People of Spiritual, Personal and Professional Integrity

Who we are

People of Spiritual, Personal and Professional Integrity who act in line with the ethical expectations of their Christian vocation and faith commitments and beliefs

Questions to consider

In all of the Wellbeing Guides these same 5 questions are applied to the Characteristic being highlighted. They are an invitation to reflect on the Characteristic and to consider for yourself why it is important.

Why does being a person of integrity matter?

What impact do people of integrity have?

What does this mean for you in practice?

How might you be able to grow in being a person of integrity? 

If you are in leadership, how are you encouraging others to practice integrity?

If you would like to be reminded of all the Characteristics in the Wycliffe Profile, go to the following page:

Introducing the Wellbeing Guides.

Spiritual Foundations

for People of Spiritual, Personal and Professional Integrity

“Blessed is the one…
    whose delight is in the law of the Lord…That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1.1-3

Fundamentally, integrity is all about making choices that are honest, upright and pure. And these choices really matter, because, like Psalm 1 points out, they have an impact.  If you want to be a person who is able to live a life of integrity, making the choice to prioritise your relationship with God is critical. This is easier said than done, however, and there is always room for growth! This is an opportunity to reflect on what is underpinning your relationship with God, and to ask yourself where there might be a lack of congruence or authenticity in terms of what you believe and what actually happens in your life.

In the Wellbeing Guides you will find paragraphs, like the one in the green box below, that express what the particular Characteristic being highlighted might look like using active verbs such as: ‘I am maintaining’, ‘I am seeking to grow…’. These paragraphs try to capture aspects of what each Characteristic is about as holistically as possible. In terms of spiritual foundations, the same paragraph is used in each Guide, but is applied each time through the lens of the Characteristic in focus. Hence, very different questions arise from exploring the idea of, for example, ‘extending grace to others’ as Adaptable Communicators and as Innovative Investigators.

I am maintaining and deepening my spiritual walk, seeking to grow more like Christ through God’s grace. I am extending that grace to others, whole-heartedly participating in community life and demonstrating the fruit of the spirit. I am seeking to grow in understanding and engagement with the leading of the Holy Spirit, through prayer, study and reflection with others.

Using the following questions, take some time to consider your roots, think about how connected you are with the Father, and how your relationship with him impacts your daily experience as a Christian.

YOU AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
  • With all the demands competing for your attention, how is your relationship with God doing? 
  • How are you making space to hear from God each day?
  • Is God getting lost amongst the clamour?
YOU AND YOUR DAILY EXPERIENCE
  • As you reflect on your day to day life, what would someone from the outside, or if you have them, your children, say was important to you? 
  • What does it mean to you to live an authentic life of faith?
  • As you reflect on this, do you see any significant differences between what you believe and how you live?
GOING DEEPER

Here we highlight a couple of ideas and resources, but encourage you to browse our Library of Resources and/or talk to your Pastor or Spiritual Director for some recommendations.

Consider exploring the following Topics

  • Making space for God
    • Spiritual Pathway Assessment – a short questionnaire which provides a thought-provoking way to emphasise your preferred spiritual pathway
    • Are you in a rut? Have you thought about exploring different ways of engaging with God?
      • Consider using apps such Lectio365, Soultime, OurDailyBread
      • Look at the Bible Project and the ways they interact with books and themes in the Bible
      • Talk to someone quite different to you and ask how they engage with God – and try one of their ideas!
      • Think about journalling and more creative expressions of tracking your faith journey such as drawing a river of life and praying about it, finding out more about the prayer of examen, joining a course or study group that looks more in depth at the Bible…
      • For Families: consider introducing some different activities to you help, as a family hear from God – GodVenture has some fun activities that might help with this
  • Authenticity
    • If you’re feeling brave, ask someone who is not a Christian what they see about your faith in your life! Bring what they say to God for his opinion
    • If you journal – take some time to read back over what you have written in the last few weeks/months and look for themes, and ways God might be challenging you to act more consistently with what you believe
    • Bring this topic up in a Bible study or small group you are involved in and discuss together what the challenges are and the opportunities you all have to help each other
    • If you have not thought about or read Wycliffe’s Code of Conduct recently (3 pages), this might be a good time to review it and take some time listening to God about your responses to the content. Consider talking to your PCC or a close friend if you have questions or concerns.
Inside Wycliffe
Outside Wycliffe
  • Your Pastor or pastoral lead in church
  • Your small group, or small prayer group
Spiritual Direction

If you would like more information about this, check out the section on Spiritual Direction in our Library of Resources.

