David Ralph

My Purpose

It is hard for me to believe but my sabbatical is already half over.  Today I start week seven of twelve.  But the last six weeks have been incredible – especially the last three – as God has prompted my spirit in so many ways. 

Today, I want to share what I believe that God has revealed as the purpose for the next season of my life and ministry.  Through a couple of seasons of prayer over the last few weeks - this purpose just gets clearer and clearer and I am so excited about it.  Here it is…

“My purpose is to lead the ministry of Lakeside through a team environment, that ensures that the mission is followed carefully, that the core values are adheared to completely,  that the right strategies and plans are in place to accomplish that mission and to teach the word of God in clear, practical and relevant ways UNTIL a group of called, young leaders are well trained, equipped, mentored and coached by me and others to take over the leading and teaching and planning THEN I will continually turn the ministry of Lakeside over to these young leaders.”

My key verse for all of this is 2 Timothy 2:2 – “Throw yourself into this work for Christ, pass on what you have heard and learned to reliable young leaders who are competent to teach others.” 

“Throw myself into this work for Christ” is about me continuing to do what I have done for the last 11 years at Lakeside – teach and to lead.  “Passing on what I have learned and heard to reliable and competent young leaders” is about continually mentouring and coaching and training young leaders while I continually hand over pieces of the ministry to them.  I feel very excited and passionate about this calling.  I love doing what I do – teaching and leading at Lakeside but I am also excited about handing the ministry over to these young leaders.  We have dozens of great young leaders at Lakeside who are already stepping up to the plate in so many way and I look forward to spending increasing amounts of time coach and mentoring and training these young men and women. 

This renewed purpose has given me a real sense of excitement for the next season of my ministry.   I hope it will drive everything that I and we do.  I hope it will provide focus and clarity to all the choices and decisions I  and we make and I hope it will influence the selection of leaders and staff as we move into the future.    Since this has become clearer to me I have been surrending each day to this purpose of God for my life – willingly giving my all for it.

I have been reading a book about “wasting your life” and I believe that if I follow this purpose – that my life over the next season will not be wasted but enhanced and vital and alive.