This week I was talking to a new friend who recently transitioned from leadership in a local church to leadership in a global organization. I asked him what it was like to make that transition, and he offered a powerful and refreshing perspective. He said, “My influence had to move from roots to branches.”

Some influence is like roots. In a local church context, you get to put down roots in the community as you invest in one body of believers, serve a city for the long-haul, and help people grow strong in their faith. This form of influence is powerful and can leave a long-lasting impact in lives, churches, and communities. Influence grows because of the depth of your roots in one place. 

On the other hand, some influence is like branches. This is often the case for leaders who serve in organizations that aren’t confined to a single location or a single community. Simply put, their influence is like branches that stretch across a wider environment, reaching multiple places and spaces. 

Roots are about the depth of your influence and branches are about the width of your influence. One isn’t right while the other is wrong. They’re just different types of influence, and both types are needed.

Whether your influence is roots or branches, deep or wide, the important thing is to steward it wisely. In addition, support and champion both types of influence. After all, both forms need one another.