from July 5, 2015 prayer update

I am participating in a 12 month life & leadership coaching certification process through NCM. In August, after attending a three day training event in DFW with several dozen others, I will be officially certified as a coach.

An essential part of that process has been connecting twice a month with one of my NCM colleagues, Bill Mowry, who is modeling and mentoring me through the coaching process over the phone. I have read and processed through several good books as part of the training. Most recently I read Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. A quick and helpful read. He outlines five interrelated dysfunctions that teams commonly face. As I have reflected back on my experience as part of a wide variety of teams through the years, both as a team member and as a team leader, I have seen each of these dysfunctions significantly limit team effectiveness.

In April I was appointed as the regional field director for NCM for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. I inherited a small group of staff and volunteers. Over a period of many years, they have been conditioned to function as individuals contributors rather than as a team. I am working and praying toward each of us becoming part of a highly effective ministry team. The first step in this process is seeking to build trust.

Our regional staff currently includes Judy Miller in Austin, Anna Marie Peterson and Dee Seifert in DFW, Steve Stahl in Houston, 2 Nav associates (Oklahoma and Louisiana), and several NCM partners. I am asking the Lord for 12 additional staff and dozens of Nav associates and NCM partners over the next several years.

I envision and am praying daily that in five years we will have seven empowered ministry teams serving church leaders in this four state region. A ministry team will consist of at least two staff units and several Nav associates and NCM partners. Six ministry teams will be geographically focused (central Texas, DFW area, Houston area, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma) and one will be focused on Hispanic churches.

The vision that God has put on my heart is to meaningfully impact outreach and disciplemaking in 1% of the Protestant churches in this four state region (600 out of 60,000 churches). In addition, God has impressed on my heart eight critical success factors that will be our focus during the next five years. More on those factors at another time.

I welcome your prayers as we move toward building a strong south central regional team that will be powerfully used by God to advance the great commission through hundreds of local churches in this part of the U.S.