From Rock Bottom to Uncommon Leader

I sat down with a man many would call controversial.
Some call him brilliant.
Others... well, let’s just say their opinions are far more complicated.

He was writing best-selling Christian books.
He was featured on Sid Roth's It's Supernatural.

Helped found a movement.
He built a global Bible school that trained leaders around the world.

He was the guy—the one people quoted, followed, admired.

And then, in 2018, it all came crashing down.

The school? Gone.
His ministry? Dissolved.
His voice? Silent.

He didn’t even show up to his own annual conference.
That’s how bad it got.

I remember when I first heard the rumors.
Then silence.
Then judgment.

As someone who’s survived abuse and narcissistic relationships, I thought I’d written men like him off for good.
But as I listened to his story… I saw something different.

Not a polished PR version of repentance.
Not a flashy comeback with a new platform to push.

What I saw was a man who had actually done the work.
The deep, internal, uncomfortable work that most people avoid.

I didn’t bring him on to defend him.
I brought him on because I believe real redemption matters.

And I believe this story—messy, unfiltered, painful as it may be—has something to teach all of us.

This episode of the Destiny Awaits podcast is for the one who’s been hurt by a narcissist.

It’s for the person who's been called the narcissist—and isn’t sure what to do with that label.

It’s for the leader who’s lost everything and wonders if there’s still a way forward.

It’s for anyone who’s ever hit rock bottom and asked,
Is there any way up from here?

In our conversation, we talk about:

• The moment everything unraveled

• How narcissism forms in spiritual leadership

• What emotional healing and real accountability looks like

• Why Gen Z doesn’t want shallow leadership—they want authenticity

• And how to become an Uncommon Leader in a world full of counterfeit ones

You’ll Want to Hear This If…

• You’ve experienced spiritual abuse or church hurt

• You’re trying to heal from toxic leadership

• You wonder if fallen leaders can ever truly change

• You're in leadership and don’t want to repeat the same mistakes

• You’re raising or mentoring young adults who long to lead well

This isn’t a fluffy redemption arc.

It’s raw.
It’s layered.
It’s uncommon.

And honestly?
It gave me HOPE.

Hope that leadership doesn’t have to look like performance.
Hope that we can come back from rock bottom.
Hope that even those we write off... can change.

🎧 Listen Now:

Episode: From Rock Bottom to Uncommon Leader
🎙️ Available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube
👉 All Podcast App links

👉 Apple Podcasts

👉 YouTube

🎓 Bonus: Free Course for Young Adults

If you’re between the ages of 15 and 30 (or know someone who is), the guest of this episode just released a brand-new leadership course called Uncommon Leaders.

It’s completely free—and it’s not fluff.
It’s about building leaders from the inside out.
➡️ www.jonwelton.com

Some episodes entertain.
Some teach.
This one?
It changes things.

Give it a listen. Let it challenge you. Let it stir something deep.
And maybe, just maybe… let it give you hope.