transferred.

Ownership was given. It’s personal.

Every great leader needs to have that campfire moment with Jesus.

Practical Filters I Use

Here’s how I discern potential top-tier leaders:

I cast vision to those I sense God might be highlighting.

If the first response is, “That’s a lot of work” or “How much does it pay?”—that’s a

yellow flag.

But if they say, “Yes! I’ve been praying for this!” or “God has already been stirring my heart,”— I lean in.

I pray. A lot. For specific people. For their call. For divine alignment. That’s the secret sauce.

How to Pass the Burden (Without Crushing People)

You can’t force someone into a call. But you can create an environment where they can receive it:

Lift up Jesus – Make Him the center, not the mission.
Proclaim the Vision – Clear. Simple. Spirit-breathed.
Soak it in Prayer & Worship – Let God stir hearts.
Impart – Truth, wisdom, love, encouragement.
Give Ownership – Not just a title. Authority. Trust.
Let Them In – Behind the scenes, into your process and pain.

Final Thoughts: We Can Rest

If God gives the burden, He also sustains it. Their call may look different than yours. Their methods might vary. That’s okay. If it’s the Lord’s burden, it will bear fruit.

So don’t rush the pro

cess. Pray. Wait. Watch. Partner with the ones Jesus is calling to the fire.