Equipping Others: The Role of Encouragement and Mentorship in Leadership

When JD Wallace shared that he felt called to give back after attending a GriefShare group, he didn’t expect what came next. His pastor looked him in the eye and asked, “Have you ever thought about being a facilitator for GriefShare?”

It caught JD off guard. “That was the farthest thing from my thought process,” he says. But the encouragement planted a seed; one that eventually grew into ten years of ministry and 22 GriefShare groups led.

Later, JD found himself doing the same for others, helping participants take their first steps toward leadership. It all started with someone seeing his potential—and telling him so.

The power of personal invitation and affirmation

Leadership development often begins with a simple moment of belief. A mentor says, “I see something in you.” That’s what JD experienced. “My pastor really encouraged me,” he recalls. “He said, ‘You have a unique story that would lend itself to leading groups.’”

That story? JD lost both parents within 18 hours of each other. When he shared that experience during his GriefShare group, it resonated deeply. “He kept encouraging me to share it with others,” JD says. “I finally did—and it really helped the group.”

It also helped JD recognize that maybe he was equipped to lead. And when he stepped out in faith, the Holy Spirit met him there.

New leaders often need a nudge

Most future leaders aren’t walking around waiting to sign up. They’re sitting quietly in your group, wondering:

• Could I really do this?
• What if I mess up?
• I’m not like them. I don’t have the right background.

JD remembers those thoughts well. Many, like him, don’t consider leading until someone recommends it to them. “It was way outside my comfort zone,” he says. “But I had to trust that the Holy Spirit would equip me for the task.”

Your encouragement might be the very thing someone needs to move forward.

Use your story to encourage others

As JD continued leading, he started mentoring others. One future facilitator co-led a group with him. Another emerged from a GriefShare group JD led during a summer when he was temporarily unemployed.

“We’ve been able to identify new facilitators who went through as participants,” JD explains. “That’s probably how it occurs at most churches—someone who’s benefited from the program then feels called to help others in the same way.”

His advice? Don’t wait for someone to raise their hand. Instead:

• Look for willingness, not perfection. It’s okay if they’re unsure—so were you.
• Share your story. Let others know what it was like when you started.
• Invite personally. General announcements are good, but direct invitations are powerful.
• Mentor intentionally. Co-leading a session is a great way to build confidence. Want to help someone take the next step toward leadership? Download videos to send, access assessments to share, or submit a potential leader directly to us—we’ll take it from there..

“You have a unique story that would lend itself to leading groups.”

That one sentence changed the trajectory of JD’s ministry journey. It gave him the confidence to leap—and it became a model for how he encouraged others.

You don’t need a formal title to be a mentor. All you need is the willingness to come alongside someone and say, “I believe in you. Let’s do this together.”

Who can you mentor today?

Someone in your group is waiting for a nudge. Maybe they’re unsure. Perhaps they’re afraid. Or maybe they just need someone to believe in them the way JD’s pastor believed in him.

Learn more about mentoring new facilitators.

It only takes one invitation to change the future of your ministry.