–– Brino Kumwenda

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The big-man syndrome has dominated the philosophy of leadership in many African churches today. But it doesn’t have to be this way. 

A concerned member of Grace Community Church once asked his pastor, John MacArthur:  “What’s going to happen to Grace Community when you are gone?”

MacArthur answered, “There are people asking me, ‘What’s the replacement plan around here?’ Well, whatever happens to me, this church has many great, gifted, dedicated, highly motivated, and passionate preachers coming behind me that there will be plenty of them to take my place…”

On 14 July 2025, John MacArthur died.  Grace Community Church mourned their dear leader who pastored them for 56 years.  But looking at the number of people that MacArthur mentored, the 38 remaining elders at the church, and the Master’s Seminary, which he founded, which is committed to training faithful pastors throughout the world, it is clear that the church is not mourning out of despair about MacArthur’s successor.  Through his leadership, the church has built a deep reservoir of qualified and gifted men.   

According to one author, “The big-man syndrome refers to the dominance of one individual or group of individuals who strive to exert or achieve absolute rule or control over others deemed as ‘subjects.’”

In many churches in Africa, the big man is called “papa”.  He is the sole supreme leader in the church.  His decisions are unquestioned.  Whoever dares to question him is shown the exit.  He can order the withdrawal of money from the church’s account whenever he wants and for whatever he wants.  His wife is his deputy. When he comes to the church, it is in the middle of the service, and everybody must stop to welcome him.   

At dinner, he sits at the high table eating the best part of the chicken, while the rest share beans while sitting on the mats.  Everyone serves him, but it is taboo for him to serve anyone.  They carry even the Bible for him as he goes to the pulpit.  He lords it over them.  

When the big man dies, either his wife or his son succeeds him.  Succession is biological rather than patterned after Scripture.  He trains no one, because he survives on the lack of other good leaders who can hold him accountable or succeed him.  Also, he fears that if he has other capable leaders, he will no longer be needed in the church.  

What should be viewed as a legacy is viewed as a threat.  He is overtaken by the sinful desire to make the church feel the gap when he leaves.  When capable leaders emerge from the church, he views them as rivals rather than fellow labourers.  He ensures that they find the exit.  His motto is essentially, “Two roosters do not crow in the same henhouse”.  

Consequently, the death of such leaders is accompanied by the death of the “church”.  Usually, the eulogy for the big man goes as follows, “This man we are burying today was too great to replace. No one can ably fill the gap he has left.”

A leader who desires to leave a long-lasting impact on the church should be ready to do the hardest task: training a group of potential leaders in whom he will invest his time and leadership skills.

Jesus is the ultimate model of leadership. In the three years of ministry, He was very busy. He was preaching to masses, raising the dead to life; feeding thousands; Sick people were brought to him; if he was not following people, then the multitudes were looking for him; he was always travelling. 

Yet in the midst of his busy schedule, He prioritised mentoring the twelve disciples. While he didn’t neglect ministering to the masses, he put his disciples at the top of his priority list. He poured his life and philosophy of leadership into them all day, every day. Why? These were the people who were going to lead his church after he was gone, and lead successfully they did. 

The enemies of Jesus Christ thought that by killing him, they were swatting his “sect”. They were in for a surprise. Jesus turned this group of average Jews into a powerful force that was going to propagate his message, mission, and vision through the world.

Using the same model of Christ, Paul mentored Timothy, who in turn was to choose faithful men whom he could groom, who would also follow the same pattern. Paul says to Timothy, “You have heard everything that I teach in public; hand it on to reliable men so that they in turn will be able to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

A leader who invests in grooming the next generation of leaders has found a formula for lasting success. With a troop of faithful men who are willing to learn from you, you can still continue to lead the organisation through your successors long after you are gone. A successful leader intentionally mentors successors in preparation for his departure. He is not just content with the present health of the organisation. He wants the organisation to continue to be healthy even after he is gone. 

Robert Orr says, “Perceived success without successful successors is failure”. The organisation should mourn your departure, but not because there is no one to replace you. At best, they should mourn your departure because you were a great leader.  Let no one say at your funeral, “Alas, there is no one to take his place.”