Leading From a Transformed Self

9-16-2025 by Gary L. Yonek

It was early Sunday morning. A beautiful sunrise over the calm bay with a hint of fog welcomed me to town. I was still sleepy but the coffee was helping and the teams I was responsible for began walking in.

That’s when I encountered Belinda. She was just the most kind, present, cheerful, person who, even before any guests arrived, was in position – and she set the tone for our entire morning. It was quite simply thoughtful kindness. Her relaxed peaceful attitude was contagious among the staff and other volunteers hustling about to get their morning ready.

Belinda and our first impressions team were on point, making everyone in their sights a top priority. They’re all volunteers, tasked with welcoming and assisting anyone who needs anything. (Hospitality is intentional and critically important.)

I told her thanks for serving and without hesitation she cheerfully replied:

I’m not a morning person but I don’t mind getting up early to be here. In fact “this is the only thing I actually set my alarm for, I love being a part of this”.

It’s truly inspiring to witness someone transform from:

• I think I should do something (or it’d be nice to help out), to…
• I need to do something, to…
• I like to do this, to…
• I want to do this, to…
• I GET to do this!

For them, volunteering and selflessly serving someone else is not transactional, it’s transformational. It’s something they feel is totally worth their sacrifice of time and energy with no material reward. It’s a genuine passion for meaningful mission aligned with a love for others. It’s living beyond self. That is transformational both for them and everyone they serve. When you encounter someone serving beyond their self you get a clear sense that they aren’t there out of some sense of duty, guilt, or obligation. And they’re also not there solely for the personal satisfaction of doing something good or enjoying relational connections.

“this is the only thing I actually set my alarm for, I love being a part of this”

Belinda is one of several hundred volunteers at our church who have moved from a weekly spectator to an engaged participant.

I get to work with some amazing leaders at The Chapel. And our director of engagement Brittney Wadsworth (pictured here with Belinda from our first impressions team at our Port Clinton campus) is at the top of that list.