As Christian leaders, we are called to be beacons of hope and unity, especially in the face of difficult challenges. At this year’s Rethink Leadership and Orange Conference, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand how these events shone as examples of Beaconship in action when confronted with an unexpected leadership transition.
Just days before the conference began, Orange’s founder, Reggie Joiner, voluntarily resigned after admitting to inappropriate behavior violating the organization’s values and policies. While this news could have cast a shadow over the proceedings, Orange’s Board and leadership team chose to model the principles of Beaconship by addressing the situation head-on with transparency, compassion, and a commitment to restoration.
Rather than glossing over or hiding from this challenge, Orange dedicated the opening session to an honest and vulnerable discussion about what happened, how the organization responded, and the path forward. As someone passionate about the power of Beaconship to transform even the most difficult situations, I believe this experience offers valuable lessons for all of us entrusted with leadership influence.
In this post, I’ll share my reflections on how Orange navigated this leadership challenge, the Beaconship principles they demonstrated, and the insights I gained about transparently facing the storms that inevitably arise as we strive to be guiding lights in a divided world. By exploring this real-world case study together, we can be better equipped to lead with courage, grace, and integrity no matter what crises come our way.
What Happened: A Transparent Response to a Leadership Crisis
Just days before the Rethink Leadership and Orange Conferences began, Orange announced that its founder, Reggie Joiner, had voluntarily resigned due to violating the organization’s conduct policies. In a statement, Orange shared that Reggie had admitted to “inappropriate adult relationships” that eroded trust with the organization.
Facing this unexpected leadership crisis on the eve of their signature event, Orange had a choice. They could minimally acknowledge the situation and attempt to keep the focus solely on the conference content. Or they could tackle the issue with candor, bringing their community together to process this challenging news. To their credit, Orange chose the path of Beaconship.
During the opening session, which I had the privilege to attend, Orange dedicated a full 30 minutes to addressing Reggie’s resignation. Carey Nieuwhof, a longtime Orange senior leader who had authored books with Reggie, interviewed the Board Chair on stage. Visibly emotional, they explained what happened, why Reggie resigned, and how the organization responded.
They acknowledged the shock and pain this news triggered, affirming the sense of betrayal many were feeling. But they also pointed to Orange’s unwavering commitment to its mission and values, sharing that an external investigation had been promptly launched when the Board learned of the allegations. While devastated, they were unequivocal that this conduct was unacceptable and violated the trust placed in Reggie as a leader.
Importantly, they emphasized Orange’s dual commitments to truth and grace. They shared that their goal was to address the immediate crisis and pursue a journey of healing and restoration for all affected. Spiritual and counseling support was being discussed to help Reggie, his family, and those harmed by his actions.
The issue was addressed again when opening up for the larger Orange conference later that day. While I wasn’t present for this, I heard from attendees that the audience appreciated the humble transparency. Hearts were heavy, but there was a shared resolve to move forward in the mission together.
In the sections that followed, the conferences proceeded without further disruption. The content was rich, the energy was high, and the sense of community was strong. It was a testament to the power of leading with transparent vulnerability in a crisis. By shining a light on the truth and uniting around shared values, Orange navigated this unexpected storm gracefully, allowing the conferences to have their intended impact.
Beaconship Principles Demonstrated: Transparency, Compassion, and Tailored Leadership
As I reflected on Orange’s response to Reggie’s resignation, I was struck by how it embodied several core principles of Beaconship.
First and foremost, Orange leaned into transparency. They addressed the crisis head-on, sharing the facts of what occurred while also making space for the emotional impact. In doing so, they preempted speculation and rumor by shining a light on the truth, modeling the accountability and integrity they expect of their leaders.
This transparency flowed from a place of compassion for Reggie and those harmed by his actions. Orange’s Board could have simply announced Reggie’s departure and focused on damage control. Instead, they humanized the situation, acknowledging the pain and betrayal while holding space for healing and restoration.
By emphasizing their commitment to counseling and support, Orange modeled the belief that love does not mean excusing misconduct but walking together through a journey from brokenness to wholeness. They pointed to a vision of justice that is not solely punitive but ultimately redemptive.
Importantly, Orange tailored its Beaconship to the differing needs of its audiences. At the Rethink Leadership conference, with its intimate focus on executive leadership, the interview with Gary and the Board Chair struck an appropriately vulnerable and reflective tone. The discussion focused on leadership principles, organizational values, and the Board’s process.
When addressing the larger Orange audience of thousands of ministry practitioners, the tone shifted to be more aspirational and mission-focused. Here, the goal was to reaffirm the “why” behind the community, acknowledging the crisis while rallying the crowd around their shared calling. The group was bound together by purpose and hope.
