Calling

One organization that I am a member of is the Colorado Career Development Association (CCDA) is a state affiliate of the National Career Development Association (NCDA), and a division of the Colorado Counseling Association (CCA). The organization exists to serve those who have an interest in career and workforce development issues in Colorado. I have found this to be good experience that has put me in contact with dedicated career counseling professionals.

On April 20th CCDA has invited Gregg Levoy to be the keynote speaker for its annual conference. Gregg is the author of "Callings: Finding and Following An Authentic Life" (Random House). The conference brochure says, "His writings and workshops focus on the idea that any significant change you want to make in your professional or personal life will align or re-align you with your passion and sense of purpose, with your deepest values, with a fit between who you are and what you do. This then is his definition of a calling. That calling could be to make a career change or creative leap, take on a new role or let go of an old one, launch a new venture, or simply make a course-correction in your life or work. Levoy's seminars take a creative approach to the challenges of listening and responding to those calls. The result of engaging your deepest passions-----and thus motivations-----will show up in your work and in your life as greater enthusiasm, creativity and health." Unfortunately I will not be able to attend because I choose to attend the City Impact Round table in Texas, but his description of calling is very compelling.

For leaders in mission knowing God's calling has always been an important motivation for getting involved in a mission effort, launching a new mission, or making a career decision. As a college student the call of Isaiah in Isaiah 6 was an important step for me to make in realigning my life and career with what I believe to be God's will for my life. How do we know God's calling for our lives? It begins with surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. As the good shepherd in John 10 Jesus goes before us and call us to follow, as sheep. "the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out... his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10: 3-5.

From my experience it comes after we have made some decisions and begin to act on those decisions then God "confirms" His call. Isaiah writes, "you will hear a word behind you when you turn to the right or to the left, 'This is the way walk in it." Ephesians 2:10 provides assurance that because we are God's workmanship He will guide us to the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I also believe that God's calling will always be consistent with our design. As we recognize our strengths, our interests, our spiritual gifts, and our abilities that are demonstrated through life, these are guideposts to know God's calling. John WP Oliver was my pastor when I was a college student. I met with him to discuss my future. He gave me some advice that I have never forgotten, "Discerning a need does not constitute God's call. In life you will be exposed to many needs but you will have to choose which need God intends for you." This took the pressure off of me and caused me to look to the Lord to direct me.

City Impact Roundtable - El Paso Texas

This is the first time I have attended the City Impact Round table. I decided to attend this year because of the invitation of Glenn Barth who serves as the convener. This year's focus is The Dynamics of Transformation, A Consultation for City-Reaching Practitioners. Glenn has recently agreed to serve as the president of the ministry that was founded by Jack Dennison known as CitiReach International. Sam Williams and Eric Swanson of Tango have been working with Jack to launch a "Good Cities" initiative which Glenn will lead.

Another reason I wanted to attend is that I am gathering information about city reaching so that I might use that information in resourcing the growing number of city reaching movements including the growing Denver Metro movement where I live. My interest has been growing because of my relationship with leaders from around the world who have been part of the Global Learning Community at the Lost Antler Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado. Another reason my interest has grown is because I also served as the lead facilitator in a Leadership Network Leadership Community on the Externally Focused Church that Eric was directing. I sense that God is working in the lives of the leaders and churches to bring about a new way of communicating the person, presence and power of Jesus Christ to the unbelieving world.

I have often thought that the Old Testament example of Israel when they were in exile is the example for the church in a "Post-Christendom" world. Therefore, the words of the prophet Jeremiah serve as a statement of mission for the church "...seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29:7.

Leadership in Short Term Missions

I prepared a paper for a recent meeting of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Evangelical Missiological Society on "principles of partnership" that were important to the success of the Short-term Mission efforts of the US Campus Crusade for Christ. I hope to continue to develop this "case study" of a successful mission effort from 1980 through 2000. In sharing the story I hope that some of the lessons we learned can be instructive to the next generation of mission leaders. Here is the link to the paper:

http://www.christianfutures.com/shortterm.shtml