Last month we talked about Jesus’ Pattern of Relationships and engaging with people who do not yet know Christ (OUT). This month we are going to dig deeper into another aspect of the triangle: our UP relationship with God.

Throughout the PLI journey, participants wrestle with the question: Is my life and leadership aligned with the mission of God? To explore that question, leaders look to the life of Jesus. 

In the Gospels, we see Jesus regularly spending time with God the Father. This close relationship kept Jesus rooted in God’s mission. As a result, Jesus did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19). Everything Jesus did flowed from God’s heart to restore, forgive, heal, and draw people into relationship. 

The same is true for us. 

Think about someone you know well—a spouse, close friend, or trusted mentor. The more time you spend with that person, the more you understand what matters to them. You begin to recognize their priorities, care about what they care about, and see the world through their eyes. The relationship shapes the way you think and act.

Our relationship with God works similarly. The more time we spend with God in prayer and scripture, seeking a deeper relationship, the more we come to know God’s heart. We begin to recognize what matters to God and align our lives with what God is doing in the world.

Rediscovering God’s Heart

Prioritizing this kind of close relationship with God can be challenging. Ministry leaders often spend so much time in scripture and prayer for work, that they lose sight of their own relationship with the Father. Our relationship with God is about more than getting things done. It’s about continually rediscovering God’s heart—first for ourselves and then for others. 

Ministry leaders, like all of us, need a constant reminder of God’s unconditional love for them. As we grow closer to God, we are reminded of the love, grace, truth, and forgiveness we receive through Jesus.

Through a deep relationship with God, we gain direction for our lives, clarity in our calling, and the joy of joining in what God is already doing in the world. 

“Is my life and leadership aligned with the mission of God?” That question, which grounds PLI training, is shaping leaders around the world, transforming not only their lives but the churches they lead.