DR. PHILLIP BRASSFIELD
Roads are a big deal! They take us places. They represent adventure, success, destiny, or misfortune, depending on the ones we take. Often, the idea of roads is used metaphorically. They speak of purpose, planning and strategy. When we speak of the roads of life, we often talk of them in terms of a life well-lived or a warning for the ones that lead to disaster. As a traveler for over 40 years, I’ve traveled lots of roads, both literally and metaphorically. And I’ve learned a lot about life and leadership during the journey.
I’m turning 60 this year, and I understand just how important our choices are regarding the roads ahead, both for Cathy and myself, and for Destiny Ministries. I feel the weight of how the decisions we make and the paths we choose today will affect thousands of people’s lives in the future. And it’s okay; there’s a grace for it, as there always is when God calls us to a particular assignment. We love what we do. But, as I enter this season of life, I’ve been especially thinking about things like legacy, foundational and authentic Christianity, and effective ministry in today’s complicated world. I’ve been thinking about leadership, culture, and transition. I’m reading about these issues, listening to people talk about them, and praying over them.
From these contemplations have come a list of ten focal points that I believe we should emphasize in the Destiny culture and experience moving forward. They are the roads that we will carefully travel into the future as a Covenant Family.
These paths must be a priority moving forward:
1. Making authentic Christian faith and spiritual experience a priority
2. Focusing on true Christian discipleship and leadership development
3. Encouraging and celebrating excellent biblical scholarship
4. Promoting attitudes and actions of service, kindness, and generosity
5. Challenging leaders to discover their God-ordained purpose and developing materials, events and activities that speak to that purpose
6. Pursuing, promoting and challenging leaders in the areas of personal and institutional integrity
7. Intentionally creating mechanisms for generational inclusion and leadership transition; making sure every part of our Covenant Family (every generation) has a seat at the organizational table, is valued, heard, and feels welcome
8. Creating atmospheres of love, unity, and community, not conformity
9. Expecting authenticity as opposed to hypocrisy, coupled with mechanisms of restoration and healing
10. Making a commitment to reflect the diverse and beautiful Body of Christ, while seeking to understand and appreciate cultural uniqueness, experience, and flavors
I believe that if we do these things well, consistently, and sincerely, we will move forward into the future strong and effective, even in the challenging seasons that lie ahead. We will grow, love, and serve God and His family together, and Destiny will continue to get Bigger, Better, and Stronger.
