Lasting Leadership
Last night was a most enjoyable evening. The National Institute hosts an annual graduation dinner for our seniors. Not only do we have a great meal together, we give each graduate a gift (a much coveted TNI real faux- leather satchel) and hear testimonies of where God is calling these graduates in the near and not-so-near future. This year, we were able to hold this event for the first time in the Russell Center--the newest ministry tool of the CE National Life Application Center. It was a beautiful setting for a terrific night.
Courtney (TNI Administrative Assistant) did a great job of getting the meal together and setting everything up. The mood was upbeat and we had a wonderful time hanging out together.
I had opportunity to share a brief devotional thought. My mind went to something I had read that day from Sports Illustrated. Reilly always writes something interesting and this time it was about Tony Dungy, Super Bowl winning coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Rather than being about sports, this article share that Dungy, without any fan-fare, reached out to a man who had written to the magazine to honor of his son--a great athlete who was killed in a motorcycle accident. Dungy, having lost his son three days before Christmas called the man on the phone and began a relationship. The article shared that both of these men are Christ-followers. Dungy--the much more famous of the two men--had used his position to make a difference in the life of another --without the desire to get public attention for what he was doing.
I reflected on that for our TNI grads. Here they are, ready to be done with school and starting into ministry. I think we have prepared them for the "upfront" things like teaching and leading and counseling. But as I read the article about Coach Dungy, I was wondering to myself, "How well have we prepared these young adults to minister in the "behind the scenes" kind of ways that are so needed and necessary in the body of Christ?" Some will go on and become the "famous youth pastor" at the large church. Some will be counselors to the down and out. Some will work in the toughest inner-cities and love kids to Jesus.
After a great meal, the giving of the gifts, and hearing these special students testimonies, I believe that are poised to make Dungy-like differences in the world for the cause of Christ. That has been, and will continue to be, my prayer for these young adults. I am confident these people will lead well publicly. And even more importantly, i am confident they will lead well when they think no one is looking.
Courtney (TNI Administrative Assistant) did a great job of getting the meal together and setting everything up. The mood was upbeat and we had a wonderful time hanging out together.
I had opportunity to share a brief devotional thought. My mind went to something I had read that day from Sports Illustrated. Reilly always writes something interesting and this time it was about Tony Dungy, Super Bowl winning coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Rather than being about sports, this article share that Dungy, without any fan-fare, reached out to a man who had written to the magazine to honor of his son--a great athlete who was killed in a motorcycle accident. Dungy, having lost his son three days before Christmas called the man on the phone and began a relationship. The article shared that both of these men are Christ-followers. Dungy--the much more famous of the two men--had used his position to make a difference in the life of another --without the desire to get public attention for what he was doing.
I reflected on that for our TNI grads. Here they are, ready to be done with school and starting into ministry. I think we have prepared them for the "upfront" things like teaching and leading and counseling. But as I read the article about Coach Dungy, I was wondering to myself, "How well have we prepared these young adults to minister in the "behind the scenes" kind of ways that are so needed and necessary in the body of Christ?" Some will go on and become the "famous youth pastor" at the large church. Some will be counselors to the down and out. Some will work in the toughest inner-cities and love kids to Jesus.
After a great meal, the giving of the gifts, and hearing these special students testimonies, I believe that are poised to make Dungy-like differences in the world for the cause of Christ. That has been, and will continue to be, my prayer for these young adults. I am confident these people will lead well publicly. And even more importantly, i am confident they will lead well when they think no one is looking.
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