If you would like to explore finding a Spiritual Director for yourself, inside Wycliffe we have several people trained as Directors. You can find their contact information on the People to Help page and contact them to see if they would be available:

Outside of Wycliffe, your parish priest/pastor may know the name of a spiritual director near you. It is also possible to google ‘spiritual directors’ in your area, or look at the following networks for ideas:

  • Topical Retreats
    • Scargill House – Scargill House is home to a Christian community who welcome people for holidays, conferences and retreats in the spectacular Yorkshire Dales. We share hospitality, creativity, fun and really good food together – refreshing and equipping churches, groups and individuals, of all faiths and none. They run Enneagram/other week/weekend sessions, as well as many other topical weeks throughout the year
    • Ashburnham Place – offering individual and group retreats throughout the year
    • Lee Abbey: Situated on the spectacular North Devon coast Lee Abbey Devon is home to a Christian Community. We hope that when you join us on a Christian holiday or Christian retreat, you will encounter Jesus Christ so that lives, relationships, communities and our environment are transformed by the life of God.
    • Time for Marriage weekends – recommended for investing in your marriage
    • Couples counselling and individual coaching – support and coaching to help you thrive

Conversations with your PCC

This Wellbeing Guide is one which contains not only the reflective section on Spiritual Foundations for being a person of integrity above, but also a section that relates to the normal topics you cover in your regular conversations with your PCC. These topics reflect a desire to check in with you as to how things are going with you personally and professionally. It is not the intention here to add a lot more to those conversations. Rather, the idea is to let you know ahead of time what might be discussed, and to give you the opportunity to think a bit more intentionally about the topics you cover before you meet.

Work/life balance is important and is multi-faceted

I manage my time, finances, workload, family responsibilities, and all aspects of health to achieve a balanced and sustainable lifestyle.

Each of the sections below has some questions which your PCC is likely to ask you, largely along the lines of ‘How are things going in this area? There is also a section entitled ‘Going Deeper’ which will have links and resources that your PCC might point you towards in your Conversation as needed. Feel free to explore them as your time permits.

Time

  • If you had to describe a perfect day for yourself, in term of time management, what would it look like?
  • What helps that to happen? 
  • What gets in the way?

Workload

  • How are things going with your workload – would you say it was too much? about right? too little? 
  • Who do you talk to about it?

Going Deeper

Below we highlight a couple of ideas and resources, which you are of course free to explore or not. We have tried to come up with different ways to engage with the topics, suggesting activities, books, blogs, videos….that may interest you. We also encourage you to browse our Library of Resources and/or talk to your Pastor or Spiritual Director for some recommendations.

TIME

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 1.3

How we manage our time is dependent on so many things – not least our personality. Some of us like to organise everything, whilst others of us prefer to respond to the moment. In reality most of us need a level of organisation and flexibility in our lives, and most of us need to be intentional about managing our time.

