The Power To Stop

Most leaders are wired to start things. But what if the most powerful thing you could do as a leader isn’t to start something new — it’s to stop something old?

In this episode, Jon Chasteen unpacks The Power to Stop — a countercultural principle that every ReLeader eventually has to learn. Using Michelangelo’s sculpture of David as a metaphor, Jon explores how greatness is often revealed not by what we add, but by what we remove. Just like a sculptor chips away what doesn’t belong, effective leaders must learn to prune, pause, and say no — not out of weakness, but out of wisdom.

Through Scripture and stories, Jon walks through four truths every ReLeader needs to understand:
1️⃣ Pruning Isn’t Punishment; It’s Preparation — God cuts back fruitful branches so they can produce even more.
2️⃣ Stopping Isn’t Quitting; It’s Trusting — Like Moses learning from Jethro, wise leaders know when to let go and share the load.
3️⃣ Saying No Isn’t Weakness; It’s Wisdom — Boundaries create margin, and margin fuels mission.
4️⃣ Less Isn’t Loss; It’s Leverage — Jesus wasn’t afraid of smaller crowds because He knew focus multiplies fruit.