The Three: Ways to Accelerate Ending Gospel Poverty
Haggai veteran John Bachman has studied the impacts our leaders have around the globe for decades. He shares three statements that have impacted his view on ending Gospel poverty.
“Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.” Isaiah 30:8
As Haggai’s chief global research officer, I observe and document the ministry’s growth and Haggai leaders’ impact across the world, recording and interpreting vital stats to best serve our team. In the following, I share three statements that struck me as I reflected on 40 years serving Haggai International.
One
“BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE, THEY SHALL NOT BE BROKEN.”
During a college chapel service, I heard the founder of Calvary Chapel, Pastor Chuck Smith, say his years in ministry convinced him this must have been one of the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, but a careless scribe omitted it. It’s become a helpful motto for me. When Haggai hired me in 1982, I was told, “You won’t be doing any travel. You’ll organize home meetings by phone.” Yet the following month, I was in Singapore attending a convocation for 45 leaders who just completed the Haggai Leader Experience. In 1987, I was asked to go to Hawai‘i for a few weeks to find a location for an additional equipping center. That became 16 months. A year later, an organization invited Haggai International to open an office in Asia. I was asked to spend a few months helping set up the office. That turned into a memorable two and a half years. I’ve been richly blessed to travel to scores of countries with and for Dr. John Edmund Haggai, keeping in mind the need for flexibility.
Two
“ATTEMPT SOMETHING SO GREAT FOR GOD IT’S DOOMED TO FAILURE UNLESS GOD BE IN IT.”
This statement by Dr. Haggai motivated him and his goals. During the first 15 years of ministry, we averaged 105 leaders per year at the international sessions. In the early 1980s, the ministry’s announced goal was “10,000 leaders by 2000.” To achieve that goal, we needed almost 8,500 more over 17 years, an average of 500 per year. With that goal driving us, the development of a second equipping center in Hawai‘i, the prayers and financial support of many, we reached 10,000 leaders during a women’s session in Singapore in July 2000. In the years since we’ve averaged almost 1,000 a year in the in-person and virtual international equipping sessions. Combined with those who have attended National and Regional Seminars, there are now more than 130,000 leaders working in 189 countries and territories which represent 99% of the world’s population.
Three
“HE WHO DOES THE WORK IS NOT SO PRODUCTIVELY EMPLOYED AS HE WHO MULTIPLIES THE DOERS.”
Dr. Haggai read this 1819 quote by Dr. Thomas Chalmers of Scotland in John R. Mott, World Citizen. It helped shape his thinking during the creation of the program now called the Haggai Leader Experience and became part of our mission statement: “To equip and inspire strategically positioned leaders to more effectively demonstrate and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to prepare others to do the same.”
The only way we will truly be able to accelerate the end of Gospel poverty is by combining these three statements: being flexible, attempting great things for God, and multiplying the doers.
John Bachman
Chief Global Research Officer
The Three: Ways to Accelerate Ending Gospel Poverty
Haggai veteran John Bachman has studied the impacts our leaders have around the globe for decades. He shares three statements that have impacted his view on ending Gospel poverty.
“Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.” Isaiah 30:8
As Haggai’s chief global research officer, I observe and document the ministry’s growth and Haggai leaders’ impact across the world, recording and interpreting vital stats to best serve our team. In the following, I share three statements that struck me as I reflected on 40 years serving Haggai International.
One
“BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE, THEY SHALL NOT BE BROKEN.”
During a college chapel service, I heard the founder of Calvary Chapel, Pastor Chuck Smith, say his years in ministry convinced him this must have been one of the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, but a careless scribe omitted it. It’s become a helpful motto for me. When Haggai hired me in 1982, I was told, “You won’t be doing any travel. You’ll organize home meetings by phone.” Yet the following month, I was in Singapore attending a convocation for 45 leaders who just completed the Haggai Leader Experience. In 1987, I was asked to go to Hawai‘i for a few weeks to find a location for an additional equipping center. That became 16 months. A year later, an organization invited Haggai International to open an office in Asia. I was asked to spend a few months helping set up the office. That turned into a memorable two and a half years. I’ve been richly blessed to travel to scores of countries with and for Dr. John Edmund Haggai, keeping in mind the need for flexibility.
Two
“ATTEMPT SOMETHING SO GREAT FOR GOD IT’S DOOMED TO FAILURE UNLESS GOD BE IN IT.”
This statement by Dr. Haggai motivated him and his goals. During the first 15 years of ministry, we averaged 105 leaders per year at the international sessions. In the early 1980s, the ministry’s announced goal was “10,000 leaders by 2000.” To achieve that goal, we needed almost 8,500 more over 17 years, an average of 500 per year. With that goal driving us, the development of a second equipping center in Hawai‘i, the prayers and financial support of many, we reached 10,000 leaders during a women’s session in Singapore in July 2000. In the years since we’ve averaged almost 1,000 a year in the in-person and virtual international equipping sessions. Combined with those who have attended National and Regional Seminars, there are now more than 130,000 leaders working in 189 countries and territories which represent 99% of the world’s population.
