My Definition of Power
One of the most misunderstood words in society is power.
Many people associate power with fame, status, money, titles, or control. While those things may be associated with power, I define it differently.
Power is that which insulates people from harm and danger.
I define empowerment as:
The transfer of responsibility and authority to another person.
Therefore, a fundamental truth emerges:
You cannot empower beyond the power you possess.
You can encourage people beyond your power.
You can inspire people beyond your power.
You can pray for people beyond your power.
But your ability to create opportunities, remove obstacles, deploy resources, open doors, influence systems, and protect others is directly connected to the amount of power you possess.
That is why I unapologetically pursue power.
Not for personal advancement.
Not for status.
Not for recognition.
But because the size of the assignment determines the amount of power required to complete it.
My life mission is to be significant by serving millions and bringing them into a relationship with Jesus Christ, starting with my wife, Kelli, and our daughters, Mackenzi and Mackenna.
That mission requires power.
Not because I want people to know my name.
But because I want more people to know His.
The Two Forms of Earthly Power
While power can take many forms, most power on earth is accumulated through two primary forms of capital:
Financial Capital
Financial capital is the ability to deploy resources.
It allows people to:
- Build organizations
- Create jobs
- Fund programs
- Purchase property
- Invest in solutions
- Create opportunities for others
Money is not evil.
The love of money is.
Money is a tool.
Like any tool, its value is determined by the character of the person using it.
Social Capital
Social capital is trust, relationships, credibility, influence, and access.
It allows people to:
- Open doors
- Build partnerships
- Influence decisions
- Access opportunities
- Mobilize communities
- Accelerate change
Many people possess one without the other.
The most powerful people often possess both.
Jesus and Power
Some Christians become uncomfortable when discussing power.
I do not.
Not because power is the goal.
But because power is often required to accomplish the goal.
As a Christian, I believe Jesus willingly left heaven, entered human history, and came to earth with the mission of dying on the cross for our sins.
People are free to believe that or reject it.
But that is what I believe.
What is often overlooked is that Jesus lived within the realities of the world He entered.
Jesus worked.
Scripture identifies Him as a carpenter.
“Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”
— Mark 6:3
Before His public ministry, Jesus developed a trade.
He understood work.
He understood responsibility.
He understood the dignity of labor.
Even the Son of God did not bypass the value of productive work.
In today’s language, Jesus participated in the creation of financial capital through work.
Likewise, Jesus benefited from social capital.
Following His crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea used his influence, reputation, and resources to secure Jesus’s body and provide a tomb.
“Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb.”
— Matthew 27:59-60
Even in death, social capital mattered.
A respected and influential man used his power in service of God’s purpose.
The lesson is not that Jesus needed power.
The lesson is that power exists.
The question is whether we will use it for ourselves or for others.
Understanding Impact
To understand power, we must understand the progression from activity to transformation.
Inputs
What we invest.
- Time
- Talent
- Treasure
- Relationships
- Knowledge
- Facilities
Outputs
What we do.
- Practices
- Meetings
- Programs
- Trainings
- Mentoring sessions
- Community events
Outcomes
What changes for an individual.
- Improved grades
- Increased confidence
- Employment
- College enrollment
- Better decision-making
- Stronger leadership
Impact
What changes for communities, cities, systems, and generations.
- Reduced poverty
- Increased economic mobility
- Safer communities
- Better educational outcomes
- Increased representation in leadership
- Greater participation in professional sports
Inputs create outputs.
Outputs create outcomes.
Outcomes create impact.
Outputs help people.
Outcomes change people.
Impact changes systems.
The larger the impact, the greater the power required.
The Power Scale
Level 1 (0–10): Survival
Focused on immediate needs.
Little financial capital.
Little social capital.
Primary concern is making it through today.
Level 2 (11–20): Stability
Basic needs are met more consistently.
Beginning to develop discipline, habits, skills, and relationships.
Level 3 (21–30): Reliability
People trust you.
You consistently do what you say you will do.
Your reputation begins creating opportunities.
Level 4 (31–40): Influence
People seek your advice.
You possess influence within your immediate circles of family, friends, school, church, or work.
Level 5 (41–50): Leadership
You regularly create opportunities for others.
Your decisions affect teams, organizations, and communities.
Level 6 (51–60): Community Impact
You influence institutions and neighborhoods.
Resources increasingly flow through you, not merely to you.
Level 7 (61–70): Citywide Impact
Your influence extends across an entire city.
You help shape systems, partnerships, and community outcomes.
Level 8 (71–80): Regional Impact
Your work affects multiple cities, industries, or regions.
You can mobilize significant financial and social capital.
Level 9 (81–90): National Impact
Your influence affects national conversations.
Your leadership creates opportunities for thousands or millions.
