Monday, November 28, 2011

The Need for Training

MORE Training is NEEDED

Just wanted to share with everyone an email I received from a good friend of mine, Matthew Clark. Matthew is currently at Ft. Rucker, AL undergoing the rigors of flights school. At the same time, he is contributing to the Laborer led ministry at Ft. Rucker AL which is being led by Perry Alliman and Alan Simmons. Matthew has been with our ministry at Campbell for over 6 years and although it wasn't always the smoothest- Matthew has endured and has seized the essence of what the Vision of Jesus Christ is- Generations.....

And since Christ is about the Generations- we must train others...

And since we are looking to develop laborers who will labor for the rest of their lives- we must commit and invest in training...

I'm looking forward to continuing our search to find men like Matthew who God is working in and encouraging those guys at Ft. Rucker as they are doing a tremendous job!!!

[Matthew to Joe]

Ok so I think the ministry at Rucker is doing really well. Perry and Alan are focusing more on sharing vision more often and more consistently so there is no mistaking what we are about. Perry has grown into leading the ministry and has taken responsibility for the vision and direction. As a result he is continually upping the standards with the leadership and guys are continually rising to the challenge. I think a fear in the past was not to put too much on the guys because of the rigors of flight school but the guys are consistently rising to the challenge. We have a few very healthy guys and some up and comers as well as some fringe guys who are starting to poke their heads up. It is very exciting. We are also having an expanding impact with the AIT here and growing influence among the chaplains.

Perry has also changed his thinking into training the few rather than helping the whole. Most of our focus is directed towards the next generation of leaders and in turn encouraging them to take responsibility for the people in their group. A recurrence at Rucker is that there is no need to recruit. Guys come out of the woodwork to come to study. So we put guys in groups but the group leaders haven't necessarily taken responsibility for them in the past as they thought Perry or Alan would. With a growing emphasis on training the leaders the young guys are developing that responsibility. And as a result Rucker is becoming more a community rather than an additional study to attend.

There are so many challenges to TRADOC that I am not sure I can or will figure out in my remaining time here. But I am very encouraged by Perry's vision and direction. The ministry has changed faces dramatically since I've been here and all for the better. Christ continues to open doors and work in the hearts of the people here. One of the questions Perry and I have been praying about is the idea that we only have a short time with guys because of the schedule and length of flight school. I think in the past the idea has been we will do the best we can with the time but don't expect a whole lot. If a guy can do a quiet time when he leaves that's successful. Lately as Perry and I have been praying he has been asking why not. Why can we not start to train guys? Why are we not asking for guys who will be fully committed all the way through flight school? Why not give a guy everything instead of just some Bible Study and Quiet Time skills. Guys are very hungry for Christ down here and as Perry is figuring out how to train and communicate vision we are asking for committed guys who want to know Christ, not just attend the study. And God is giving us those guys.

I hope you all are encouraged by Matthew's email as I am....

"If you build it- they will come"- Field of Dreams

"If you play a Man's game- men will Come"- Cecil Bean

"If you focus on the Person of Jesus Christ- He will send you men that will pursue Him as you are"- me