In both settings, Orange met their audiences where they were, demonstrating situational awareness and emotional intelligence. They modeled the empathy and wisdom to know their communities’ needs and tailor their Beaconship accordingly.
Throughout, Orange’s response was guided by its stated values and a clear moral compass. Sharing its process—launching an independent investigation, accepting Reggie’s resignation when the allegations were substantiated, and committing to a journey of healing—showed integrity in aligning actions to espoused values.
As Christian leaders, we are called to be light in the darkness, but that doesn’t mean we will be immune from humanity’s brokenness. Crises will come, often when we least expect them. Orange’s example shows the power of meeting such challenges with transparent vulnerability, compassionate accountability, and adaptive leadership. In doing so, we can model Beaconship when things are going well and in the crucible moments that forge our witness.
Personal Reflections: The Power of Leading with Transparent Vulnerability
Witnessing Orange’s response to Reggie’s resignation left me with a renewed conviction about the type of leadership our world needs now more than ever. In an age of spin and image management, there is a profound hunger for leaders who choose candor over concealment and vulnerability over pretense.
As a leader, my instinct in crisis can be to project strength to focus on steadying the ship. Orange’s example reminded me that true strength flows from the courage to face hard realities head-on and open up about our struggles and successes. When we do so, we permit others to bring their full humanity to the table, fostering cultures of trust and resilience.
Observing the Rethink and Orange audiences’ responses underscored the power of gathering in community, even – perhaps especially – in turbulent times. The heaviness of the opening news was undeniable, but so was the palpable sense of shared purpose and resolve. United in mission, attendees could absorb the shock while maintaining forward momentum.
I left with a deepened appreciation for the role of conferences like these in strengthening the relational fabric of our leadership ecosystems. By coming together in authentic fellowship, we remind each other that we are not alone in our triumphs or trials. We are woven together in a story larger than any of us, called to spur one another on in the face of adversity.
On a personal note, I was moved by Orange’s commitment to Reggie and his family, even as they held him accountable for his actions. Too often, our Christian communities can drift toward a false dichotomy, seeing people as either heroes or villains. Orange modeled a third way, affirming Reggie’s gifting and contributions while also naming his conduct as wrong and unacceptable.
This is the heart of Beaconship – a love that speaks truth, an accountability grounded in grace. It calls us to see each other not as the sum of our worst moments but as flawed vessels sanctified in the light of radical love. This is the path of restoration, and while it is hard and costly, there is no other way to wholeness.
As I traveled home from the conference, my spirit felt simultaneously heavier and lighter. Heavier with the weight of our human frailty and the recognition that none of us are immune from failure. But lighter with the hope that flows from seeing Beaconship embodied, from witnessing leaders choose faithfulness over expediency.
In the end, this is the mantle of leadership in a divided age—to steward the trust placed in us with humble transparency, to forge communities of belonging that can absorb shocks with grit and grace, and to cast light not only from pristine stages but also from places of fracture and fragility. This is the path Orange illuminated in a dark moment. May we have the moral courage to follow that light when our own hard moments come.
Conclusion: Beaconship for the Storms Ahead
The 2024 Rethink Leadership and Orange Conferences will be marked by Reggie Joiner’s unexpected resignation crisis. But they will also be remembered as a testament to the power of Beaconship in navigating turbulent waters.
When the storms of leadership failure and broken trust hit, Orange chose to steer into the waves with transparency, compassion, and a commitment to practicing its principles in the crucible of pain. In doing so, they weathered the immediate upheaval and offered a glimpse of a better way forward—a leadership ethos anchored in integrity, empathy, and hope.
Reflecting on Orange’s example’s lessons, I am reminded that Beaconship is not a technique we deploy in calm seas but a lighthouse we build for the inevitable storms. It is a daily discipline of shaping cultures where truth can be spoken with grace, hold each other accountable, and make space for healing and restoration.
Critically, we need help to do this. We need communities of fellow travelers who will remind us of true north when the fog descends, who will extend grace while also spurring us on toward integrity. Gatherings like Rethink and Orange offer vital opportunities to forge these bonds of trust and transparency, to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).
The reality is that we are all works in progress, prone to wandering and failing. Christian leadership in a divided age means stewarding the trust placed in us not by projecting perfection but by modeling the humble pursuit of faithfulness. It means choosing candor over concealment, accountability over expediency, and people over platforms.
As I look ahead to future conferences and leadership convenings, I pray that we will meet each other in that vulnerable space, resolute in our shared mission, even as we extend grace for our shared frailty. May we be marked by the courage to face hard truths head-on, knowing that the light of love is most powerful when it pierces the darkest storms.
In a world starving for authenticity and hungry for hope, this is the heart of Beaconship – to forge through the flames with a love that illuminates, restores, and transforms. As leaders, we are called to nothing less. May Orange’s example be a guiding light for the journey ahead.
