nolanjones

High-capacity leaders are good at showing up. For family, work, Forums, and for the people who count on them. 

But the more a leader pours out, the more intentional they must be about being poured into. Most already know this, but even the strongest leaders forget to protect it.

The leaders who endure don’t wait until they’re running on fumes. They guard time for replenishment. They treat it like any other key meeting on the calendar: non-negotiable, because too much depends on it.

A few practices that help keep leaders steady:

Let someone else lead you. Step into spaces where you’re not in charge: a Forum, a study, a retreat, even a conversation where your only role is to listen. 

Allow interruption. Build enough margin that if God or someone in your sphere of influence interrupts, you can say yes. Some of the best leadership moments happen off-schedule.

Get serious about what fills you. Replenishment isn’t just rest; it’s spiritual renewal. Make space for your cup to be filled by the Holy Spirit. Surround yourself with people who know how God has wired you and will call you back to that design. Commit to serious study of His Word and stay close to those who encourage and equip you for the work He’s entrusted to you.

None of this happens by accident. It takes the same discipline and purpose that define every other part of great leadership.

By John Lochner, Board Member, Pinnacle Forum

When you grow up in a place like Green Bay, Wisconsin, you learn the value of deep roots. You understand the importance of community—not just the kind where you wave at your neighbor from the driveway, but the kind where you show up for each other. Faith, integrity, hard work—these aren’t just ideals; they’re the daily rhythm of life. And yet, even in a town like mine, where values run deep, we see the cracks forming in the culture around us.

That’s why I believe so deeply in investing time around a table with like-minded peers.

What I experience each week in my Forum is more than a network. It’s a movement. For me and many others, it was a call of the Holy Spirit. It’s the gathering of Christ-centered leaders from every corner of culture—business, government, education, media, the arts—who are saying, “We were made for more.” It’s a brotherhood and sisterhood that doesn’t just challenge us to lead well in our spheres of influence, but to lead differently: with humility, purpose, and boldness rooted in the Gospel.

What I’ve seen over the years is this: when a leader aligns their calling with God’s vision, things are transformed. Not just in the leader, but in their organizations, families, and communities. It’s like watching a light turn on in a room that had grown dim. Conversations deepen. Priorities realign. And culture begins to bend—not by force, but by example.

Power lies in those small, confidential groups where trust is built and iron sharpens iron. In those spaces, I’ve seen leaders drop their guard. I’ve seen tears, laughter, confession, encouragement, and breakthroughs. It’s where isolation is replaced by connection, and clarity is found in the chaos.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t just for the coasts or the big cities. It’s happening right here in places like Green Bay, WI, Modesto, CA, Champaign, IL, and Rapid City, SD. It’s happening in boardrooms and backyards, in early morning Zoom calls and over lunch at a Partner’s office. Because the need for cultural transformation doesn’t wear a specific zip code. It’s universal.

And so is the call.

We were never meant to carry the weight of leadership alone. Pinnacle Forum reminds us of that truth. It calls us into community, discipleship, and transformation—not just for our sake, but for the sake of the culture around us.

As Chairman of the Board, I see what God is doing through this ministry across the country and in the everyday lives of leaders who are tired of the status quo and hungry for Kingdom impact.

This is the quiet power of this important ministry. And it’s just getting started.

A Note from Connor Hillard, CEO

At Pinnacle Forum, we’re intentional with our words because words, like actions, shape culture. That’s why we call the leaders who stand with us Partners, not members. Membership is something you pay for to gain access, similar to a gym, a club, or a golf course. Members enjoy the perks, and when something isn’t quite right, they complain: “The drapes don’t match the furniture,” or “The greens aren’t in good shape this season.” Membership is transactional. It’s about what you get. Partnership, on the other hand, is transformational. A Partner sees what could be and commits to help make it happen. A Partner doesn’t stand on the sidelines. They shoulder the plow. They invest in the mission, the movement, and the people alongside them. Our Partners support Pinnacle Forum at $125 a month, not because they pay to belong, but because they choose to invest in what God is doing through this ministry. That $125 isn’t a fee for services rendered. It’s a stake in the ground that says: “I want to see more leaders connected, transformed, and unleashed for Kingdom impact.”

“Partners invest in the mission, the movement, and the people alongside them.”

Our Partners know that while facilitation, tools, and resources matter, the true experience of Pinnacle Forum is the relationships. Forums are built on trust, vulnerability, accountability, and encouragement. Partners don’t just show up for themselves; they show up for one another. That’s why we don’t invite people to join Pinnacle Forum like they’d join a country club. We invite them to own the mission with us. To put skin in the game. To link arms with other leaders who say: “I’m not content to watch the culture drift. I want to be part of shaping it for Christ. And I know that begins by first seeing leaders transformed in Christ.”

“Partners don’t just show up for themselves; they show up for one another.”

So yes — members complain about the drapes. Partners build the house.

Members worry about the greens. Partners tend the garden.

Members pay only for their benefit. Partners plant seeds for a harvest they may never fully see, but they believe in it anyway.

When you commit as a Partner, you’re stepping into something far bigger than yourself. You’re stepping into a movement, and you’re helping it grow.

And that’s why we’ll always call you Partner. Because that’s exactly what you are.