The Mountain – Faith for the Impossible
Seasonal Context and Series Introduction
As winter approaches, the landscape changes again. The brightness of early term has dimmed, assessments loom, and the strain on staff and students becomes more noticeable. It is often in these darker months that leaders carry the heaviest loads, the challenges that cannot simply be solved with strategy or speed.
This third reflection in our Turning Points series recognises this reality. If The Colt invited us to walk humbly, and The Vine asked us to examine our fruitfulness, then this final piece invites us to lift our eyes upward, to the mountains that stand before us, and rediscover the kind of faith that transforms the impossible.
The Turning Point: “Say to This Mountain…”
After the disciples notice the withered fig tree, Jesus turns to them and says:
“Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain,
‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart
but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”
Mark 11:22–23
It is a striking image. A mountain, immovable and imposing, suddenly shifting at the sound of prayerful faith. Jesus is not offering a technique for instant miracles. He is showing something deeper, that leadership must be anchored in God’s power rather than our own.
Mountains in Scripture often symbolise obstacles too vast for human strength. And every leader knows what their mountain is:
• A school that feels exhausted by change
• A fractured relationship that needs healing
• A recruitment gap that will not close
• A budget that will not stretch
• A child or member of staff in crisis
• A vision that feels beyond reach
Jesus’ words remind us that faith is not naïve optimism. It is a shifting of weight, from ourselves to the God who moves mountains.
Leadership Lesson 1: Faith That Speaks
Jesus does not say, “Think quietly about the mountain.”
He says, “Say to this mountain…”
Leadership often requires a spoken faith:
• Speaking hope when morale is low
• Speaking courage into difficult decisions
• Speaking truth into confusion
• Speaking blessing over those we lead
Faith is not merely belief. It is belief expressed. In leadership, our words create atmosphere, perspective, and possibility. When a leader speaks faith, a community begins to breathe again.
Leadership Lesson 2: Prayer That Trusts
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24
Prayer is not an appendix to leadership. It is leadership.
In the pressure of winter months, leaders can be tempted to rely on sheer effort. Yet the heart of Christian leadership is acknowledging that some work is too great, and some burdens too heavy, to carry alone.
Faith-filled prayer is not passive. It is an act of courage:
• Entrusting outcomes to God
• Admitting limits
• Expecting intervention
• Seeking wisdom beyond our own
This is the turning point where leadership moves from striving to surrender.
Leadership Lesson 3: Forgiveness That Frees
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Mark 11:25
A mountain can be a problem, but it can also be a person, or a wound. Jesus links answered prayer to forgiveness because unforgiveness hardens the heart, clutters the mind, and blocks the flow of grace.
For leaders, forgiveness may mean:
• Releasing resentment toward a colleague
• Letting go of disappointment from the past
• Moving on from criticism
• Allowing yourself to begin again
Forgiveness is not forgetting. It is unburdening, making space for God to move the mountain.
Reflection Questions for Leaders
- What mountain am I facing in this season, and what might Jesus be saying to it?
- How can my words this week reflect faith rather than fear?
- Is there someone I need to forgive so that prayer can flow freely again?
- Where am I being invited to trust God with something beyond my control?
This winter may hold challenges you feel unprepared for, but mountains were never meant to be moved by human strength. Faith does what effort cannot.
A Prayer for Leaders
Lord Jesus,
Give me faith to see my mountain through Your eyes.
Strengthen my words, steady my heart, and teach me to trust You with the burdens I carry.
Where there is hurt, bring forgiveness. Where there is fear, bring courage.
And where the way seems blocked, make a path through.
Amen.
Turning Points in Leadership Recruitment
Every school, trust, and diocese reaches moments where it must face its own mountains. One of the most significant is the appointment of the right leader. A new leader can renew vision, stabilise a community, and bring fresh hope at a time when it is most needed.
At Emmaus Leadership, we walk with Christian education communities through these crucial moments of change. We understand the weight of responsibility leaders and governors carry when discerning who will guide their school or trust into the future.
Our approach is prayerful, relational, and tailored to the academic and spiritual needs of each setting. We:
• Listen deeply to your school/trust/diocese's story and context
• Reach both active and passive candidates
• Craft thoughtful, targeted campaigns
• Provide a strong, high calibre field for confident shortlisting
• Support candidates and governing bodies throughout the journey
If your organisation is preparing for a leadership appointment, or if you know someone who may be called to a senior post, we would be honoured to support you.
To explore how Emmaus Leadership can assist your next leadership turning point, visit:
www.emmausleadership.me