I knew long before Friday that I don’t naturally think big ideas. The audacious doesn’t come easily to me. I’m much better at launching an idea than coming up with it. Pragmatic in implementation and relational in communication, that’s me, and I like that role. So, this exercise of thinking about bold and audacious mission and vision stretches me in a good way, and it is part of the reason I’m excited about the new adventure at DurhamCares.

Some specific things resonated for me in our conversations: 

1. To find yourself you must lose yourself. That’s audacious, bold and frankly a little crazy sounding. It’s not original, but it is true. Jesus said it back in the day. How do we help people believe that losing themselves and giving to others is really the way to find yourself, and can you really invoke that if you are losing yourself in good things but not losing yourself in Christ? Or are we just offering a “noble idol” at whose feet to worship?
2. I may not easily come up with big ideas, but I do know I want to be part of them. Something different or something new connects with me and I’m ready to join in. I don’t want to do something that’s already been done in the same old way or be involved with mediocrity. I suspect that’s true of most of us. So, we’ve got to nail something that resonates and truly engages not only us but others to join.
3. I can’t underestimate my need to pray through this process. Maybe it seems too obvious to actually say it, but I need to. It’s easy for me to think that the most important work in this process is sitting in a conference room, hammering through ideas and words to funnel a clear and understandable mission and vision, and then set up an organization to move people to action. No doubt that’s important, but the reality is the most important work here is for us to humbly seek wisdom through prayer and trust that God is sovereign and involved - not only in our process but in the hearts and minds of all those people who may in some way connect with DurhamCares in the future and bring glory to Him (whether they know it or not).
4. This process takes time. Even when other people come up with the big ideas it takes time for me to process them. What do I really think? Why? How is my opinion informed? I need to spend some significant time turning over in my mind all the things we’ve talked about in the past couple of weeks. Admittedly, I’m kind of tired of talking about it, and I’m ready for the pieces to come together. But the reality is that I know I need to sit with this stuff and let it form because the implementation will be so much easier and the work so much more effective when it’s anchored.

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