A DAY IN THE LIFE: Travel

For a summary of what I’m hoping to accomplish in this blog series (in the second week of every month of 2018), I recommend reviewing my explanation here.

These days, I travel a lot. I travel for a whole host of reasons.

Ministry Development. I travel in order to stay in regular contact with the teams that work for Impact Campus Ministries. We have ten (going on eleven) teams around the country in places like the Palouse, Salt Lake City, Missoula, Oklahoma, South Bend, Indianapolis, Tampa, Ft. Myers, and Albany. While we get to see each other at conferences one or two times a year, this just isn’t enough time to work on site-specific development for our staff, so I try to travel and spend time with them in person to work on the things that need to be worked on.

Fundraising. Whether it is recruiting new supporters to help us do the work we do or cultivating the relationships of people who already give, the work here never ends. We take any opportunity we can to meet with people while we’re on the road.

Recruiting. Part of my job as President of ICM is looking for more people who would be willing to do that kind of support raising and work in the field of campus ministry. They can be found everywhere, but the most effective recruiting is always done in person.

Partnering with other organizations. At ICM, we believe we are better whenever we get to work with others. The amount that we are able to share ideas and experiences with each other, as well as the opportunity to combine resources, is exciting and provides continual opportunities to grow, improve, and help others do what God has called them to do better. This work is some of the most fun that I get to have while I’m on the road.

Alumni. Just like supporters and recruits — you can find them everywhere! They are doing incredible things and I love taking the opportunity when I’m in their hometown to meet with them and hear about what God is doing in their life.

Expansion. We are always trying to discern where God is leading us to plant next. There are thousands of campuses around our country and hundreds of thousands of college students. All of them are getting ready to go out and make some kind of difference in our world. Where does God want us to go next to help impact the lives of the next batch of graduates? These are things that make us excited at ICM!

Is this hard work? Yes and no. I love the travel and I love the ability to use my gifts to help others and influence the next generation. But it’s hard not to get carried away by all the things that “have to be done” and say no to what needs to be rejected (for now) so I can be present as a husband and a father. When I’m not careful, my travel schedule can be a real burden to my family. I work hard to stay on top of this; at times, I have failed. Unfortunately, it is far too easy to get swept up in the notion that you are needed and important.

I have to work hard to be a good steward in my travel schedule. I have to be a good steward of our organization’s resources. I have to be a good steward of people and their time. And I have to be a good steward of my family. This is hard work and hopefully something that I pursue with character and integrity.

Here is my video diary for A DAY IN THE LIFE: Travel.