Leading Where You Are – The Four Dimensions of Coming Alongside

By Eldon Kibbey

The Mission: Transforming a Sphere of Interaction into a Sphere of Influence

The core mission is clear: to Come alongside businessmen, right where they are, to help them become the men God designed them to be.

Every day, we move within a Sphere of Interaction—made up of family, neighbors, co-workers, and everyone else we encounter. God placed us at the center of this sphere to make it a Sphere of Influence. This is where we fulfill the Great Commission: making disciples as we are going. God has given us a position of leadership, and it is our responsibility to carry it out.

The Four Essential Relationships

To truly come alongside a man “right where he is,” we must understand and address the four relational dimensions that impact every person:

1. Relationship with God: Does he have a personal relationship with Christ? Does he need evangelism or discipleship? This is the starting point for growth.

2. Relationship with Self (Personal Identity): How does he view himself? Is he self-centered, or focused on serving others? Is he using worldly coping techniques to deal with his issues?

3. Relationship with Others: How strong are his connections with his wife, his family, and his co-workers? These relationships form the bedrock of his stability.

4. Relationship with Our Environment: Is he struggling with basic needs like food, housing, or employment? These practical issues must often be addressed before deeper growth can occur.

The Greatest Resource is You

While there are many great tools available—such as Operation Timothy for one-on-one growth, Connect3 Teams for group interaction, and Peer Advisory Teams for mutual growth—the single greatest resource is you.

You are the one who comes alongside a person in need, sticks close like a brother, and walks with him through his relational issues.

The starting point is simple: Listening is crucial so you can discern his most pertinent needs. Because real needs often require a team effort, the next step is connecting him with others.

When you invest in a man’s growth and help him develop these essential leadership skills, you are providing the example he needs to, in turn, become the leader who comes alongside another. By allowing Christ to live His life through us, we realize the desire to become the greatest leaders the world has ever known.