What I Learned About Creating Advocates from Leading a Church

For ten years I led a church community. And the most important thing I learned about creating advocates – people who genuinely champion what you’re doing – came not from a business book but from that experience.

The church I led grew from a small group to several hundred people. Most of that growth came from word of mouth. And the word of mouth came from a specific practice: we consistently put people in the story.

What ‘putting people in the story’ means

It means that rather than telling people about what you do, you show them doing it. You make them the protagonist, not the audience.

In practice, this meant:

• Sharing stories of real people whose lives had changed, in their own words
• Inviting people to contribute to events, not just attend them
• Giving people responsibilities and platforms, not just information
• Celebrating people publicly and specifically

Why advocates are created this way

When someone is in your story – when their experience is part of your narrative – they develop a sense of ownership. It’s no longer your thing. It’s partly theirs.

And when something is partly yours, you defend it. You promote it. You bring others into it.

This is not manipulation. It’s the recognition that people are wired for belonging and contribution. Give them a genuine role in something meaningful, and they will advocate for it without being asked.

The same principle applies in any organisation. Customers who are featured become advocates. Employees who are trusted with real responsibility become advocates. Community members who are given a platform become advocates.

Put people in the story. Not as props. As protagonists.