By Stephen W. Smith
It’s exciting to cast a vision of the future for Potter’s Inn ministry. Our total revamping and transition to a new model of ministry is being led by the Board of Potter’s Inn. Gifted and seasoned men and women are shaping a future for Potter’s Inn to transition to a healthy, vibrant and far impacting ministry. We hope this impact will be greater than we have seen and experienced in the past. We sense it will be. We feel led to study, build and release a new platform of ministry that people need, people want and people are asking for!
What is a “message centric” model?
We will focus on the message of caring for the soul of leaders in the marketplace and ministry rather than be tied to one physical address—namely our beloved retreat. This will mean many exciting ripples in the influencing of the lives of people around the world.
· We will be global in our scope using the means of technology and internet platforms to build an online retreat center.
· People at any time and in any place across the world can have access to resources, tools, connection, building community and gain access to tools for transformation and soul care.
· The message of soul care will morph into life-giving and informative conversations such as podcasts, online courses that are personal, interactive and inspirational.
· We will release the message of soul care, when in our prior model, people had to travel to Colorado. A Message Centric model can be explained as a sort of “digital Pentecost.” Do you recall in Acts, how God’s Spirit descended at one time; in one place and for one occasion to bring all people of every race and tribe together? A digital Pentecost is somewhat similar but in no way compares to what God did at that first Pentecost. Now, in our new platform, the message of soul care will be dispersed, shared and spread across races, nationalities and genders to all people—at any time and in any place. The message of caring for our souls is so needed in today’s world. These times we are living in are compelling us to share the hope and life that we gain when we choose to NOT run our lives on empty but rather value what God values and to care for what God cherishes: the soul of every man and woman, child and race! This is why the term “digital Pentecost” may well describe what we are about. We are convinced that NOW is the time. The world has great need and people are burning out.
Our goal in this is PREVENTATIVE care. To prevent a blow out; to prevent someone from burning out; to prevent a divorce; to prevent someone from doing something foolish is our objective. In doing this, our aim is to be a resource to the church everywhere for preventative care. It’s just this easy to understand: If you knew that eating a certain food would give you cancer and that you’d die, you can easily understand that it makes perfect sense to get that message out about the food. In the same way, Soul care has certain fundamental and easy to grasp concepts that no one has to be a rocket scientist to understand. We want to share that message.
We will continue to do this through the following means:
· Build an online platform to share the message (podcast, monthly book discussions, access to training and online learning. Build an online place where individuals can find one another and build a much needed sense of community—a sort of online cohort of people who are committed to learning together and growing together.
· Expand our Soul Care Institute. Our 2 year initiative to equip men and women in the six main and core themes of soul care has been wonderfully received and successful in every way. We will expand and strengthen the Potter’s Inn Soul Care Institute. Already, two brand new cohorts are planed for 2019 (one in NC and one in Colorado).
· Offer personalized care through the Potter’s Inn Soul Care Intensives. This will be our model for RESTORATIVE care. We will help restore what has been lost; attend to the carnage by bad choices and unhealthy lifestyles. This is restorative care. This is soul care. This is the core and heartbeat of our model and philosophy. We care for people—one life at a time. Hundreds of people from all over the world have come and will continue to come for the care of their souls to work on vocational challenges, marriage issues, developing intimacy with God and more. To do this, the Board of Potter’s Inn is interviewing qualified candidates to become the Chief Architect of Potter’s Inn version 2.0. This person will help build the platform for the online retreat that we are envisioning. It will take time to do this and financial support but we will begin immediately launching podcasts and other platforms as soon as we are able. We’d value your prayers for this search. We feel confident that a person is out there who has the technological skills, thirst to do this and gifts to lead this new model into existence.
We do so value your support of prayer and in our personal financial support needed for each staff member to be able to do their work and calling in the field of caring for the souls of others.
What can we gain by gaining the entire world but forfeiting our soul? The big question of soul care is simply this: What have we lost along the way by all of our gaining? For many, there is great loss and there is a great sense of inner “lack.” We are here to meet that need and our new model breathes hope that we can continue to do this by the grace of God.
