For the next few weeks, I will share stories about specific men who have inspired me in my development as a husband, father, and pastor. I am indebted to men like this who continually pour their experience into my life with nothing to gain. This week, meet Jeff–a mentor and friend.
Jeff was the Missions Pastor at the first church in where I had the opportunity to serve in a vocational position. I was a full-time college student while just moving into a role of overseeing a student ministry with a large number of students. I just turned twenty and was in over my head. I needed someone to help me grow rapidly and quickly in the area of organization, and Jeff was willing to help me in a great way.
We met one day for lunch and began to share stories about how God had been working in our life and what our relationship might look like if it went beyond sitting in the same room for staff meetings, but exchanged ideas to make our ministry better. Eventually, Jeff extended an invitation to help improve my organizational skills. He had devised a system that had worked for him for years, making the best use of his time as well as ensuring that he did not overload his support staff with too much busy work. This was my first ministry with support staff, and I had no idea what to do with them. Needless to say, Jeff was ready to help me and I said yes.
For about six months, Jeff would meet with me on a routine basis and he would teach me the system that he used for organization. It came in the form of a large notebook that had divided compartments for upcoming events. Essentially a mix between Franklin Covey planners and a Daytimer, Jeff showed me how to maximize both my time and the work for my personal assistant that would create a great deal of success for me in my personal life and ministry.
After that mentoring relationship ended, Jeff and I became great friends, and he oversaw the proceedings at my wedding. To this day, he is a confidant, and co-laborer in the Gospel. We see each other as equals, but I am forever grateful to him for his willingness to teach me something that I use until this day in my ministry.
Jeff taught me the importance of building relationships with people where there may be no direct positive impact to the ministry that you lead. His time taken out to teach me how to implement an organizational system had no bearing on greater effectiveness in his own ministry, but he saw what he had learned as a gift to be given away. As I think about relationships I have with people, I realize now that not every mentoring relationship will turn into a beneficial result in my personal ministry. The bottom line is that we need to be willing to engage with people who can offer nothing in return. As a result, we give all of the content that is developed in our ministries away for free in hopes that it may help someone else.
Secondarily, Jeff counseled me in learning how to navigate the relational nuances of the local church. He was quick to let me know how to get things done while maintaining honor for the leaders that have been faithful to seeing the church grow. I still use these principles and concepts as I lead others in a growing church that is continually seeing greater depth and complexity in the sheer amount of teams, leaders, and ministries that are being developed.
Collin Outerbridge is one of the pastors of Vista Church in Orlando, FL. He provides oversight to local and global mission, student ministries, and MissionCity-Vista’s Church Planting Initiative. For more information, check out www.vistachurch.com or www.collinouterbridge.org