Being intentional with time
  • If you would like some insight into how you are doing with your work/life balance, consider:
    • Looking at whether there is a disconnect between what you value most and how you spend your time – this Worksheet on Priorities might help with that.
    • Looking at different areas of your life to get a snapshot of your wellbeing and the level of satisfaction in you have in your current circumstances. Filling in the Wheel of Life might help with this.
    • If you have not thought about or read Wycliffe’s Code of Conduct recently (3 pages), this might be a good time to review it.
  • If you would like some input on how to improve your time management, here are a couple of ideas:
    • Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor – In these pages, bestselling author Jordan Raynor presents this system, using seven powerful time-management principles drawn from the example of how Jesus lived.
    • The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer – Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil. Within the pages of this book, you’ll find a compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favour of a slower, simpler way of life.
    • Getting Things Done: the art of stress-free productivity by David Allen
  • Consider Life Coaching as an option if time management, or other issues, are impacting your ability to maintain a good work/life balance. See under Specialised People Care on the People to Help Page for details of a Life Coach who may be available at Wycliffe, or look for a coach from the UK based Life Coach Directory
Inside Wycliffe
Outside Wycliffe
  • If you would like to know more about life coaching and what it involves, looking at the topic in our Resource Library.
    • You can also google life coaching, look up the Life Coach Directory, or ask about it in your local church
    • If you are with SIL your Area may have people trained as Life Coaches
  • Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills – SYIS is a course that has a whole section on work/life balance
    • It is run globally by ITP, International Training Partners with workshops Online and In situ
    • If you are with SIL this course may be run in your Area.
WORKLOAD

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Colossians 3 .23

Balance is a tricky thing…it is so easy to lose it! Take some time to think about your relationship to work and your relationship to rest – and ask yourself what God might say to you about what you are doing.

Theology of Work…and play
  • How well developed is your theology of Work? Consider reading/watching the following:
    • Every Good Endeavour by Tim Keller – Our faith should enhance our work, and our work should develop our faith.With deep insight, Timothy Keller draws on essential and relevant biblical wisdom to address our questions about work. There is grace available if we have taken the wrong attitude, idolising money and using our careers to glorify ourselves rather than God. This book provides the foundations for a work-life balance where we can thrive both personally and professionally.
    • Video: Redefining Work by Tim Keller
  • Thinking about the importance of time out – try this book Working from a Place of Rest, by Tony Horsfall – In striving to do our utmost for God, we can easily forget that there were many times when Jesus himself was willing to rest, to do nothing except wait for the Spirit’s prompting, so that he demonstrated the vital principle of ‘working from a place of rest’. 
  • If you need to take a break here is a list of Holiday and Other Accommodation – offered specifically to Wycliffe members
Inside Wycliffe
Outside Wycliffe
  • If you would like to know more about life coaching and what it involves, look up the topic in our Resource Library.
    • You can also google life coaching or ask about it in your local church
    • If you are with SIL your Area may have people trained as Life Coaches
  • Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills – SYIS is a course that has a whole section on work/life balance
    • It is run globally by ITP, International Training Partners with workshops Online and In situ
    • If you are with SIL this course may be run in your Area.

Family

  • How are your relationships with immediate and wider family going?
  • What comes to mind when you think about loving your close friends and family?

Finances

  • What is your first response when you think about money?
  • What emotions does it bring up?
  • How could partnership development be more what you love to do and less what you have to do?

Going Deeper

Below we highlight a couple of ideas and resources, which you are of course free to explore or not. We have tried to come up with different ways to engage with the topics, suggesting activities, books, blogs, videos….that may interest you. We also encourage you to browse our Library of Resources and/or talk to your Pastor or Spiritual Director for some recommendations.

FAMILY

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13.4-8

The people God has put into our lives, our close friends and family, parents, children, spouse…they are the ones on whom we can practice being loving – learning patience when being asked ‘Why?’ for the millionth time, or having to listen to a story again, because the teller has forgotten they have already told it to you.

Choosing to let things go, choosing to hope for the best…so many opportunities right in front of us, each day. How are you getting on with this?

Loving your Family/Friends
  • Loving them: Spend some time thinking about those people, in your inner circle of friends and family, who would appreciate more of your time and support.
    • Expressing gratitude: Consider doing something special to bring the people together with the idea of saying thank you to them for being your family/friend(s) – a meal, a photo collage of times you’ve spent together….
    • Are they facing any life changes or circumstances that might need you to be more present, or even re-locate
    • Marriage enrichment: look at the tab on Courses to Consider to get some ideas about this
  • Making space for them to love you: how open are you with your friends and family about how you are really doing, and what your needs really are?
    • Consider taking time with the people closest to you to intentionally talk about some of the things you have been thinking after reading this, or one of the other, Guides.
  • Olive Tree Counseling have a wealth of resources on marriage, singleness and navigating healthy relationships on the field.

