Healing Line

Healing Line

Getting Ready for God's Plans

by Dale S. Recinella
Spring 2001

In January 2000, Francis MacNutt shared with CHM's Executive Committee the following Scripture that he had received in prayer:

 

Enlarge the place of your tent and stretch your tent curtains wide; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.
— Isaiah 54:2

 


Fourteen months later, those words describe both where we have been and what still lies before us. All of us at CHM have been strengthening the stakes and lengthening the cords in preparation for God's plans to enlarge.

After almost 21 years of sustained growth and service, the last 13 of which have been here in Jacksonville, CHM has 16 employees and 350 volunteers. The internships, Days of Healing Prayer, IPMs and Schools of Healing Prayer are outstripping the capacity of our current facilities. Churches, schools and medical professionals from all over the country — even outside the US — are approaching CHM with requests for teaching materials, and some desire to establish an ongoing relationship. Now that Dr. Matthews' medical study has been published, we expect these requests to increase.

In the Spring 2000 issue of The Healing Line, Francis announced that new things were underway at CHM, namely, that the staff and leadership were evaluating how best to concentrate the ministry's efforts to bring Christ's healing presence into the world. That effort, which actually began with a strategic planning process about three years ago, has moved forward significantly. During 2000, we tried to flesh out that plan by translating broad goals into specific action steps that will best position CHM to serve God and his people in the future. Not surprisingly, many of the initial steps have involved an organizational tune–up, like the way one prepares a car for a long and exciting trip.

Step number one was the creation of an active Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. This Executive Committee meets monthly and enables the Board to be directly involved in every step of the process and to share their valuable professional expertise.

The next step was to compile the history of CHM and to translate our history and our plan into clearly defined policies and procedures. As a result of this process, office hours, sick/personal days, holidays and benefits were standardized. New and specific job descriptions were created, and all of our programs were reevaluated.

One might say, 'Wow! That's a lot to digest." In reality, however, it merely brought us to a new beginning.

For example, in June of 2000, the Board of Trustees approved the creation of an Acquisition and Development Committee to plan CHM's finances, define the facility needs of the ministry, and oversee the acquiring of such facilities. In addition, the Board authorized seeking funding to acquire a full–time Development Director. This person will be responsible for planning and managing the revenue side of the ministry. If new facilities are to be acquired, a Development Director will manage the capital campaign.

The Board also approved another critical aspect of CHM's preparation. Thanks to a large donation, CHM acquired a state–of–the–art networked computer system. This new system came on–line August 14, and a new CHM web page followed a few weeks later.

In another first, CHM stepped into the role of publisher. The first work bearing a CHM ISBN number is Francis' new book Homosexuality: Can It Be Healed?

And the best is yet to come. Francis, Judith and the staff have been prayerfully involved in the next phase of the planning cycle which has allowed all of them to share ideas of how God is calling CHM to best concentrate the ministry's efforts. About the time this newsletter goes to press, the National Advisory Board will be in Jacksonville to join our local Board of Trustees in a joint workshop to give their input into this phase of planning.

It is a very exciting time. We invite your continued prayers and support in preparing for God's plans for the future of CHM.


Francis MacNutt Dale S. Recinella, formerly a lawyer specializing in domestic and international project finance, works two days per week on staff at CHM handling our strategic planning and special projects. Spring 2001 Issue