When I attend National Association of Evangelical (NAE) events, I get to sit next to denominational leaders, Christian organizational leaders, and presidents of Christian seminaries. There is a wealth of experience and knowledge in this esteemed group, and I am humbled and enriched to sit among them.
In a recent gathering, I sat next to Richard Stearns, former director of World Vision. World Vision started in the 1950s and has a long history of working around the world to help hurting communities lift themselves out of poverty. Richard, who has recently retired from his position at World Vision, is also a published author and highly respected among his peers. It was unexpected that we ended up at the same table and in conversation.
During our NAE gathering, we listened to a session entitled “Leading from the Deepest Place.” It was a prompt for us to think about what is most important to us in this stage of life and ministry. Another prompt was, “How do we decompress from the pressure of our jobs?” I found Richard’s answer humorous for both questions. He said that retirement was his new stage of life and his method of decompression. That rang true for many of the attendees.
As we went into a time of silence, I noticed all the participants were leaning in and fully engaged. The silence was followed by roundtable sharing. It was somewhat surprising and refreshing not to hear talk about executive teams, ministry strategies, or the next hill to climb. Rather, we heard story after story about heartfelt concern for adult children and grandchildren. The hopes and prayers were that family members would fall in love with Jesus and be committed followers. We discussed how we, as leaders, can be more present in the lives of our dear families and how we can be more intentional to point them to the life and love of Jesus. Lord, help us!
NAE President Walter Kim recognized this session as a holy moment. Many of the sessions are informative and helpful, which is great. However, Christian leaders need ministering to as much as the staff they guide, the audiences they serve, and the causes they champion. I am deeply grateful for Walter taking a pastoral stance in his leadership of the NAE. I am grateful and proud to represent GCI at these gatherings.
The most notable attribute that I observe as I periodically gather with these leaders from across the body of Christ is humility. This transparency and honesty testify to the Spirit’s work, and it gives me hope for the church amid the challenges that are rampant in our society.
The church of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world, and GCI has its part to play.
Greg Williams
P.S. Jeff Broadnax represented GCI when the NAE hosted its first Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) retreat. Be sure to read his article about the retreat.
5 thoughts on “Leading from the Deepest Place”
Richard’s response is simple and true. For me personally, I now have time for a more thoughtful walk with Jesus, and my family. Loving and being loved is the deepest place I have ever been. I love it!
“ Christian leaders need ministering to as much as the staff they guide, the audiences they serve, and the causes they champion.” Amen.
This is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Greg, thank you for your thoughtful transparency and active humble participation in NAE. Your update and Jeff’s retreat article together are a testimonial to how GCI is moving forward in these challenging times addressing the heart, pain and anxiety in our society. Love, prayers and blessings
Greg thanks for representing our denomination in the NAE event. Each group attending has a unique history, ours was for so long the only true church and we really did not know how Big the church is. Thankfully God has led us by His Spirit out of our isolation to be joined together with those of faith, humility and love we have all been given to share in Jesus, making us all One in Him!
Richard’s response is simple and true. For me personally, I now have time for a more thoughtful walk with Jesus, and my family. Loving and being loved is the deepest place I have ever been. I love it!
“ Christian leaders need ministering to as much as the staff they guide, the audiences they serve, and the causes they champion.” Amen.
This is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Greg, thank you for your thoughtful transparency and active humble participation in NAE. Your update and Jeff’s retreat article together are a testimonial to how GCI is moving forward in these challenging times addressing the heart, pain and anxiety in our society. Love, prayers and blessings
Greg thanks for representing our denomination in the NAE event. Each group attending has a unique history, ours was for so long the only true church and we really did not know how Big the church is. Thankfully God has led us by His Spirit out of our isolation to be joined together with those of faith, humility and love we have all been given to share in Jesus, making us all One in Him!