In this episode of Ignite The Day Podcast, Toby talks with Matt Hattabaugh, an American missionary, pastor, and author based in Beirut, Lebanon. Matt and his wife Julie oversee Go Church Beirut and serve as national directors for Rhema Bible College Lebanon. He recently released his fifth book, Secure Leadership, and in this conversation, he dives deep into the real-world impact of empowering others, leadership insecurity, and how biblical principles can transform both church and marketplace environments.If you’ve ever wondered how to transition from transactional to transformational leadership, or how to develop cultures of trust, learning, and empowerment, this episode is for you. Matt shares powerful stories from his own journey—from serving in Russia and the Czech Republic, to corporate America, and ultimately back into global ministry—and reveals practical steps to create lasting influence in any sphere.Whether you're a church leader, in the public sector, or passionate about missions and discipleship, grab your notebook—there are golden nuggets throughout.Get your copy of Matt’s new book Secure Leadership.USA: https://a.co/d/0iLvSSbUUK: https://amzn.eu/d/0ivBnxVn Find out more at https://go-me.org/Chapters / Key Moments:00:00 – Introduction to Matt, Lebanon missions, and Secure Leadership02:16 – Childhood influences, growing up around missionaries04:08 – From the US mission field to corporate America (and back again)06:40 – Experiencing God’s call to Lebanon and planting Go Church Beirut09:12 – Lessons learned in finance and corporate leadership11:19 – Bringing biblical principles into the workplace13:06 – Empowering others and the tragedy of leader insecurity15:54 – The heart of Secure Leadership and giving the mission away18:20 – Transformational leadership: moving beyond transactional thinking21:00 – Insecurity: unseen limits and long-term impact on teams24:42 – How insecurity can create toxic environments and church hurt26:29 – The importance of self-assessment and healthy leadership environments28:24 – Practical steps to empower and develop new leaders30:33 – Giving away responsibility and trust—what happens when things go wrong?33:40 – Learning cultures vs. blame cultures: Honesty, mistakes, and growth34:23 – The story of George Washington, King George, and giving away power36:46 – Transactional leadership in church and corporate life39:40 – What to do if you recognize insecurity and transactional leadership in yourself43:06 – How to handle being led by an insecure or transactional leader46:22 – Influence beyond titles: leading from any seatConnect with Matt at go-me.orgListen, like, and subscribe to Ignite The Day Podcast for more inspiring leadership and faith conversations.