Three
“HE WHO DOES THE WORK IS NOT SO PRODUCTIVELY EMPLOYED AS HE WHO MULTIPLIES THE DOERS.”
Dr. Haggai read this 1819 quote by Dr. Thomas Chalmers of Scotland in John R. Mott, World Citizen. It helped shape his thinking during the creation of the program now called the Haggai Leader Experience and became part of our mission statement: “To equip and inspire strategically positioned leaders to more effectively demonstrate and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to prepare others to do the same.”
The only way we will truly be able to accelerate the end of Gospel poverty is by combining these three statements: being flexible, attempting great things for God, and multiplying the doers.
John Bachman
Chief Global Research Officer
The Three: Ways to Accelerate Ending Gospel Poverty
Haggai veteran John Bachman has studied the impacts our leaders have around the globe for decades. He shares three statements that have impacted his view on ending Gospel poverty.
“Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.” Isaiah 30:8
As Haggai’s chief global research officer, I observe and document the ministry’s growth and Haggai leaders’ impact across the world, recording and interpreting vital stats to best serve our team. In the following, I share three statements that struck me as I reflected on 40 years serving Haggai International.
One
“BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE, THEY SHALL NOT BE BROKEN.”
During a college chapel service, I heard the founder of Calvary Chapel, Pastor Chuck Smith, say his years in ministry convinced him this must have been one of the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, but a careless scribe omitted it. It’s become a helpful motto for me. When Haggai hired me in 1982, I was told, “You won’t be doing any travel. You’ll organize home meetings by phone.” Yet the following month, I was in Singapore attending a convocation for 45 leaders who just completed the Haggai Leader Experience. In 1987, I was asked to go to Hawai‘i for a few weeks to find a location for an additional equipping center. That became 16 months. A year later, an organization invited Haggai International to open an office in Asia. I was asked to spend a few months helping set up the office. That turned into a memorable two and a half years. I’ve been richly blessed to travel to scores of countries with and for Dr. John Edmund Haggai, keeping in mind the need for flexibility.
Two
“ATTEMPT SOMETHING SO GREAT FOR GOD IT’S DOOMED TO FAILURE UNLESS GOD BE IN IT.”
This statement by Dr. Haggai motivated him and his goals. During the first 15 years of ministry, we averaged 105 leaders per year at the international sessions. In the early 1980s, the ministry’s announced goal was “10,000 leaders by 2000.” To achieve that goal, we needed almost 8,500 more over 17 years, an average of 500 per year. With that goal driving us, the development of a second equipping center in Hawai‘i, the prayers and financial support of many, we reached 10,000 leaders during a women’s session in Singapore in July 2000. In the years since we’ve averaged almost 1,000 a year in the in-person and virtual international equipping sessions. Combined with those who have attended National and Regional Seminars, there are now more than 130,000 leaders working in 189 countries and territories which represent 99% of the world’s population.
Three
“HE WHO DOES THE WORK IS NOT SO PRODUCTIVELY EMPLOYED AS HE WHO MULTIPLIES THE DOERS.”
Dr. Haggai read this 1819 quote by Dr. Thomas Chalmers of Scotland in John R. Mott, World Citizen. It helped shape his thinking during the creation of the program now called the Haggai Leader Experience and became part of our mission statement: “To equip and inspire strategically positioned leaders to more effectively demonstrate and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to prepare others to do the same.”
The only way we will truly be able to accelerate the end of Gospel poverty is by combining these three statements: being flexible, attempting great things for God, and multiplying the doers.
John Bachman
Chief Global Research Officer
Comments
Comments
-
When my hard copy of Impact came in, I saw John’s awesome article, and now having received the digital version, I reread the words. This is so powerful, you do not get the full impact at first reading. Take a few minutes and read the page slowly, it is truly a Historical and Very Impactful statement.
In fact, I will borrow some of the words (and give JB credit). Thanks for your 40 year commitment!
Jim Frame
Dallas, TX -
Thank you John. It is good to hear part of your story. I hope you are writing books. I recall my story being put in Ompact a number of years ago. It is so humbling to serve with such amazing and committed leaders as yourself and the Global Haggai Family. God bless you Sir as you continue to inspire us all.
Clive Lawler
South Africa
Faculty
When my hard copy of Impact came in, I saw John’s awesome article, and now having received the digital version, I reread the words. This is so powerful, you do not get the full impact at first reading. Take a few minutes and read the page slowly, it is truly a Historical and Very Impactful statement.
In fact, I will borrow some of the words (and give JB credit). Thanks for your 40 year commitment!
Jim Frame
Dallas, TX
Thank you John. It is good to hear part of your story. I hope you are writing books. I recall my story being put in Ompact a number of years ago. It is so humbling to serve with such amazing and committed leaders as yourself and the Global Haggai Family. God bless you Sir as you continue to inspire us all.
Clive Lawler
South Africa
Faculty