In this episode, Jedd Medefind digs deep with Jim Martin, Vice President for Spiritual Formation at International Justice Mission (IJM). Listen in to hear how IJM – among the most respected anti-trafficking organizations in the world – integrates practices of soul care and spiritual formation among its staff all over the world … and how you can do the same, both personally and in your organization.
In this episode, we'll explore:
- The practices of spiritual health that every member of the IJM staff engage daily, weekly and yearly.
- How Christian justice work is primarily a response to needs, but flows ultimately from the heart of the God who loves justice.
- Why expressing “lament” both individually and together is essential for ministries that engage the world’s suffering.
- The value of pairing consistent rhythms of soul care with frequent alterations in how we engage those rhythms.
- Where to start if you want to grow a culture of spiritual health in your organization.
- Simple tools to measure the progress of spiritual formation – both corporately and individually.
Key Quotes
“As I more deeply engage in the mission of God, I more deeply experience the presence of God.”
“The church of Jesus is hard-wired for the death and life struggles of the world. And the extent to which we absent ourselves from those struggles is the extent we experience a sort of estrangement from the God of justice. And counterintuitively, the extent we opt in is the extent in which, as the church, we find life and meaning and purpose. This is what we’re built for.”
“As leaders, our responsibility is to help our people find deeper, long lasting fuel for the fight. Because the outrage is going to burn off…”
“We will only persevere and thrive in this work to the extent that we feel, ‘This is not ultimately on my shoulders. I am simply a child working alongside my Father – joining in His work and finding joy and purpose in that – but ultimately, the final outcome is not up to me. What a freeing moment.”
