Embracing God's Call: Leadership Transition at The Field's Edge

By: John-Mark Echols, Founder and CEO of The Field's Edge

Dear Friends of The Field’s Edge,

When Briana and I were called to start The Field’s Edge back in 2016, we could not have imagined the sanctifying adventure God had in store for us. What began as a vision to serve our homeless neighbors has grown into a thriving, Christ-centered community—one that has transformed not just the lives of those we serve, but my own life and the lives of my family as well. Being the CEO of this organization has been one of the greatest honors of my life, but over the past year, I have sensed God calling me to return to the heart of what first drew me into this ministry—building relationships with the homeless, sharing the hope of the Gospel, and casting vision for a community rooted in Christ’s love and redemption. After much prayer and reflection, I have decided to step aside as CEO and transition into the role of Chief Ministry Officer. This shift will allow me to step back into my calling while making room for a seasoned nonprofit leader to guide The Field’s Edge into this exciting season of growth and sustainability.

Over the last few years, the Lord in His grace has seen fit to place limits on my life through ongoing health challenges. I’ve always known that personal ministry is what I am called to and gifted in, but the Lord temporarily assigned me to educate our community, raise funds, and get the village up off the ground. I had already been considering how I could get back to doing more of the nitty gritty ministry work when we finished Phase I at the end of 2022, then my health took a sharp downturn. While trials and suffering are never easy, my health struggle has turned out to be a strange mercy and a hidden grace, just as God promises in His word. Recall that in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul was given a thorn in his flesh, not to harm him, but to keep him from exalting himself! Most of us are familiar with God’s response when Paul asked Him to take it away three times: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” God knew that Paul’s calling would go to his head, so He left the thorn with Paul to keep Paul close to Himself. Paul could have become bitter toward God but look at his surprising response. He says, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

The scriptures are teaching me to see my limits not as obstacles, but as opportunities for God’s glory to be displayed. I’ll never forget how God provided the bulk of our Phase I capital funding during a time when it seemed impossible- amid a global pandemic and negative oil prices. We can’t claim credit for that, His power was perfected in our weakness! I have learned to see my limits as God’s loving way of directing me to the role where I can serve The Field’s Edge best in this next season. I am slowly learning to delight in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me and that I might glorify God to the uttermost.

The last 10 years of walking alongside the homeless have been the most fulfilling of my life, but also the hardest. Even still He is altogether faithful, worthy, and good! My faith has been tested to its limits, and it still stands firm today, not because of my hold of Christ but because of Christ’s hold on me. Here at The Field’s Edge, I have witnessed the Gospel being the power of God for salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16). I’ve had the privilege of witnessing people being transformed by God from the inside out, and I have also seen intense spiritual warfare. Al Mohler once said that “the fight is most intense where the Gospel is breaking through”, and I will add my hearty amen to that! Each day, we show up to work on a spiritual battlefield, and it is only by the grace of God that we persevere. We do our best to faithfully serve among the raw effects of sin daily because we know that God regularly takes His enemies, adopts them into His family, and gives them a seat at His table. That is the heart of The Field’s Edge—welcoming the homeless into our family and introducing them to our Father.

As we step into this new season, please pray that God will lead the right person to serve as the next CEO of The Field’s Edge. We are searching for a seasoned nonprofit management professional who not only brings the leadership and operational expertise to guide us into the future but also shares our deep passion for serving our homeless neighbors with Christ’s love. If you or someone you know feels called to this role, we invite you to learn more about the position and help us spread the word.

At the same time, I am incredibly excited to step into my new role as Chief Ministry Officer. Doing so will allow me to refocus my efforts on the heart of what first inspired this ministry—building relationships, sharing the Gospel, discipling our residents, and cultivating home. I truly believe this transition will allow me to serve the mission of The Field’s Edge in the way God has created me. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support as we follow His lead into this exciting new chapter.

Soli Deo Gloria,

John-Mark Echols