FIRST PERSON
Stronger Together
How CLA has helped us to support ministry leaders nationwide.
By Robyn Chambers
I am the program director of the Option Ultrasound Program at Focus on the Family. I’ve been there since its launch in 2004, and I so vividly remember my first week asking if the job came with a seat belt! Life in this role became crazy busy, but I kept telling myself that we were doing life-saving work. Through the Lord’s grace and the wonderful work of Pregnancy Medical Clinics around the U.S., we have seen over 90,000 babies and their moms potentially saved from the devastating effects of abortion.
It is thrilling work, but I can understand how ministry leaders become weary and tired. Over the years, I’ve heard the comments from exhausted CEOs and executive directors: "I’m tired”; "I don’t have support”; "I’m burnt out.” In response, the Option Ultrasound Program team started looking for ways to encourage those directly ministering to women, their babies, and their families. Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA) has proven to be an important resource in that effort, providing sound biblical principles to equip ministry leaders to serve where God has called them.
When the opportunity came along for the Option Ultrasound Program to partner with CLA, we were thrilled and overwhelmed all at the same time. How could we train the Pregnancy Medical Clinic leaders, participate in the conference, and offer topics that were specific to our clinics’ needs? The leadership at CLA welcomed us, listened to our concerns, and made us feel valued. They assured us the topics taught were applicable to a wide range of nonprofit organizations and their leaders.
The leadership training we have received as we attended CLA’s annual conferences and Steward Leadership Summit has allowed us to point to CLA as an invaluable tool for clinic leaders we serve. The faculty members who teach at these events are simply exceptional in their wisdom, insight, and heart for ministry. In fact, some have gone above and beyond to provide free resources to leaders of our clinics. They are investing deeply in the kingdom.
It is a pleasure to work with the CLA team, and to hear how this training is changing the lives of those in leadership roles in the clinics. Here are just a couple comments from some of our past attendees:
As a leader of a Christian not-for-profit, I was challenged, encouraged, inspired, and educated as a man, as a husband, and as a father. In other words, it provided challenging information on both the professional and private levels. —Patrick Eades, Care Net Pregnancy Center of Coastal Georgia
I greatly appreciated the level of wisdom and experience of the presenters and the usefulness of the information shared. It has deeply impacted my life at the center and personally. Thank you so much for making it possible to attend. —Betty Millingen, Hope Women’s Centers, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
These men and women wear many hats in their clinics and, at times, they feel they are the only ones doing what they are doing. The networking and support they receive from other Christian ministry leaders while attending the CLA conference encourages them to continue to stand up and be an advocate for those who do not have a voice. We heard from many of last year’s attendees who said they were refreshed and had a renewed vision.
Here are a couple of comments on the spiritual component of the CLA National Conference:
The most helpful aspect was the permission to be selfish in the care of my soul in order to be selfless in the service of others. —Betty Mimnaugh, Hope Women’s Centers, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
I have had some issues surface that caught me by surprise and I needed this to refocus on my first love and the whole reason I went into ministry. I miss hearing the voice of God because there is so much information to learn and so many people and not much affirmation—God’s crazy about me! —Deborah McGregor, Care Net of Central Texas, Waco, Texas
As we look to the future and stretch our donor dollars, all of us on the Option Ultrasound Program team realize partnering with CLA is one of the wisest stewardship choices we have ever made.
Thank you, Christian Leadership Alliance!
Robyn Chambers oversees the Option Ultrasound Program goal of equipping Pregnancy Medical Clinics as they serve women and their pre-born babies by providing clinics with ultrasound equipment, training, and standards of professional operations. The Program prioritizes work in High Abortion Communities (HAC). For more information, go to heartlink.org. To learn more about Christian Leadership Alliance, visit christianleadershipalliance.org. To learn about attending the 2011 Christian Leadership Alliance National Conference in Dallas on April 26-28, visit claconference.org.
