The highest level of authority are those who follow you because you first loved them even while they were in sin. Like Jesus! He loves us first and even while we’re in sin and ailing Him to the cross He died for us. He even asked at the point of death “Father forgive them they know not what they do!”
People will follow and give you authority when they see you love them and you don’t quit on them, or desert them when they are down, even if the reason they are down is due to their own fault. In fact if you stick with them at that time they are even more loyal... as we are to Jesus!
Forgive 7X70; make room for others faults; love covers a multitude of sin; I can go on and on! It takes humility, only humility can carry this load and do what is necessary. Jesus was the greatest example of this... as He loved and served the disciples, even washing their feet, LITERALLY! And said to them, “if you’re my servants and I’ve served you like this (as He was God on earth!) how much more should you serve one another?”
Jesus’s life was service and His inner circle family! He said “they shall know you by your love for one another!” Family should not punish to separation, but we should honor to restoration. So do you honor one another? When someone fails do you stick with them and love them to restoration? Do you remind them who they are and protect and save their pride!? Do you call out their destiny? Do you let them see your heart by being transparent? Or do you hide it all behind pride and arrogance... which is just fear... fear of vulnerability... but true love cast out fear! So let us be found in Him, fearless and loving one another well, making the world jealous of our love that comes from He who first loved us.
You want to have followers to follow your life toward Christ then the simple answer is, love others at their worst! Don’t quit on peeps. Especially if they are your ministry family! Each person is precious and worth our time and care. Look around. Who is God placing in your life? You should be able to see your ministry family pretty easy... let’s love like Jesus!!