Main Article – The Process of Competence

The Process of Competence

By: Bryan Sampson

I won’t ever forget my second day in Teen Challenge. It was 90 degrees in Sanford, FL, the sun was beating down on me from every direction as it reflected off of the line of cars I was staring at. I was surrounded by a thousand dirty cars that needed to be washed before an auction took place. The first thing that crossed my mind was “what did I do? I have made the biggest mistake of my life!” Fast forward fifteen months later; I’m an intern, on the same car lot, with the same heat, but different responsibilities as I supervise the work crew. As I began to grow complacent wondering what I was doing on the same lot, doing the same thing, God reminded me of my purpose and showed me how far I had come through the process He ordained. It’s funny that while in each moment I would have changed so much, as I look back through this journey and I wouldn’t change one thing. God was using every situation to show me who I truly was while preparing me for my destiny. I discovered more about myself and my competencies by working in a variety of domains than I could have ever discovered by a personality or interest inventory. How do we know who we truly are and what we truly love to do if we don’t experience the good and bad positions of work that life can provide? The process of discovering our competencies and who we truly are in Christ should fill us with joy even if the particular job doesn’t.

Stanley makes it clear that though we may not always be in a position where we are working within our competencies we need to adapt the mindset to uncover the areas where we would have the highest probability of success (Stanley, 2003). This is something we must work toward and focus on. No position will ever be completely filled with responsibilities that we love to do or where we operate within our competencies all day long. That isn’t realistic. We all must answer to someone and be willing to complete the tasks assigned to us whether they are in our competencies our not. We owe it to ourselves, our ministry, and to God to embrace the process of discovering our competencies, learning about ourselves, and being patient and willing to do whatever is asked, so when God does open the door for our dream position we are prepared to walk through it.

Jesus says, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:26-28 ESV). There was a process that Jesus had to go through before He entered His role as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It was Jesus’ joy to endure the process of sacrificially serving Himself to the point of death so that we could live but more importantly that He would be glorified! (Heb 12:2) Let us begin to walk with the same humility and anticipation that Jesus did as we grow and develop as leaders.

Are you willing to go through the process so you become competent and ready to walk you’re your destiny so that God would be glorified?

ELP Participant Highlight – March

Name: Glenn Thomas Forker

Age: 34

Hometown: Madisonville Ky

Teen Challenge Center: Western Kentucky Teen Challenge

 

Brief Testimony: I was homeless strung out fo 20 years and as broken as a man could be. I had gotten very close to killing myself and was living out of a hotel at a level of strung out I had never been too. My family had offered to help me if I would seek help. Thinking I was going to get over on them and stay high I agreed. But God had different plans. I pushed to come on a tour of this program and one year later here I am.

What is the vision and calling that God has given you? I feel like I am meant to share with people what has happened in my life, what GOD has done in my life. If I just give one person hope or am able to help bring one person to the Lord, every struggle I have been threw is worth it.

How has the ELP Program impacted you? ELP has taught me leadership on a level I have never thought possible. And most importantly it has taught me how to lead like a Christian man and to show people the word threw my actions

Training Facilitator Highlight – March

Name: Jeremiah Jeffers

Center: Graduate of Teen Challenge in Dixon, Ky.

I have been here for 3 years now, and I am working as a full-time staff member. Through the opportunity the Lord gave me through Teen Challenge, I now have restoration with my daughters and am building a relationship with them. I have purpose for my life today, and I love to work and help others. I am thankful for a personal relationship with the Lord and to know the power of His Word. Today, I am a living stone, a royal priesthood, and my life is now built on the solid rock and aligned with the true cornerstone of Jesus Christ. Today I have true life.