“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10
The executive Pastor at The Life Christian Church, recently quoted the following from a book he is reading about organizational growth: “When associates engage in extra helping behaviors, the organization achieves higher productivity, hospitality, and reduced costs.” He lists those “helping behaviors” as the following:
- Altruism (others’ welfare)
- Courtesy (treatment of others)
- Compliance (organization norms)
- Civic Virtue (honor one another)
- Sportsmanship (discomfort for others, work together)
Imagine if the largest evangelical Christian organization were to do this…. Imagine if the “American Church” were to act this way. What would it look like for each member of your church to live out these Christ-like behaviors? There’s an old African proverb that says “If you want to go somewhere fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”
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| Reminiscing over 10 years of ministry in NJ at Jersey Cru. |
I’m very proud to be part of an organization that is thinking through some of these difficult things and making changes for the sake of the whole family of God. Helping all of our staff see the value and the biblical support to behave in these ways towards those most “unlike us” so that more people can know someone who truly follows Jesus Christ is going to take time. This is where I want to invest my time and why I am announcing my new role with the Campus ministry of Cru as the National Leadership Coordinator of Culture and Mission. I’m excited and nervous to take on this next role. This is something God called me to do years ago, but I’ve been with the Jersey Metro team a long time.
Saying goodbye to the team I’ve worked with for ten years (pictured left praying for me) which consists of people I’ve known even longer will not be easy but I’m trusting God to bring me through what He has called me to. With the support of my earthly family and spiritual family, I know I can do this. My biggest concern is that of my nieces & nephew. Please remember me in your prayers as I transition out of the Jersey Campus Ministry and into “Culture & Mission” within the U.S. Campus ministry and later move.
Next Steps: My apartment lease doesn’t end until May of 2018, which is when I plan to move to Orlando to be closer to Cru headquarters and bring a new voice to an influential global ministry. In the meantime, I will be working to solidify my financial support, help transition students, assist families in Puerto Rico, and help develop Cru staff through various national strategies. I just returned from helping coach staff in the new SLI (Senior Leadership Initiative) group and am planning the next LENSES training for February (LENSESinstitute.com). Lookout for my next prayer letter to learn more.
Until then, please pray for wisdom as I continue to press into this next stage of my life. I need to find an apartment by April and have a few conferences that I will be attending and even hosting over the course of the next few months. There is a lot to do that I’m happy to share with you soon, but my primary focus will be to raise the rest of my financial support so that I can be focussed 100% in Orlando in helping our staff across the nation truly engage in “helping behaviors” where they will love one another across cultural barriers just as Christ calls us to do in scripture.
Thank you for supporting God’s work through me with Cru.
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