I participate in a bi-weekly national NCS Prayer Call. It’s always an encouraging time of prayer with a small group of NCS leaders across the country where we give thanks and pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit for our future endeavors. I always get off of the call with a renewed sense of purpose and joy about what we are doing in NCS.
Lately, I’ve been pondering where the Lord is directing our national movement in 2020 and beyond. I’d like to share with you how I see the following areas as important to our relational network:
Continuing the movement’s pivot to vibrancy
Building a welcoming relational platform focused on Jesus
Planning for generational succession
Our Pivot to Vibrancy It is important for all chapters to aspire to relational vibrancy. What do I mean by this? I believe relational vibrancy correlates with spiritual maturity, servant leadership, and geographical expansion. It requires us to be intentional, have a purpose in all we do and finish strong so that we can make an impact. It equally necessitates the discipline and humility to allow the Holy Spirit to perform the transformational work which changes hearts and lives.
Our continued investment in chapter leadership (Chapter Leadership Development Conferences) and our relational network (regional retreats, partner summits, community events, national retreats) will be critical. We will also need new investment and emphasis on a clear process to help chapters move toward relational vibrancy.
Additionally, I am working with our Board to prayerfully identify strategic cities where we feel an opportunity exists to launch new chapters in the US and abroad. Our 2020 target is to grow from 51 to 60 chapters.
Building a Welcoming Relational Platform It is important for us to take action to be more inclusive. We have made plans to launch a Committee on Inclusion, co-chaired by Mike Timmis and myself, to bring clarity of vision to inclusiveness - denominationally, vocationally, racially, politically, and generationally - based on a shared focus on a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus.
In 2020, we will round out the committee membership and focus on action steps to be more intentional about inviting men from various backgrounds to our groups where authentic Biblical male relationships are built around a personal relationship with Jesus. Through this, we will build a relational network or “platform” for communicating NCS as a welcoming and inclusive community for all men.
Planning for Generational Succession Finally, it’s important for us to identify, mentor and recruit younger leaders into the NCS movement. I would like to call this new initiative the Timothy Project. As a starting point in 2020, I plan to work with James and the board to identify younger leaders/attendees currently in the movement whom we need to encourage and mentor – and set up a process for doing so.
The Road Ahead in Winston-Salem
We are the beneficiaries of vibrant chapters in both Winston-Salem and in Davie County. NCS Winston-Salem remains the only chapter which attempts four meetings each week.
We have our 7th annual Citywide Prayer Breakfast on May 5th on the horizon, and our committee is the process of working on a virtual format in light of COVID-19. This year’s speaker will be the Reverend Anthony Thompson whom many of you heard at our national retreat in Orlando last year.
We have initiated a chapter partnership agreement with NCS Washington DC. Together, we are planning “home and away” dinners between the two chapters in the Spring and Fall (further announcements coming in the weekly emails). We encourage all to pray for the servant leaders in both chapters.
Break Bread Winston-Salem dinners can take place once the contagion risk of COVID-19 subsides. In that environment, please consider serving with us at Carver High School in the fall. Travel with Kalim to the Middle East (he is considering another trip). Take advantage of the relational investments you can make within our chapter.
Thank you for your faithfulness in showing up. Thank you to our many servant leaders who help make our weekly meetings take place. And a special thank you to Todd Chase who is assuming our primary Friday Host responsibilities as my travel schedule is impacted by more attention across the NCS network.
Blessings,
Jay
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