Salt of the Earth

On this beautiful September morning, as the heat begins to give way to crisp fall air, I am reminded of God's call in our lives to stay true to our identity as people of faith and to live impactfully in this world. Around the globe, congregations will be hearing from Luke 14:25-33—Discipleship tested—“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (v.27). This testing also calls us to intentionally plan for the impact we hope to have in our corner of the world. The saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” echoes throughout Luke’s message. 

But what I want to focus on is found in verse 34: “Salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?” What does it truly take to be fully and authentically who we are in this world—impacting others not despite our uniqueness, but because of it? This morning, I came across a powerful post from Black Executives Network on LinkedIn—featuring rare insights from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. about being our most authentic selves in leadership. I’m attaching that post here so you can hear Dr. King’s voice and read his words:

“Number one in your life’s blueprint should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your own worth, and your own somebodyness. Second, you must have the determination to achieve excellence. Study hard, burn the midnight oil when you discover what you’re meant to be—do it as if God Almighty called you at this very moment in history to do it. Do the job so well that the living, the dead, or the unborn couldn’t do it any better. Lastly, your blueprint must include a commitment to the eternal principles of beauty, love, and justice… If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl but by all means keep moving.” Read the full post here.

Our “somebodyness”—a word not found in the dictionary—is a powerful image. To be “somebody” is to be “salty.” If salt loses its savor, with what shall it be restored? Decades ago, I wrote a dissertation on human dignity and capability, emphasizing that every human being has innate potential. With the right tools—learning, expressing, and developing—there are endless possibilities within each person, guided by the Spirit.

The ministry of leadership development is about elevating the human spirit—equipping people with new skills and a vision rooted in beauty, love, and justice. During our recent General Assembly, we celebrated as HELM students stepped forward, sharing their voices on stage, at the microphone, and in one-on-one conversations towards their own life blueprint. The outcome of the Leadership Fellows experience became a part of their story, their story. Today, I am excited to introduce the next phase in our leadership preparation: the inaugural cohort of the Global Theological Fellows, in partnership with Disciples Overseas Ministries/Global Ministries and Week of Compassion. These graduate-level or alternative track emerging clergy will participate in a similar and more extensive immersive learning experience alongside our international partners and global leaders. 

We are also proud to launch the next level of the “HELM Arch of Education” with the Young Adult Leadership Symposium. HELM offers two leadership tracks: The Leadership Symposium(s) - for everyone and online & The Fellows Program(s) - for those that apply and are accepted annually. Our ministry in the life of the church is simple yet profound: bringing students and meaningful resources together. It’s more than a slogan—it’s our calling. 

Additionally, I am pleased to announce the promotion of Rev. Lee Yates to Vice President for Program & Scholarship. Together, our team is dedicated to building a comprehensive arch of educational opportunities—from high school to post-graduate studies—to nurture, encourage, and elevate the gifts and capacities of students.

The world we engage teaches us not only who we are but where we stand in the call to impactful witness. The development of the Global Theological Fellows, for example, relies on diverse voices that challenge us to remain committed to human dignity, capacity, and justice. We need every voice. As Dr. King said, we are called to give our best and to keep running, walking or crawling forward as if God Almighty has called us to do this exact work in this pivotal moment. Thank you for the voices that continue to nurture and support Disciples students and for those that keep us moving forward in impactful “salty” ministry.