Written by:Jennifer Bartlett, TBS Dual Degree Completion and Master of Arts in Biblical Languages and Cultures student.
Jennifer Bartlett lives in Palm Coast, Florida and is a Dual Degree Completion student in the Master of Arts in Biblical Languages and Culture degree program. Fascinated with the Septuagint and with communicating “boring” parts of the Bible in dynamic and innovative ways, she and her husband, Brett, are homeschooling the last three of six children. She founded Alpha Women’s Center in Palm Coast in 1999 and now works independently as a content creator, manager, and editor for various Christian businesses and individuals, including the Christian tour agency Living Passages (2019-23), the late Dr. Michael Heiser (2020-21), and TBS’s own Shelley Neese (2023-24). Contact Jenni at jenni@gracetruthandlove.org.
Bartlett family (L-R, Front) Heather, Jenni, Alyssa, and Daniel; (Back) Brett and Alan. Not shown Jeremy and Jeff.
Our children, who were seemingly babies so recently, are growing up. In fact, some already have. Brett and I have six children, and a couple are now parents themselves. I’m homeschooling the last few and always hopeful for their nebulous future ministries and vocations. Among their prospects, nothing ignites them like the arts!
We just finished our busiest time of the year: culminating months of practices preparing for a year-end county strings concert and a first place-medal-winning regional fine arts competition in Orlando (a couple of hours away). Our church hosted a repeat performance for friends and family that was even better than the competition performance because they were bringing it for an audience of One, and it was worshipful!
I share this because we have a Great Commission to fulfill that can be accomplished through myriad forms of communication. Youth don’t need to wait until they’ve graduated from college to start being used by God, and perhaps they shouldn’t have to stop being artists to “make it” in the world.
I wonder, what if they could do what they love to do and get paid to do it? What if they could honor the Lord with their talents and He sustained them through their artistry? What if a team of talented people helped open wallets to fund such nonprofit Christian organizations that are fulfilling the call? What if their artistry included actively taking the Gospel into the nations? What if the message isn’t just GIVE, but GO? Or better yet, “COME UNTO ME”? What would that look like?
I am so thankful for The Bible Seminary and the resources God has opened to me through my degree program. Through the “PAS 511: Pastor-Leader I“ course and using guidelines from the book Boss Like God (2018) by TBS President Dr. K. Lynn Lewis and Beau McBeth, I jumped on the opportunity to crystallize my ideas into a plan!
Allow me to paint the picture, beginning, as the BLG authors do, with an introduction to the idea that God is the ideal boss. Throughout the Bible, God demonstrates various methods of relating to His “employees” and similar practices and principles can be implemented in the workplace. The book’s four sections address aspects of serving as boss in a business or ministry context: hiring, managing, firing, and leaving well. In keeping with one of the first steps in hiring well, allow me to cast vision by addressing the problem (opportunity), the solution, and the roles needed to fulfill the mission.
Problem: A lost and needy world needs the Gospel, discipleship, and a demonstration of the love of God through the good works and generosity of those who follow Jesus Christ. Many ministries engage in meeting these needs. They usually rely on financial donations, often solicited through audience-engaged events, and their audiences need information and encouragement to support ministry endeavors.
Solution: Offer media resources that can help deliver both kinds of messages. Options are virtually limitless: from 2-D drawings and paintings that can be auctioned and/or used to promote a cause; to original songs and videos; to dramatic and evocative, staged drama and human video presentations.
Roles: Job descriptions define roles by addressing purpose(s), resources and opportunities available, and specific freedoms and boundaries.2 According to BLG, job descriptions should be clear (straightforward and unambiguous), complete (the whole job and associated tasks), compatible (matched to the strengths of the individual), complementary (“we work together” = teamwork), and consensual (everyone understands and agrees upon their roles).3 Roles in our organization might include the following:
· A board of directors who design, define, and refine the solution and the roles needed to accomplish the mission (for example, and subject to revision): To provide a fundraising resources to Christian organizations using an array of fine arts as compelling media designed to glorify Jesus Christ and elicit a generous donor response. The Board establishes organizational goals as reflected in the mission statement and sets bylaws that define how the organization operates. All of this is in preparation for the execution of the plan.
· Executive Director(s) – chief talent scout/agent and client liaison – who will engage with other employees, volunteers, and clients to pursue the mission and goals. The Board equips the Executive Director with a clear job description, resources, and ongoing feedback and adjusts as necessary to achieve the desired results.4
· Performers and support team members such as coaches, instructors, set designers, and tech operators who help write, choreograph, setup, and perform or present at fundraising events; as well as business, communications, and marketing personnel who help produce and manage productions.
Because our chief aim is to glorify Jesus Christ, we will acknowledge our dependence on God for favorable outcomes – for safety, peaceful interpersonal relations, successful performances, and effective messages – by making prayer a priority. We will create a Statement of Faith consistent with conservative Christian doctrine, standards, and behavior. Hiring parameters will include seeking persons committed to living these out as organizational representatives and, primarily, as ambassadors who represent Jesus Christ in all things, at all times, and in all places.
In closing, I love TBS! I love the FLEXIBILITY that has allowed me to earn a degree online while working around my children’s busy schedule. I love the CONTENT as we learned subjects while also studying scripture in-depth. For example, in our Pastor-Leader class we studied leadership exploring prophets, priests, and kings throughout 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. I love the RESULTS as I’ve grown in my understanding of God’s Word; watched changes manifest in my environment; and am looking forward to launching a ministry that can provide meaningful vocations for Christian artists, innovative methods of raising funds, and dynamic ways of sharing the life-changing messages of hope in Jesus Christ.
Originally published in The Sentinel, Summer 2024, p. 12
Comments