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God calls people to do the work of the Gospel. Yet in our culture we tend to focus more on the organization (or the church) and forget that organizations are defined by more than their products, performance, or principles. They also are fundamentally defined by their people. So, to fully understand EGC, you need to understand the Center’s staff. Who are the people who make up EGC? How has God shaped each one of us for his or her particular task?

EGC is diverse in many ways. We are young and old, male and female, and are from a variety of educational and denominational backgrounds. We represent different races and ethnicities, and collectively speak well over a dozen languages. Three of our staff have earned Ph.D.’s, another has a J.D., and a number have Doctor of Ministry degrees. Some are seminary professors while others are currently enrolled in seminary. Some of our staff have years of experience on the streets. About a quarter of our staff are ordained ministers. Nearly a third of our staff are single, and there are three married couples on staff. Almost half of the staff were born outside the U.S. (and a majority of these speak English as a second language). All this diversity helps us to connect well with an increasingly diverse church in an increasingly diverse city and world.

STAFF TENURE

Our 36 staff members together have nearly 450 years of experience in urban ministry at EGC, for an average staff tenure of 12.4 years. (Compare that to the national average of 4.4 years.) Doug and Judy Hall head the longevity list with 46 years and counting. This month I’m entering my 20th year at EGC, and more than a quarter of the staff have been here longer than I have. The Center has a strong base of mature, seasoned leaders—men and women who have made urban ministry at EGC their career. And yet, following right behind this group is a third of the staff that has been here between 6 and 15 years. Among these men and women I see capable leaders who will help take EGC forward into future decades. Finally, the remaining two-fifths of our staff have joined EGC in the last five years. These newer staff members are just as important. They keep us current by bringing a fresh perspective, new ideas, and cultural relevancy to our outreach.

WHAT KEEPS US TOGETHER

With all this diversity, what keeps us together? First, and most importantly, all of us are strongly committed to Jesus Christ. Second, we are all committed to our mission of understanding and nurturing the vitality of urban churches and communities. And we enjoy serving the Lord together. A 20th century hymn says, “You bring marvelous comrades to me!” I couldn’t agree more, and I hope you will get to know us a little better through the staff stories that make up this issue of Inside EGC.

by Jeffrey Bass, executive director

[published in Inside EGC, November-December, 2010]

EGC Staff Wealth of Differences

current staff listing