Level 10 (91–100): Legacy Power
Your influence outlives you.
Organizations, leaders, systems, investments, and ideas continue creating value after your death.
You have become a symbol.
Why I Am Pursuing Power
On Opening Day 2026, African Americans represented approximately 6% of Major League Baseball players.
Suppose our goal is to increase that number to more than 25% by 2040.
That is not merely a baseball challenge.
That is a power challenge.
The issue is not talent.
The issue is access, opportunity, investment, relationships, systems, and long-term development.
A coach can influence a team.
A program can influence hundreds.
An organization can influence thousands.
But changing a national percentage requires financial and social power operating at scale.
Likewise, a child born into poverty in the City of Atlanta today has roughly a 4% chance of reaching the top of the income ladder.
For years, Atlanta has ranked near or at the bottom among major American cities for economic mobility.
Suppose we wanted to increase that percentage from 4% to 25% by 2040.
Suppose we wanted Atlanta to move from near the bottom to the top 25 among major cities for economic mobility.
That is not merely a charitable challenge.
That is a power challenge.
Achieving either goal would require:
- Strong families
- Great schools
- Effective nonprofits
- Corporate partnerships
- Philanthropic investment
- Entrepreneurship
- Workforce development
- Public policy
- Community leadership
- Long-term commitment
Good intentions are not enough.
The scale of the challenge requires power.
The 1776–2076 Vision
There is a historical alignment that fuels my thinking about power, significance, and legacy.
America was founded in 1776.
Major League Baseball was established in 1876.
I was born in 1976.
And by God’s grace, I hope to be alive in 2076.
Whether coincidence or providence, those dates remind me that every generation inherits opportunities, responsibilities, and problems from those who came before them.
One hundred years after America’s founding, Major League Baseball was established.
One hundred years later, I was born.
One hundred years later, I hope to still be living as a symbol of what is possible when success is used to serve others and power is used to empower others.
I do not aspire to merely leave memories.
I aspire to leave systems.
I aspire to leave leaders.
I aspire to leave opportunities.
I aspire to leave institutions.
Because symbolization is not about being remembered.
It is about what continues because you lived.
Problems and Power
One of the most important lessons I have learned is this:
Problems are created by people.
But they are also solved by people.
Poverty is a people problem.
Educational inequity is a people problem.
Crime is a people problem.
Economic immobility is a people problem.
The underrepresentation of African Americans in Major League Baseball is a people problem.
And because people created these problems, people can solve them.
The question becomes:
Do enough people possess the power, conviction, courage, discipline, relationships, resources, and humility required to solve them?
Every meaningful problem eventually becomes a power problem.
At some point, solving the problem requires resources.
At some point, solving the problem requires relationships.
At some point, solving the problem requires influence.
At some point, solving the problem requires leadership.
At some point, solving the problem requires sacrifice.
Power is not the goal.
Power is the capacity required to achieve the goal.
10 Ways to Increase Your Power
- Deepen your relationship with God.
- Develop expertise in a valuable skill.
- Become exceptionally trustworthy.
- Improve your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Increase your financial literacy and stewardship.
- Build authentic relationships across different communities.
- Solve meaningful problems for large numbers of people.
- Learn to communicate clearly and persuasively.
- Build systems that create results without your constant presence.
- Use every success to serve others.
Three Questions to Wrestle With
- What problem am I uniquely called to help solve?
Not every problem is your assignment.
But everyone has an assignment.
What burden breaks your heart enough to dedicate your life to addressing it?
- Does my current level of power match the size of my vision?
If not, what must I learn, build, earn, steward, or become in order to increase my capacity for impact?
Because God-sized visions often require greater financial capital, social capital, and leadership capacity than we currently possess.
- If I gained ten times more power tomorrow, who would benefit from it besides me?
The answer to that question reveals whether your pursuit of power is rooted in selfish ambition or meaningful service.
Because power without purpose becomes pride.
But power with purpose becomes impact.
And impact sustained over time becomes legacy.
Success, Significance, Symbolization, and Power
Success is achieving a goal.
Significance is using your success to serve others.
Symbolization is becoming an example whose life continues teaching after death.
Power is what allows significance to scale.
Power is not measured by what you can do for yourself.
Power is measured by how many people are safer, stronger, healthier, wiser, wealthier, and closer to God because you existed.
My goal is not power for personal advancement.
My goal is power for public impact.
I want to receive the responsibility so that God receives the glory.
I want to spend the rest of my life acquiring power, not so that more people know my name, but so that more people are safer, stronger, wiser, wealthier, and closer to God because I lived.
Because power is not the destination.
Power is the tool.
Empowerment is the transfer.
Service is the purpose.
Impact is the result.
And God’s glory is the goal.