I started two days of fasting and prayer yesterday. Don't get the idea I am a monk who loves spiritual discipline. It is really hard for me. I told myself at the start of the day yesterday to think about my hunger pains as aches for God. It actually worked. Draw near to God, flee the devil and God will draw near to you. The day started with and early morning meeting with my son Ryan (25 years old) for our weekly conversation about following Jesus. We talked about prayer and what it meant to have an intimate relationship with God. I can't imagine a greater joy than to have a son who has a heart for God. It put the wind in my sails for the rest of the day and it is still blowing. Someone said to me, what do you do for a whole day? What I do is listen. I actually don't talk a lot to God but try to quiet my mind and spirit and listen to His voice, writing things down as I hear them. I come away with a few thoughts that seem to resonate over and over with me and then I ask the Lord to confirm them through the events of the next day.
Today we started the day with a small concert at 9:00 am in the Reimer Library by Jars of Clay. They were in town for our radio station Spirit 105.3. It was quite a treat. We invited 50 people including our Kings Celebration group. They are award winning Jazz singers from Kings Junior High School. One young girl made her own concert T shirt to commemorate the event and show her excitement for being invited. These guys were terrific and what a great way to start the second day worshipping God. Great lyrics to some news songs that are coming out in their new album. During the morning two different people grabbed me in the halls and gave me exactly what I asked God to confirm. Wow!
The work at CRISTA in spiritual work. All of us who are leaders have to begin with our own lives, examining ourselves and humbling ourselves before God. We must do this if we are going to be able to give any semblance of service to the people we lead and the people the ministry serves. Pray for all of us in these challenging times and take care of your own spiritual health. No one else will do it for you. Have a great weekend.
I recently have had several meetings at CRISTA and shared these reminders. I thought they might be helpful to all of us.
- Everyone is a leader! Steer the ship God has given you. Solve the problems you are presented with. Give your crew courage. Don’t expect others to do it.
- We must be united! Sailors throwing water on each other eventually sink the ship.
- Leaders deal with the issues of the day. We have plenty. Deal with the reality of the waves, which occasionally are very big waves, that are coming our way.
- You will have fewer resources and will be asked to do more. Figure out how to do it with joy.
- Everyone has to deliver value.
- You are being watched everywhere you go. Leaders are never off duty.
- The biggest challenges are generally for the ministries that minister to the poor and oppressed who are unseen and far away: World Concern, CVM, and SUA. We are all in this together.
- Religion does not cause transformation in people or cultures; Jesus Christ alone changes the hearts and minds of people.
For two weeks World Concern hosts an annual meeting for the country directors here in Seattle at CRISTA's Shoreline campus. It is a highlight of the year for me. The directors come from 16 different countries. I want you to have a taste of how this actually looks and feels. Prodip is a Bangladeshi who oversees 350 staff in Bangladesh. Christon is a Haitian who oversees staff in Haiti. Three Kenyans live in Nairobi, Kenya: Hesbone oversees the work in Kenya, Peter the work in Sudan, and Elias the efforts in Somalia. Fatima looks over the work in Bolivia. Ian is a New Zealander who leads the work in Laos and in Sri Lanka. Other individuals committed to leading World Concern efforts include Richard, the director of the Asia area; Robin, leading work in Vietnam; Chamba, who oversees progress in Tibet; Francis, Country Director for Laos; Diane, who leads World Concern efforts in Africa; Nick, the Deputy Relief Director; and Saranya, Manager of the Child Protection Program in Thailand.This is a little bit like heaven to me. These people all speak several languages, are educated, articulate, and deeply spiritual leaders. You can feel the buzz daily as they have only two weeks to talk together to encourage each other, to plan, and to pray together in order to gather courage for the work ahead in the next year. Their stories of God’s working through them in these difficult countries inspire and humble me. We spent every morning the first week working on what truly is the work of transformation ministry. How is it that we assist people to grow and develop spiritually, culturally, and systematically into truly self-sustainable countries? I am very proud and pleased to be associated with such quality people. They do make a huge difference in the world.
