A Word about Transition
Recently I have been thinking a lot about transition and succession in ministry. Almost everyone on our team is going through some form of transition, such as taking on new supervisory roles, opening work on new campuses, being released from PD to do campus ministry or joining ISI and starting PD for the first time. Change is always challenging but even more challenging when almost everyone on your team is going through change at the same time. The Lord gave me a visual image of what is needed during times like this. The image was that of beautiful golden oil coming from God and flowing over every aspect of change and transition. When this divine lubrication is at work we are much less likely to create friction and burn up the engine of productive Spirit enabled ministry.
A Word about Succession
At the National Staff Conference it was mentioned that the average age in ISI is about 50. That is a wonderful blessing because it means we have many staff with years of rich ministry experience. But this also presents us with the challenge of acting in a timely way to insure good succession of senior staff passing the baton to a new generation of staff who will take the ministry forward in succeeding years. Over the years I have noticed that this can be a big challenge for student ministries like ISI, IVCF, or Cru. When we don’t plan for succession ministries sometimes just cease to exist after the staff person leaves, retires or passes away. Succession is a theme that runs throughout the Bible but none is better than Jesus’ plan of succession through his disciples.
Jesus’ model of good succession requires at least three things: prayer, planning and provision. Everything begins and ends with prayer. We need to begin praying early in the process that God will provide our successor. This was Jesus’ first priority as he began his ministry. Jesus spent the whole night in prayer and then he chose twelve disciples.
The next step is having a plan for succession. Jesus’ plan was to invest in these key disciples who he would train and entrust to take his kingdom work forward. Once we have prayed we need to invite others to join us in ministry and then begin to invest in those who are faithful and show a passion for the work. At some point we need to challenge them with the call to join the ISI staff team. We have not because we ask not. I sense that more people would join ISI staff if we would only ask them and challenge them to take that step of faith and obedience.
The last step is provision. Jesus provided for his team by the offering of his own life. There will also be a personal cost to us of our time and treasure to provide for the next generation. If we want to see God raise up a new generation of ISI staff then we need to be the ones who lead the way by investing our treasure in supporting them financially and asking others to do the same. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:21, NIV) If we want to see succession and a new generation of ISI laborers then it should be reflected in our investing a major part of our time and treasure toward that goal. Are you praying, planning and providing for succession in
Recently I have been thinking a lot about transition and succession in ministry. Almost everyone on our team is going through some form of transition, such as taking on new supervisory roles, opening work on new campuses, being released from PD to do campus ministry or joining ISI and starting PD for the first time. Change is always challenging but even more challenging when almost everyone on your team is going through change at the same time. The Lord gave me a visual image of what is needed during times like this. The image was that of beautiful golden oil coming from God and flowing over every aspect of change and transition. When this divine lubrication is at work we are much less likely to create friction and burn up the engine of productive Spirit enabled ministry.
A Word about Succession
At the National Staff Conference it was mentioned that the average age in ISI is about 50. That is a wonderful blessing because it means we have many staff with years of rich ministry experience. But this also presents us with the challenge of acting in a timely way to insure good succession of senior staff passing the baton to a new generation of staff who will take the ministry forward in succeeding years. Over the years I have noticed that this can be a big challenge for student ministries like ISI, IVCF, or Cru. When we don’t plan for succession ministries sometimes just cease to exist after the staff person leaves, retires or passes away. Succession is a theme that runs throughout the Bible but none is better than Jesus’ plan of succession through his disciples.
Jesus’ model of good succession requires at least three things: prayer, planning and provision. Everything begins and ends with prayer. We need to begin praying early in the process that God will provide our successor. This was Jesus’ first priority as he began his ministry. Jesus spent the whole night in prayer and then he chose twelve disciples.
The next step is having a plan for succession. Jesus’ plan was to invest in these key disciples who he would train and entrust to take his kingdom work forward. Once we have prayed we need to invite others to join us in ministry and then begin to invest in those who are faithful and show a passion for the work. At some point we need to challenge them with the call to join the ISI staff team. We have not because we ask not. I sense that more people would join ISI staff if we would only ask them and challenge them to take that step of faith and obedience.
The last step is provision. Jesus provided for his team by the offering of his own life. There will also be a personal cost to us of our time and treasure to provide for the next generation. If we want to see God raise up a new generation of ISI staff then we need to be the ones who lead the way by investing our treasure in supporting them financially and asking others to do the same. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:21, NIV) If we want to see succession and a new generation of ISI laborers then it should be reflected in our investing a major part of our time and treasure toward that goal. Are you praying, planning and providing for succession in