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O Lord, thank you for the opportunity to learn and to…
Serve as secretary for program for six years alongside two territorial commanders, three chief secretaries, two assistant chief secretaries, three personnel and three business secretaries. Lord, as the longest surviving member of cabinet and the last to be voted off the island, do I win the $1 million?
Work with exceptional officers and employees in the program section. They have expertise, flexibility, dedication, vision, creativity, patience, high productivity, great humor, loyalty, thick skins, and demonstrate consistent servant leadership.
Provide leadership and support for the territorial visioning process.
Give a guiding hand to the reshaping of the corps and command annual evaluations.
Be program conference chair for six years, working with ten other program secretaries from the U.S. and Canada during that time. We have worked on the new national statistical program, multi-cultural initiatives, internet web site applications, corps growth, the National Seminar on Evangelism and National Social Services Conference and fifty plus other agenda items.
Visit service corps teams in Mainland China and the Caribbean.
Also visit Sydney and Salt Lake for the Olympics and the More than Gold Ministry where new insights were gained regarding event evangelism.
Exercise a coordinating/leadership role for the Western Territorial Congress, the International Millennial Congress, and the recent YouthQuake.
Chair the territorial program council. Those department heads from program, business, and personnel that serve on the council, provide gentle guidance and a sounding board for all new, expanding and closing programs across the territory.
Enjoy participating in annual command evaluations, Western Music Institute, Western Youth Institute, youth councils, officers’ councils, and other events.
Organize/coordinate sixteen territorial executive conferences, two territorial administrative leaders’ conferences, eight cabinet retreats, six THQ and three territorial officers’ councils.
Contribute a column regularly to New Frontier.
Chair the territorial ad hoc committee on extended benefits.
Gain insights into corps growth, post-modern thinking, core values and boundary maintenance.
O Lord, thanks also for …
Friends who have marveled and said “I don’t know how you did it–better you than I.”
Friends who have inquired about our well-being and thoughts during the closure of one ministry and the beginning of another.
Friends who have remarked that when we are given a job to do, we get it done.
The lessons learned about leadership: that it is not hierarchal or positional, but is relational, spiritual, participatory, connected…or not.
The strength gained from serving six years in this appointment that would have been better had it been four.
And transitionally, O Lord, thanks especially for…
Our new appointment as president/principal of Crestmont College. Thanks so much for the leadership of Lt. Colonels Doug and Diane O’Brien and their team. Let us build on what they have begun in terms of accreditation for the B.A. program, distance and life-long learning, plus the upcoming capital campaign.
Acceptance as the first of twenty participants in the “Sweet Cohort” doctoral program at George Fox Seminary.
The heart’s desire to focus the foregoing doctoral studies on “Leadership in the Emerging Culture” or said more simply, “strengthening the front lines.”
The closing of some doors of ministry and the opening of others never dreamed or imagined. Lord, that at age 60 you would continue to “wind me up” when I might have thought it time to wind down, thank you.
The opportunity to help mold and shape the hearts and minds of this territory’s next generation of front line leaders. What the Crestmont team gets done along these lines can have forty or more years of impact.
Lord, thank you for your counsel that “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Proverbs 15:33 and, also, from Proverbs 1:5 “let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…” Amen!
We will promote a life-long learning commitment among our people, helping them identify and use their gifts in service.