Last night Kathleen and I hosted all 40 of these leaders in our home for dinner. We ate, laughed, prayed, and encouraged each other. I wish you could have been there.
As President of CRISTA, one of the important jobs I have is to communicate a wide array of messages to CRISTA’s various constituencies. Recently I was reflecting on who our constituencies are. Among them are our 2,000 employees around the world. About 775 of these are on our Shoreline campus, with 250 more across the water on the Kitsap Peninsula, in Seattle, and in Lynden working with our other ministries in Washington. Another 1,000 serve in approximately 30 developing countries around the world. In addition to these employees, there are the 1,500 students who attend King’s Schools, as well as their families. Then there are the 800 residents who live in our Senior Living facilities, over 500,000 listeners to our radio stations, and over 100,000 donors who are partners in our work. But, regardless of efforts to accurately communicate information, rumors abound. Many of these rumors are attributed to me or others in leadership, and are simply not, even remotely, true. I don't think people set out to propagate rumors. I think that the telephone game is alive and well and people with good intentions miscommunicate what has been said. But it can lead to real challenges in being clear in communicating. So we are trying to increase the ways to communicate directly with people. Modern technology is really helping: blogs, twitters, Facebook, etc. But there is no substitute for getting out with people. Recently I spoke to our Senior Community resident councils, to our King’s School teachers, at devotions in the administration building, to new hires at our orientation luncheon, and with the World Concern country directors and international staff. A lot of one-on-one meetings add to the mix of opportunities to listen and communicate. Help me out. Go straight to the source. Check it out before you spread the news. Make sure you get the story straight. Thanks for being on the team with us all here.
I have been thinking a lot about this challenge Jesus gave us. This is either really true or it is one crazy idea that makes no sense. When I wake up in the morning my first thought usually is not "how can I help other people?” Mostly I am thinking about me. How I feel and what I am going to do today. Sometimes I even think about my wife Kathleen and her day. We are bombarded with feelings about ourselves and how things affect us!
This came to mind today when about 50 Kings Preschool kids visited my office to give me valentine’s cards! (Don't forget to get yours, its Sunday you know). I received all kinds of handmade cards and even a tootsie roll pop. Does it get better than that? The staff and volunteers that spend the day with other people’s precious young children need to be givers of themselves, their love, their attention, and their emotions and have a tremendous responsibility to build positive values into these beautiful children.
I am talking to our World Concern staff about a recent tragedy occurring in Sri Lanka. Over 100 people a day are arriving at World Concern program facilities in need of medical care and basic necessities like food and water. We don't have money in our budget for this but we need to help. Our dedicated staff in these countries is mostly nationals who have needs themselves but have somehow discovered the truth of giving that motivates them to go over and above what is expected in very trying circumstances.
It costs a lot of money, time and effort to educate the students we serve at Seattle Urban Academy. Volunteers give hours tutoring and serving educational and other needs of these great kids. We have to really care to make a difference and people who serve her really care!
Yesterday I spent a planning day with staff discussing the future plans for Christian Veterinary Missions. Full time vets who have had successful practices in the United States have given up financial security and the material comforts we enjoy in the U.S. to live and serve in developing countries.
We make a huge difference in the lives of seniors at our Senior Living facilities. It is not the facilities that make the difference it is the people who love and care for those in the assisted living facilities and nursing and rehabilitation center. One of our nurses aids walked four miles in the snow to not miss their shift so then to attend to those in need.
There's more. Camp staff and many volunteers sleep in cabins all week with kids at camp. Have you tried that lately? They are givers.
Our team at Broadcasting sends a message of hope over the airwaves 24/7. The reason our radio stations make a difference is because they are staffed by deeply dedicated Christians who really care about the listeners and go the extra mile to demonstrate that care.
CRISTA is a vital caring community. This simply would not work if the people here did not just give lip service to the fact that it is more blessed to give than to receive, they actually do it. And it costs them something every day. Somewhere in their heart and soul they have discovered this amazing truth that we become better people, more satisfied with ourselves and our place in the world when we give. I am praying that God helps me to continue to grow in my ability to be a giver. How about you?
Preschoolers from King's Child Care Center share Valentine's cards with President Lonac
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