EPISODE 257: What if the true measure of your leadership isn’t what you build… but what you leave behind?
In this episode of Linch with a Leader, Mike Linch sits down with David Ashcraft, former Senior Pastor of LCBC Church and current President of the Global Leadership Network, for a powerful conversation about vision, succession, calling, and staying faithful in every season of leadership.
David’s journey spans more than three decades of impact:
from growing up in Texas determined not to become a pastor…
to leading LCBC Church from 150 to over 25,000 across 19 campuses…
to walking through conflict, culture shifts, and calling as the church scaled…
to developing one of the most intentional, healthy leadership handoffs in modern ministry.
What unfolds is a conversation rich with wisdom about longevity, systems thinking, spiritual identity, and the legacy every leader leaves—whether they plan for it or not.
Together, Mike and David explore how to lead through adversity, how to create a culture that doesn’t depend on one person, why succession should start a decade in advance, and how staying curious and humble sets the tone for finishing well.
Whether you’re a pastor wondering how to navigate succession, a business leader scaling a team, or a young leader trying to think long-term—this episode will expand your vision and sharpen your purpose.
🎯 Leadership Lessons from David:
– Leaders don’t quit in storms, they stay until God says otherwise.
– You don’t get what you expect, you get what you inspect.
– Healthy succession starts long before the handoff.
– Culture is shaped by what you celebrate and what you won’t tolerate.
– Systems empower scale. Ego prevents it.
– Legacy leadership is about preparing others to succeed without you.
– Faithful leaders don’t chase platforms, they steward what’s in their hands.
