Becoming a Hero Maker: Mentoring with Multiplication in Mind

 

Leadership is more than just getting stuff done. It's about getting other people excited about what you're all trying to achieve. That's the main point of *Hero Maker* by Dave Ferguson and Warren Bird. This book changed how I think about leading and helping others grow. It's all about making other people the heroes, not trying to be yourself.

Five Shifts of a Hero Maker

Hero Maker outlines five powerful practices that move us from being the center of the story to empowering others to step into their God-given roles:

1. Multiplication Thinking
2. You start seeing every interaction as an opportunity to multiply impact by investing in others, not just doing it yourself.
3. Permission Giving
4. It's about recognizing the potential in others and permitting them to step into it. You look someone in the eye and say, "I see in you…" And that one conversation could be the spark that unlocks courage and calling. Disciple Multiplying
5. This is about walking closely with a few, just like Jesus did—teaching, listening, praying, and preparing them to do the same for others.
6. Gift Activating
7. For example, you might notice a team member's exceptional communication skills and encourage them to take on a leadership role in a project that requires strong interpersonal skills. Sometimes we're the first voice to call out the unique gifts in someone. We help them find it, use it, and offer it fully for the Kingdom. Kingdom Building
8. Instead of measuring success by what we do, we start measuring success by how many people we've released into the mission.

These aren't just leadership tips—they're a way of life. And they echo Jesus' method of ministry. He wasn't building a brand. He was building people. And he left the world changed because of it.

A Garden, Not a Trophy

A trophy shines brightly and is envied by all, and proudly displayed on a shelf, but sits there, accumulating dust. A garden, though? That is a different matter entirely. It involves time, labor, consistency, and lots of devotion. You get your hands dirty, and you become a master of patience as you endure the seasons coming and going. You water those plants even when it appears that nothing is happening. You weed out even when nobody is looking. But oh, when the products of your labor start coming forth, it's pure magic. A single seed suffices to grow a vine as wide as a tree that nourishes multitudes. And the miracle? It does not stay confined to one pot. It multiplies, generates, and soon enough, blankets the globe. Seeing it grow is an ecstasy that's simply unmatchable and amazingly rewarding. Some of the people you are mentoring will flourish overnight, some will take a while. There will be some that seem to be seed-stage—give them the proper light and a bit of mercy, and they'll bloom again. Our purpose is not to dictate outcomes but to nurture the foundations so they can thrive. Mentoring goes beyond mere guidance; it's about celebrating someone's path and supporting them through the struggles of adversity, scarcity, and obstacles, all while maintaining the belief that their time to blossom is nearing.

The Joy That Multiplies

There's a unique joy in watching someone you've invested in begin to flourish. Not because they're reflecting your glory, but because they're becoming their own. When they start mentoring others, they employ the wisdom you helped cultivate, but in their unique way. When they take risks you never could have imagined for them, they do so with self-confidence, and when they accomplish more than you thought was possible, they do so. This joy is empowering motivation, urging you to continue with your mentoring experience.

That's how you know you've chosen the garden over the trophy. That's how you see the mess, waiting, and dirty fingers were worth every minute.

Sacred Work That Lasts

Hero Maker affirms something lovely: mentoring is sacred work. It is not glamorous, but it is steadfast. It does not always get the headlines, but it makes history. It is not being the hero—it is serving others to become who God has created them to be. This emphasis on the long-term impact of mentoring will make the audience sense the significance of their role in shaping the future.

Our accomplishments do not measure us, but by the achievements of those we've invested in. It does not count how much we glow, but how many people we've helped light up.

That's the legacy I'd love to leave: one that's founded on presence instead of popularity, purpose instead of performance, and God's calling instead of personal volume.

Because in the end, the heroes aren't the ones who do it all themselves—they're the ones who bring out the hero in others. And gardens? Gardens change the world, one seed at a time.

My Garden

I've been privileged to guide incredible women in Celebrate Recovery step studies. Every journey is unique, yet the caliber remains the same: walk beside them, have faith in their potential, share the truth with them, offer them a safe space, and pray as if their breakthrough has already arrived. They pray as though their breakthrough has already arrived.

Some of the women I've walked with are now mentoring others. That's the most beautiful fruit I've ever seen.

We've cried together and laughed through the healing. Wrestled with identity, forgiveness, inventory, and letting go. But through it all, I've seen God grow gardens in their hearts—and now they're planting seeds in others.

That's multiplication.

That's legacy.

That's Hero Making.

What About You?

Your background disqualifies you from being a leader.

Friend, if you've ever felt that your background disqualifies you from being a leader, let me assure you that's the opposite of the truth. Your path of healing is the same soil that God wants to utilize. People are waiting for someone to lead them whom they can believe in. Someone sincere. Someone like you. You have the potential to be a mentor, leading and motivating people. This reassurance will empower and boost your confidence in your leadership potential.

Or you've been at this leadership thing for a while, but you're tired. Here's your reminder: you don't have to do it all. Just plant seeds. Just water. Just trust. God makes it grow.

Whether you're leading a step study, sponsoring a recovering friend, parenting a child, or starting something new, the following fact remains the same:

You don't have to be the hero. Be a hero maker.

And let God tend to the garden.