The apostle Paul was one of the greatest leaders of all time. 

Part of what made him such a great leader was his consistent demonstration of vulnerability.

In one of his letters, Paul said, “We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you” (2 Corinthians 6:11 NLT). 

Having an “open heart” means being vulnerable—in the way you talk, act, share, and feel.

Being vulnerable in ministry can be scary. But to be an effective leader like Paul, you need to learn to be vulnerable. 

Here are some practical steps you can take as a leader to become more vulnerable and authentic:

A true leader admits their frustrations.

At one of his lowest moments, Paul didn’t bottle up and buck up. Instead, he spoke up about the hard time he was having, using words like “crushed,” “overwhelmed,” and even “doomed.”

“We . . . saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God” (2 Corinthians 1:9 TLB). In being honest about his frustration, Paul emphasized God’s power in his life.

A true leader admits their faults and failures.

“There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5 GNT). Someone may be well-known, but if they can’t admit their faults, then they’re not really a leader.

Everybody makes mistakes. Even Paul could admit that he was “the worst of all sinners.” Very few leaders in the world today would admit that. But a great leader is transparent about their shortcomings.                    

A true leader admits their fears and feelings.

Paul writes to the Corinthians, “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling . . . so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5 NIV). 

Many people have a hard time sharing their feelings, especially their fears. 

If that’s you, then ask God to help you move past it. You cannot be an authentic, spiritually mature leader when you’re not open about your feelings.

It’s hard to find ministry leaders today who are willing to be authentic and admit their frustrations, faults, and feelings. 

But when you choose to lead like Paul, you’ll find yourself leading more effectively as God’s power works through you.