Support each other in loving your kids!

  • Connect with other Wycliffe parents: Some Zoom groups are in place – talk to your TCK Care and Education Consultant if you would like to join one, or even create one:
    • Parents and Kids going to University
    • Parents teaching English at home
    • Adult TCK Groups
    • Current issues facing children
    • Home education
  • Risk and families – there is a lot to consider if your are living and working with children in risky situations. In addition to resources in the Library of Resources on risk, Eurasia Area have produced a Guide around Mental Health in Risky Situations with a lot of food for thought.
  • Is there a Transition coming up?
    • Are there any changes coming up, transition or normal progression, that will affect your children’s education? – talk to your TCK Care and Education Consultant
    • Read the section on Home Leave (p.35) in the Wycliffe Families Handbook
  • Loving them through their Education:
    • Are you concerned about any aspect of your child’s development/education? – talk to your TCK Care and Education Consultant
    • Special Needs and Work Expectations: we are aware that having children with special needs can have a huge impact on your availability to work and on your general health. Please do talk to your PCC or our TCK Coordinator if you are facing challenges in this area.
Inside Wycliffe
Outside Wycliffe
  • Education: Heylane – an Education Consultant for expat families
  • Thrive Worldwide – for medical and mental health support
  • Global Connections – a page with a variety of links to resources
  • Ulrike Ernvik – offers training courses, consultancy and family therapy online – based in Sweden
  • Family-friendly Retreats
    • Scargill House – Scargill House is a Christian conference Centre run by the Scargill Movement and located in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire. It regularly runs family friendly 5-day breaks during half terms and the summer and Easter holidays. They will give discounts for mission partners.
    • Lee Abbey – Lee Abbey is home to a Christian Community that hosts retreats, holidays and conferences on an estate on the North Devon coast
FINANCES

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

Like many things, money is one that can impact our lives in invisible and challenging ways. Lack of it can eat into our security, causing us to be filled with worry, anxiety and depression. Too much of it can hijack our faith, causing us to depend on material things rather than God.

This verse in Micah reminds us to be honest and transparent, especially with money. It reminds us to be generous and giving, and it reminds us that humility and seeking a godly perspective really matters.

Money Matters
  • Be transparent: As we just said, Micah reminds us in the verse above to be honest about money. As you think through the following, you may find it helpful to chat or pray through this with someone if you recognise that there are some deeper issues to work through:
    • What are you believing about yourself, about God and about others when you think about this part of your life?
      • How aligned does this appear with what Scripture says?
      • Add a column to the Worksheet on Priorities and, as well as thinking about time, think about how much of your money is spent in the different areas.
        • How does what is important to you match how you spend/steward your money? (It may be helpful to think about generosity, self care, others who depend on you etc).
      • As you reflect on your responses to the above, don’t forget that your general wellbeing and mental health has a huge connection to how you are doing financially. Take a look at this site from MIND on the Links between Money and Mental Health.
  • Be generous: Generosity is a key characteristic of any Christian, and is part of our Values in Wycliffe as Bible People, and as people who Serve Sacrificially. Synonyms include open-handedness, kindness and abundance. As you think about your personal situation and your giving, consider:
    • Does this describe your attitude towards money?
    • When did you last consciously overhaul your giving? This might be a timely reminder to think intentionally about how you are using your money.
    • Also, don’t forget to think long term…if you need a will written we have a service to help with that, and if you would like to leave a legacy to Wycliffe that could be a lovely way to continue having an impact after you are gone. Contact Matt Smith if you would like some help with this.
  • A godly perspective: knowing that God is in charge of everything, and living like he actually is, can often be tricky! Here are a few links to some resources that may be helpful.
    • It’s OK to ask for help if you are not managing your money – talk to a financial adviser or look at CAP resources.
Partnership Development
  • In the Hub there is a course you can complete that will help you work through issues related to partnership development. For some other ideas:

