#engagement” a note from Clint Harrington
FinD is so thankful to all the volunteer leaders and financial supporters that make this ministry sustainable. But, there are some who believe that passively receiving the benefits that FinD provides is all that is required... they are caught in the gap between small group attendance and being fully engaged in FinD's ministry & mission. One member described his engagement like this:
“Hey, Clint, you met with me years ago and got me plugged into my weekly small group. I’m grateful for that. What the Holy Spirit has done to transform and grow my intimacy with Jesus Christ through my FinD group has been unbelievable. But we’re kind of on our own now. We don’t really need FinD. I don’t see the need to get engaged (volunteering or financially) in the overall FinD ministry, because we’re doing fine on our own.”
The leadership team and I were very grateful to hear this member’s perspective. We prayerfully digested this information and came to realize this wasn’t limited to just one member’s opinion.
While FinD can’t be all things to all people, we aspire to provide a conduit for men to get plugged in and follow Jesus Christ with one another. It seeks to unite Christian men on the fringe into fellowship and discipleship with other like-minded men.
At some point, we, as FinD members, were all on the outside looking in. Maybe we heard about FinD through a friend, our church, an email, social media or even a car window decal. Regardless of the source, current members found their way to FinD or vice versa and, collectively, we need to pay it forward. Many men are trapped in this epidemic of loneliness and they are searching for this community. They want to be transformed in an iron sharpens iron environment. They want to feel the warmth and accountability that comes from fellowship with believers. They want to dive into the Word and ruminate over various interpretations to help find the Truth. They want to get plugged into service and outreach opportunities, and group prayer needs, and fire pit nights, and annual retreats, and other meaningful men’s ministry events … and FinD wants to be there for them, but we can’t do it without the support of our membership.
It’s hard to fathom how much work goes into producing a newsletter, organizing a fire pit night or clay shoot, or the hundreds of Shepherd meetings, health checks, and kick off meetings FinD conducts each year. While FinD supporting current groups and reaching more men who are seeking Christ requires volunteers … volunteer leaders and volunteer participants … it also requires generous donations of time and financial resources. For example, FinD desperately needs a full-time administrative assistant. We have costs for website and social media management, accounting support for financial and tax reporting, meeting space costs, SWAG for new members and outreach events, CRM software, etc. If you want more detailed information, reach out to me and I’d be happy to run you through the full budget.
Engaged men are passionate men who know the mission, serve in it, and live it out. Member engagement is the difference maker between incremental and exponential growth. Yes, only God can bring growth, but He uses engaged men to do it. FinD’s future depends on engaged members who believe in our mission AND men on the outside who are ready to jump in the river’s current. Building a better, cooler, and more attractive ministry is one approach to growth; however, we need engaged men who are passionate champions of our mission … men who aren’t satisfied as passive consumers … men who give generously and serve selflessly … men who are on a mission because they believe in FinD’s mission.
I truly hope these words have enlightened your understanding of FinD’s mission and vision and inspired you to fully engage as a member, volunteer, and financial supporter because FinD needs you.
YBiC,
Clint
Supporting FinD in 2021
We prayerfully request your support of FinD's vision of developing disciples and serving our community. Please consider a recurring gift to support FinD in 2021.
