EP 94: Faith-Based Leadership: How to Lead with Trust, Discernment & Devotion
A Conversation with Kerri & Terry Roberts
Leadership gets real when things get hard. In this deeply honest, faith-informed episode of Don’t Waste the Chaos, Kerri sits down with her husband Terry Roberts—a USMC veteran and entrepreneur known for his quiet strength, unshakeable integrity, and discerning leadership.
Together, they unpack what happens when control masquerades as leadership, why trust beats micromanagement every time, and how faith shapes decisions at home, at work, and in the hardest moments of discernment.
If you’re a Christian business owner, leader, or anyone who wants to bring faith into your leadership without being preachy or performative, this episode will speak straight to you.
Why Many Leaders Default to Control (and What Faith Says Instead)
Leadership under pressure often uses the language of “responsibility,” but the behavior looks more like:
micromanaging your people
tightening your grip out of fear
convincing yourself “no one can do it like me”
narrating panic instead of reality
Terry shares how he’s watched leaders clamp down when business feels shaky—and how it reveals a deeper truth:
“Micromanagement is rarely about other people. It’s almost always about your lack of trust in yourself.”
As leaders, we often want strategies for “more trustworthy people,” but as Kerri notes, 9 times out of 10 the work begins inside us.
Command & Control vs. Trust & Inspire
Referencing Stephen M.R. Covey’s Speed of Trust and Trust & Inspire, Kerri and Terry break down the modern shift in leadership:
Command & Control
reacts with fear
pushes outcomes
micromanages process
confuses anxiety with accountability
treats people like liabilities
Trust & Inspire
extends trust proactively
casts vision instead of panic
focuses on outcomes, not over-monitoring
calls people to rise
treats team members like capable adults made in God’s image
“True character shines in adversity. That’s when your leadership is revealed—not when things are easy.”
Self-Audit: Are You Leading, or Are You Controlling?
Try asking yourself:
Do I extend trust proactively, or only when it feels safe?
Do I narrate reality with calm—or narrate panic?
Do I manage outcomes, or micromanage the process?
Do I believe my people are capable—or do I quietly think only I can do it “right”?
Discomfort here is often the Holy Spirit’s invitation toward growth.
Devotion vs. Discernment: When Commitment Becomes Misalignment
Kerri vulnerably opens up about a pattern she’s been working through for years:
Her vow of devotion—to contracts, clients, commitments, people—has often overridden her discernment.
This looked like:
honoring contracts long after the relationship became misaligned
over-delivering to the point of exhaustion
staying loyal long after the Holy Spirit signaled “release”
internalizing disappointment as personal failure
Terry offers insight into why this happens—and why it rarely happens to him. Their upbringings shaped their expectations:
Kerri grew up in stability, commitment, and long-term loyalty.
Terry grew up surrounded by relational fracture, disappointment, and broken trust.
His boundaries were forged early. Hers had to be learned later.
“When devotion to people overrides devotion to God, the relationship is already out of order.”
This is especially relevant for leaders with strong empathy, loyalty, or responsibility wiring.
Bringing Faith into Business Without Being Performative
Many Christian leaders struggle to integrate faith with business. Terry names the real reason:
“Most of us think we’re stronger Christians than we really are. Distraction is the enemy—and it’s everywhere.”
Faith doesn’t need to be loud to lead. It needs to be lived.
Faith in business looks like:
doing the right thing when no one is watching
being honest even when it costs you
refusing manipulation or sugarcoating
setting boundaries without guilt
making decisions through prayer and discernment
It’s integrity, not performance.
A 60-Second Holy Spirit Focus Practice (Terry’s Go-To)
Whether he’s driving, stressed, or overwhelmed, Terry uses this grounding tool to quiet noise and tune into the Holy Spirit:
The 5-4-3-2-1 Reset
5 things you see
4 things you hear
3 things you can touch
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Breathe. Be still. Listen.
This resets your nervous system, clears distractions, and positions your spirit to hear.
Stewardship as a Leadership Practice
Stewardship in business isn’t only about money—it’s about:
brand integrity
reputation and credibility
communication and culture
people, not productivity alone
how you treat what God entrusts to you
Stewardship is felt through actions long before it’s seen on a spreadsheet.
Marriage & Leadership: Alignment, Boundaries & Implied Trust
Kerri and Terry open up about the leadership rhythms that keep their marriage steady through seasons of entrepreneurship, parenting, and ministry:
1. Implied Trust
They assume the best, not the worst—especially in conflict.
2. God at the Center
They don’t ask each other to be the source of joy, peace, purpose, or identity. That belongs to God alone.
3. Boundaries That Protect the Relationship
They refuse to place spousal expectations on each other that belong to God.
4. Aligned Rhythms & Shared Stewardship
Parenting, finances, land, leadership, and devotion all flow from shared values.
“If we’re both seeking God, we end up closer to each other. That’s the triangle.”
Try This This Week
Here are the two practices Kerri and Terry offer for immediate integration:
1. Self-Audit for Trust
Ask yourself:
Do I extend trust proactively?
Do I narrate reality without panic?
Do I manage outcomes or micromanage process?
2. 60-Second Focus
5 things you see
4 things you hear
3 things you touch
2 things you smell
1 thing you taste
Then breathe and listen.
Let the Holy Spirit lead.
Resources Mentioned
The Speed of Trust & Trust & Inspire — Stephen M.R. Covey
The Screwtape Letters — C.S. Lewis
Jesus Calling — Sarah Young
Main Street Summit — Faith + Business Conference
(Columbia, MO)
For Faith-Driven Small Business Owners
Want HR that reflects your values and strengthens your culture?
HR in a Box
A practical, biblical, and effective HR system for small businesses.
Kerri’s Book: The HR Easy Button
Lead with clarity, courage, and conviction.
About the Show
Don’t Waste the Chaos with Kerri M. Roberts is a faith-informed masterclass on leadership, work, wellness, and marriage—rooted in values that never waver.
New episodes weekly.
Connect with Kerri
Instagram: @kerrimroberts
