Redeem the Time

Like many of you, I’m busy. Between responsibilities at World Impact and my family duties, people depend on me every day. I feel the pressure of needing to be available to everyone for things to keep moving forward. But do I? That’s the question I asked myself last December as I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to slow down.

January marked my seventh year at World Impact. While thinking about this milestone, I began to consider whether I should approach the Board about taking a sabbatical, as I know some ministries do as a policy every few years. Although believing deeply in the value of sabbaticals, I never became comfortable with the idea of going away for an extended period this year.

However, I think we are getting ready to enter a pivotal moment in World Impact’s history. It seems one chapter of our book has closed, and a new one is beginning. Resources and ideas are lining up creating a season of opportunity, and we must get prepared as best as we can for the ride the Lord is getting ready to take us on. After processing with a trusted colleague, I realized I probably did need a sabbatical to think deeply about this new chapter.

My response to this dilemma was to take a “mini” sabbatical of 21-days from December 20 to January 9. My biggest takeaway was a STRONG reminder from God of the direct correlation of the inner spiritual life of the CEO and the vibrancy of the ministry she or he leads. World Impact’s success will not be primarily about what we do, but about who I am and who our staff are. A great ministry organization reflects the vibrant faith of its CEO and staff. The primary challenge is the spiritual formation of both me and our staff to make sure that our identity is in being a child of God – nothing more and nothing less.

This means a vibrant faith comes before purpose, before vision, before mission, before programs, before donor development, before strategy, before everything. Our ministry did not start with a business plan, but with the faith of a naïve white college student named Keith Phillips who had the absurd idea he could go into a poor African American neighborhood and make a difference with kids’ Bible clubs. Vibrant faith comes first and everything else will follow.

How about you? Maybe you can only step away for one day or even one hour. But I encourage you to do it. It makes a world of difference.

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