The Borrowed Armor: Why I Stopped Mimicking Famous Pastors and Embraced 'The Sling Theory'

As a lay leader at Grace Community Chapel for over twelve years, I have coached dozens of volunteers through what I call "The Sling Theory" - a concept born directly from my own humiliating failure during our 2023 Spring Retreat. Despite a decade of experience leading women’s ministries, I suffer from a chronic, debilitating case of Imposter Syndrome. It doesn't matter how many study guides I write or how many prayer breakfasts I facilitate; I often walk into a room assuming I am the least qualified theologian there. I live with a low-grade terror that a deacon or elder is going to stand up, point a finger at me, and shout, "She doesn't know what she’s doing! She’s just a volunteer!"