To Equip the Saints

In the summer of 1998, as I was preparing to enter my junior year at the University of Wyoming, I was fortunate to be invited into a small team to start the first Young Life club in Wyoming. Can you imagine, the first one? As student staff, we were encouraged to raise personal support, freeing us to devote adequate time to build relationships with students. Little did I know then that fundraising would become a significant part of my life in the decades to follow.

Fast forward to the present. This past month I had a vocational transition as I stepped out of Christian nonprofit leadership after more than two decades and joined The FOCUS Group (TFG) as a consultant. Recently I was asked the question I've been asked many times these past few months – What led to my departure? The best way to describe this transition is that when I stepped into the role of Executive Director of CLDI, there was ample room to grow and expand the Kingdom work the Founder had started in the late 1970s. After 12 years of leading the organization, I sensed that CLDI had grown to the place where a new kind of leader was needed. That is, one who was able to continue to grow and develop the amazing ministries God had allowed us to be a part of, such as working with at-risk youth, reuniting women in recovery with their children, job skills and leadership training, and providing housing for families in need.

In the fall of 2000, while sitting in my New Testament survey class at Denver Seminary, I remember highlighting Ephesians 4:11-12 in my Bible and writing in the margins, “This is my calling, to equip the saints for the work of service.” [1] Two years ago, I was introduced to The Focus Group by mentors Scott Rodin and Jay Barber. After a lengthy process involving many conversations, prayer, and deliberation, it was apparent that my season of leadership at CLDI had come to a close. I was ready for the next part of my journey and began exploring next steps, ultimately leading me to join The Focus Group. What excites me about this opportunity is that it allows for a profound expression of my heart as the mission of TFG is to empower nonprofits to fully fund the vision God has given them as He makes all things new through our clients' work. In other words, to equip the saints for the work of service.

Over the next few months, I will share some reflections as I begin this new season with TFG. Specifically, I will impart nuggets I have learned about fundraising the hard way and from others! I hope you may learn from my school of hard knocks so you can focus on more important tasks at hand. Not only that, but that you find joy in fundraising as a relational ministry with your partners to fulfill God's vision.

If you want to learn more about The FOCUS Group, please schedule a time to talk or check out our website. If there are others you think should receive this email, please forward it on. If you no longer wish to receive this email, just the same, please let me know.

Many blessings,

ECB

[1] “And He?gave?some?as?apostles, and some?as?prophets, and some?as?evangelists, and some?as?pastors and?teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of?the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12, NASB 1995).