By: Terry Allen
Lucille “Big Mama” Allen was a force of faith and practicality. A matriarch in her family and community, she didn’t sugarcoat hard truths—but always spoke them in love. She taught us that real leadership is measured by how well we prepare the next generation. “If you don’t train your replacement,” she always said, “you’ve trained your failure.”
That wisdom rings especially true when we consider obedience versus sacrifice. In Numbers 22, Balaam ignored God’s given direction because of external pressure—and found himself nearly destroyed. We, too, can get busy doing everything ourselves and neglect the obedience of preparing someone else to lead.
Legacy in Action
One shining example today is President Barack Obama’s launch of My Brother’s Keeper as he left the White House—a visionary initiative to strengthen mentoring and opportunity for boys and young men of color. That’s finding your replacement, not abandoning the work.
Another powerful example is right here in Fort Worth. Rickie Clark, the Executive Director of Fort Worth ISD’s My Brother’s Keeper program, has taken Obama’s vision and brought it home. Through his Strategies To Elevate People (STEP) program and hands-on cultural awareness programming, Clark has built a model for holistic youth mentorship and empowerment—showing how one trained leader can multiply impact. (Jarvis Christian University, rickieclark.com)
Sadly, we’ve seen the opposite when leaders refuse to release control. Movements, ministries, and organizations collapse when a single leader leaves without having invested in successors—leaving chaos where continuity should be
Legacy isn’t only what you start—but what you leave behind. Who are you actively preparing to step in, step up, and carry this work forward? Big Mama was right: real leadership is about building something that outlives you.
I’d love to hear your story. Who have you successfully groomed as your replacement, and what results are you seeing from that investment?
