Why Health Trumps Everything from Support Raising Solutions on Vimeo.
Our leadership team worked through a great book by Patrick Lencioni recently. The premise is that a healthy team will always accomplish more than a gifted team. If the leaders know how to live a balanced life and then humbly align around a commonly agreed on mission, there is nothing they cannot accomplish!
I believe the three bases support raisers must run to have a well-rounded mission are: 1) getting spiritually healthy, 2) becoming vision driven, and 3) reaching full support. And in that order! Most workers we train in support raising naively want to go straight to third base and learn what to say in a support appointment or on the phone. But, becoming spiritually healthy and vision driven are essential to becoming fully funded.
Becoming spiritually healthy and vision driven are more about who you are, rather than what you do. And we underestimate how interconnected these two areas are to the other critical aspects of our lives. For instance, if I can get disciplined in just one small facet of my life, it has a dramatic effect on getting organized and effective in other areas too. On the other hand, if I neglect sleep, exercise, or decide I am going to do whatever, whenever I choose to, that kind of attitude and lack of self-control bleeds into other parts of my life.
How would Jesus weigh into this conversation? Well, Luke 2:52 teaches that Jesus increased in wisdom, and stature, and favor with God and man. Those are four areas He grew in as He was on earth: intellectually, physically, spiritually, and relationally. Let’s also grow in those areas, but if you don’t mind, I would like to add a fifth area—the area of finances. How do we grow and get healthy in that area as well? Let me share how I’m trying to find balance and health is these five areas.
- Spiritually—I’m getting to a point in my life where it doesn’t matter what’s going on around me or how crazy work or family things get, I choose to steal away time each morning and immerse myself in the Word and pour my heart out in prayer to God. Jesus did it (Mark 1:35) and I will too! This brings peace and emotional wholeness to me.
- Relationally—A little morbid, I know, but when I get to the end of my life and I’m on my death bed, I won’t be thinking about what sermons I preached, books I wrote, or degrees I attained. No, my mind and my heart will be flooded with two questions: Who did I love? And who loved me?? If I can’t honestly list my spouse, children, friends, co-workers, disciples, etc… then it will feel like I lived my life in vain. People should trump projects.
- Intellectually—Yes, I went to school in my early years, but I’m not sure I actually had a GPA! I thought I was too cool (and spiritual) to go to class and do the assignments. But now, I am at the library every month checking out books on a broad genre of subjects, trying to expand and deepen my understanding of history, education, politics, cultures, archaeology, and yes, even an occasional novel!
- Physically—This area seems to affect all the others. Praise God I’m running, lifting, and trying to eat properly right now. But, I can fall off the wagon at any moment and lay prostrate in the ditch for months at a time! Making tangible progress in this area boosts my stamina, confidence level, and even self image, especially when I walk into support appointments. Follow me on Twitter and you can get my ShadFlabReports and keep me accountable!
- Financially—Why do some Christian workers think getting solid and stable financially is worldly or sinful? I am committed to raise enough funds to remove the financial stress from myself, marriage, and family. Why? So, we can focus on our relationships, ministry, and other areas of health I list. Read Proverbs and embrace principles of giving, budgeting, saving, and investing. Use wisdom and foresight to become a Godly—even shrewd—steward of the funds you raise that God entrusted to you.
Yes, I believe organizational health trumps everything in your ministry. But the key to your organization health is whether or not you and the key members of your group are pursuing personal well-being and balance in your own lives. Let’s commit ourselves to getting healthy—and staying healthy. Watch the dramatic impact it will have on your life, ministry, and support raising!
