Our PLI Story – Mark and Betty Schulz
Our PLI Story – Mark and Betty Schulz
Betty and I had the privilege of participating in PLI with the class of 2001. As we began PLI we were excited about the process, but neither of us recognized the fundamental difference that the next four years were going to make in our ministry and our marriage.
As we entered PLI, I had been in or around ministry for about 20 years – twelve as a Lutheran school teacher, three years of seminary, and seven years as a pastor. Four of those years as a pastor had been spent at a growing mission church. It was quickly becoming apparent to me that even after 20 years, I still had a lot to learn about leading people.
PLI seemed to be a gift from God to prepare me for that task. Shortly after beginning PLI I accepted a call to be the senior pastor of a church of over 2000 people. My need to grow as a leader went from important to vital as I stepped into this new leadership role.
PLI affected my ability to lead people in a missional way more than I can say. Collegial relationships, caring mentors, dynamic teachers and speakers at conferences all were used by God to shape my leadership style and abilities more than I would have thought possible in four years. And the greatest blessing of all is that this happened with my wife by my side the whole way, growing together with me.
If I had to describe the affect of PLI on my ministry with one word it would be intentionality. I am much more intentional about leadership, growth, and pursuing the mission of connecting people to Jesus than ever before. I begin each week with a focus on our mission as a church and the key things I need to do that no one else can do to best help us pursue that mission. I take one day every month to spend with God in prayer and planning, focusing on His priorities for my life.
I know my gifts and joyfully use them, while helping others use their gifts in areas where my gifts fall short. (I no longer believe the pastor has to pretend to be good at everything!) I ask focused questions at meetings to be sure our whole staff team is intentional about our mission. If you ask members of the staff or congregation here at Trinity what our mission is, they will know. I can’t imagine this all happening without the influence of PLI on my ministry and the whole ministry of our church.
If that was all I had to say about PLI, it would be enough. But the best blessing of all was the effect PLI had on Betty’s and my marriage.
I still remember vividly our first conference together. It was really our first time away from our son since he had been born six years before. We were looking forward to the time, and yet we were unsure of what to expect.
We had just attended a session in which a number of pastors and their wives had shared how ministry was affecting their marriage for the better and for the worse. Our task was to discuss if we saw similar affects on our own marriage. I remember clearly wondering what we were going to talk about, as I truly did not believe ministry was affecting our marriage much at all.
The first words out of Betty’s mouth as we left the auditorium were, “Boy, could I relate to a lot of that…” I was stunned. As we talked I discovered that Betty had been sensing a growing tension between the demands of ministry on my time and attention and the attention and time she and my son so richly needed and deserved.
To be candid, I was taking them for granted. And from Betty’s perspective, how do you tell someone they are spending too much time and effort “Loving People to Christ” (our church’s mission statement)?
PLI gave Betty the permission to speak up then – and now – when ministry and family get out of balance in our lives. It helped me realize it was important to also be intentional about my role as a husband and father. It helped Betty have a better understanding of the stresses I face each day, and how she could be a better partner in our common mission. And it gave us a chance to celebrate one of God’s best gifts to each of us – the gift of
each other.