Why “Virtue Connect”?

What’s in a name?

Going through life with the last name VIrtue is a unique experience. If we had a nickel for every time we were told that was a great name or something like, “That’s a tough name to live up to!”, we’d be well taken care of. It leads to fun conversations and maybe some jokes about how it has forever ruined any aspirations for a life of crime.

But Virtue is more than our surname. It’s at the core of leadership development. It’s essential to spiritual formation. Virtue is shaped, nurtured, and deepened through our practices, habits, relationships, and responses to the challenges we face in this life. Over the years in our various roles and ministries, we have had to literally live and embody our name, because we’ve been in the business of shaping and developing high-character, spiritually mature leaders who have the opportunities to multiply that virtue throughout their families, communities, churches, and society at large.

So, why “Connect”? Because virtue, transformation, and flourishing aren’t produced in isolation or just by our personal will or hard work. We need connected relationships to become that kind of person and leader. Specifically, we need connection in three directions.

1. We need to be connected relationally to God. Just showing up to church or knowing the right beliefs is not enough to grow and be transformed. We need to encounter the love of God relationally, both through encountering Him through His Word and through a dependent and abiding relationship in which we experience God’s grace and presence. Without this kind of connection to God, our desires, dreams, and expectations begin to look a lot like everyone else in this world and the dark side of our personal stories begins to undermine our character and fruitfulness.
2. We need to be more deeply connected to ourselves and our own stories. We live in a historical moment that is fast-paced, reactionary, and pragmatic. Without doing the work to understand how we have been formed, where we are in our current moment, and our purpose moving forward, we run the risk of missing out on all of what God may be inviting us into and on the awareness we need to show up out of our values and convictions. Furthermore, disconnected selves lead to disconnected leaders who never cultivate the ability to lead with presence and connection rather than control and structure.
3. We need to be authentically connected to others. Trusted others are a vital part of our formation and development. Any leadership and relational influence is rooted in trust and connection. Spiritual growth and leadership development require leaders who can not just navigate their own stories spiritually, but who can hold and come alongside the stories of others as well. Trusted others help us give voice to our own stories and guard against the dark internal narratives. Connected relationships are where we have the opportunity to live out our own humanity in the way God intended and invite others into more of what they were meant for as well.

We are passionate about connecting people in all three of these relationships, as well as to their calling and unique contributions in this world. That is the focus and passion of Virtue Connect! We develop virtue and become more human through those connected relationships, and that captures so much of our approach to Leadership Development and Spiritual Growth.

Connect with us through our Virtue Connect mailing list to keep the conversation going!