Events and Administration

Teamwork, Transparency, and Trust

By David Vermeesch  | Comments (3) | Posted on December 13, 2007

As 2007 nears an end, Hanukkah in Missouri has been a delightful opportunity to reflect— this, my family’s third Hanukkah ever. I confess, though, the gift of Latke-flavored Jones Soda from Boaz-and-family left us gasping for egg nog to wash it down.

I hope you were able to read Boaz’s 2007 year-in-review blog. This year has been one of the most fascinating years of our family’s life, and also for me, both personally and professionally. It has been eye-opening to learn, from the inside, why First Fruits is so respected for its balance. Many people trust FFOZ as a voice of reason and of sound biblical understanding.

You may have received a letter recently from Boaz, and you may be considering a year-end donation. Although I am still one of the new guys at First Fruits of Zion, I’m going to take this year-end opportunity to let you peek behind the FFOZ curtain a little. I am privy to a unique perspective that few are able to observe. Because of my role at First Fruits, I have an insider status, but an observer-like viewpoint. I’m also a relative newcomer to the Messianic/Torah life, though I have been a Christian since my childhood. But the really unique part of my perspective is the context to which I’m able to compare my professional experience here with Boaz and company.

Over the years I have worked with many well-known and not-so-well-known Christian ministries, missions, para-church organizations, and non-profits. I’ve seen just about everything. The good, the bad and the unimaginably ugly. Little could surprise me.

But First Fruits of Zion has surprised me.

This year Boaz Michael revived my idealism. Daniel Lancaster offered me hope. Toby Janicki renewed my optimism. Hope Egan helped me do all this while eating better.

In his day-to-day role as Director, I have watched Boaz Michael lead this team with an unusually steady blend of graciousness, creativity, forbearance and resolve. He does this in the spotlight, as well as from his quiet corner while on the phone and in his e-mails. Don’t misunderstand my honest accolade. Most individuals will eventually, to some degree, disappoint us. That is my point about Boaz’s subtle leadership. The enduring strength of FFOZ isn’t necessarily his, nor any other individual's.

First Fruits’ strength is found within the very transparency afforded by its simple, unsophisticated teamwork. While I have been a part of truly nimble and functional collaboration teams before, it’s usually been within creative business environments. I have observed that it doesn’t happen nearly as often in a ministry context, usually because there is a domineering or rate-limiting figurehead at the helm.

But like I said, FFOZ surprised me. I can report that FFOZ has a pretty healthy group of teachers, professionals, and lay people.

We have our challenges to be sure. We still miss project deadlines; we are still struggling to get your Torah Club memberships 100% accurate. And you might guess that our teachers don’t always agree with one another on every detail. I see this regularly. The dialog is usually loving, but it can get heated, too. Seven months ago we moved our teaching and development operations into an online, secure collaboration hothouse called BasecampHQ. Here, in real-time, every idea, dialog, and each editing draft for every FFOZ project is shared in a virtual environment. At any given time, as many as 10-20 staff and volunteers can be logged in discussing, managing, writing, or editing.

It may surprise you to know that most of our internal theological iron-sharpening takes place in full view of everyone else. I imagine it to be what a virtual Yeshiva might look like. This includes our independent Theological Advisors, our outside Resource Reviewers, and even many regular volunteers.

To increase our transparency (recognizing that FFOZ crosses all the various lines within Messianic Judaism, and even the church), we’ve begun to ask a number of respected and trustworthy individuals to join our independent committee of Theological Advisors. “And in abundance of counselors there is victory. But with many counselors they succeed.” (Psalm 24:6, Proverbs 15:22) Tim Hegg is pleased to share this load with others, as our volume of new material is increasing. To further shore up our accountability and integrity, we have added a new layer of special volunteers called our Resource Reviewers. These resource reviewers don’t necessarily offer theological critique, yet they represent relationships that reflect important viewpoints from different sectors of Messianica, Evangelical Christianity, and Judaism. Some are advocates, and some may oppose FFOZ’s viewpoints, but regardless, our message will be sharpened by their input.

Within First Fruits, I see a broad-based team being assembled under the kind of leadership that seeks to live the Torah before teaching it to others. One that thrives on a diversity of thought and opinion. One that regards transparency as the means to assure that God’s Word is handled with exceptional care. One that holds high personal standards while never placing expectation upon others to conform.

That is my professional opinion--now my personal confession. I don’t really feel like I fit in too well with the FFOZ staff yet. Not because anyone has ever made me feel that way. On the contrary. Everyone has blessed us and graciously accommodated my family (along with our shallow learning curve). It has been a great year for us. But most of the inside jokes are often lost on me. Challah and Halachah are only recently distinguishable to me. I know that the mikvah is the one for a baptism, while the Mishnah should not be immersed, nor sprinkled, for that matter. My firmly held opinions on Calvinism versus Arminiansim don’t have much bearing on anything anymore. But it’s all okay. We are learning, growing and have been welcomed to be a part of the diverse team.

It has all been a nice surprise. It has been a privilege this year to be a part of a diverse group, all humbly committed to Yeshua and to biblical integrity. Both FFOZ and its message are poised for the long haul.

About the Author: David Vermeesch serves as the Director of Communications. He helps manage FFOZ publications, media, development and strategic initiatives. He is also an occasional writer and contributor.

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