Starting the search for our new International Director

BY GILLIAN PHILLIPS (CHAIR, SIM BOARD OF GOVERNORS)

As we begin the search for SIM’s new International Director, I am reminded of the old hymn: “Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us over the world’s tempestuous sea; guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us, for we have no help but thee.”

We all know the Lord leads us – day by day, over the years, in our local context and in our global mission. Without his leading and guiding, we would be part of a fun, challenging, interesting but ultimately futile endeavour. We are confident that he will continue to lead and guide us into the future.

God also gives us human leaders – those who lead the local church, those who lead our teams, and those who lead SIM, including our country leaders, our boards and our executive.

The International Board is so grateful to Joshua Bogunjoko, our International Director who continues to lead us in a visionary and godly manner. Joshua has already announced that he does not feel God is calling him to serve a third five-year term, so we have started a search process for his successor. Our aim is to discern who the Lord is calling into this key leadership role to take SIM forward over the next five to 10 years.

This appointment of a new International Director is under the oversight of the International Board and the process is managed by a Search Committee chosen by the Board.

The members are:

Gillian Phillips – Chair of International Board, from the UK.

Patrick Oduro – Vice Chair of Board, from Ghana.

Andres Corrales – Member-at-large on Board, serves in Uruguay, from Costa Rica.

Sherri Letchford – Member-at-large on Board, serves in Kenya, from USA.

Ola Sage – Vice Chair of SIM USA Board, former visitor to Board.

Ivan Liew – Serves on SIM Singapore Council, visitor to Board.

Puti Ozukum – SIM mission worker serving in Mali, from North East India.

Angela Doucet – Joshua’s Executive Assistant, who will be providing administrative support.

We hope to bring a global perspective and a clear process, as outlined in the Board’s by-laws. It is vital that we listen to the whole mission in what will be a four-stage process:

1) Consultation on the challenges and opportunities SIM will face, and the qualities needed in a leader for those times. This will inform the writing of the Person and Position descriptions (March–May 2022).

2) When the final role descriptions are available, we will call for nominations (June–August 2022).

3) Discernment of who to take from long list to short list to final interviews (September 2022– February 2023).

4) Decision-making process and ratification by the Global Assembly and all mission members (March–August 2023).

This timescale gives us space to consider prayerfully and carefully. It will also allow the chosen candidate to have about six months to prepare before taking over from Joshua.

It is vital that we come before our Lord in prayer. Can I ask you to be praying fervently over the coming months as the whole mission seeks to discern the Lord’s leading?

As Paul prayed for the church in Philippi, may we all pray for one another – for the glory and praise of God: “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

This is a season for discernment of who the Lord wants to lead SIM for the coming years. This should be our prayer.

On a practical note, we have set up an area on PORT for the search process, which contains a lot of background information and a Frequently Asked Questions document.

We will be posting specific prayers through our normal channels.

If you still have questions, please email international.idsearch@sim.org.

Above all, please pray.

International Director Search | By Prayer | Philippians 1:9-11