Retirement and Pension

  • Consider talking to Hilary Oatley, who specialises in supporting people as they approach retirement
  • Global Connections offer a savings scheme you can join if you are overseas and self employed. Contact Ann Cartwright if you would like to know a bit more about this. Talking to a financial advisor about any of this is also recommended when making decision in this area.
Inside Wycliffe
Outside Wycliffe
  • Finding an independent Financial Advisor could be a helpful step – chat to your PCC about it.
  • Alternatively you could use your own church/friendship networks.
  • In addition OSCAR (One Stop Centre for Advice and Resources) has a very help set of links and resources about this, and of course many other links that are worth browsing periodically.
  • Unbiased is also a good option to find someone independently.
Managing Money
  • The CAP Money Course – This is a free course that will teach you budgeting skills and a simple system to successfully manage your money.
Retirement
  • Looking into Later Life – this is a course specifically created by Wycliffe for people who are likely to be looking at retirement in the next 5-10 years. Talk to your PCC for more information about this or contact Hilary Oatley who co-ordinates this course.
Fundraising
  • Stewardship’s Support Raising Training – this site has links to training tailored for those who are needing to raise more support. Their courses take place all year round.

Health

  • How would you describe your health at the moment?
    • Are you energised, tired, focused, distracted…?
  • What is happening, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually that might explain how you are feeling?
  • As you reflect, are there things you need to do more of, or less of?

Going Deeper

Below we highlight a couple of ideas and resources, which you are of course free to explore or not. We have tried to come up with different ways to engage with the topics, suggesting activities, books, blogs, videos….that may interest you. We also encourage you to browse our Library of Resources and/or talk to your Pastor or Spiritual Director for some recommendations.

HEALTH

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.”

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

1 Cor 6.19-20 & Rom 12.2

For many of us having a healthy relationship with ourselves and with our physicality can be a challenge. There are so many facets to understanding what it means to ‘treat our bodies as temples’ and to ‘honour God’ with them. We are truly complex beings. One thing is for certain though, if this is an area you struggle with, the last thing you need is a guilt trip about your issues, which is where verses like this can sometimes seem to lead.

If you find yourself dealing with difficult emotions such as anxiety, depression and shame when thinking about your health, it makes sense to stop and pay attention for a moment…stay with the verse and ask yourself what the verse might really be saying. What does it mean to say that ‘God is in me’? Is it possible that something other than shame could ensue if you take the time to slow down and look at how you can encounter God in your struggles? Might that be part of what it means to honour him with your body and to allow your mind to be transformed?

PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING
  • Sometimes it makes sense to ask yourself how you are doing, that is how you are really doing? And sometimes it is hard to know the answer. We are complex beings, and there are many aspects to who we are and how we are doing. If you struggle to know how to answer this question, consider taking some time to do this Spotlight Exercise that might help you notice what is going on in the different parts of your life.
  • Try using this Worksheet on Priorities to help you identify any disconnects between what is important to you and how you are spending your time. Or use this Wheel of Life Worksheet to help you with getting a snapshot of your wellbeing and the level of satisfaction you have in your current circumstances. Talk with your partner or close friend about what you learn?

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOTICE

Living with Brokenness: Whilst we all experience brokenness in different ways, there are times when you might find yourself feeling particularly broken in one or more parts of your life. If however, you find you are struggling to ‘think, feel or react in the ways you need and want to live your life’ (MIND Definition mental health), whether this relates to either physical or mental health or both, then talking to someone and getting some help is the next step.

Some of the common issues you, friends, family and colleagues might come across are listed below. This is by no means exhaustive. We have gathered together some ideas and resources for you to go deeper if you would like to do so – you will find them in the People of Spiritual, Personal and Professional Integrity section of the Library of Resources.

  • Addictive behaviours
  • Chronic fatigue/Long Covid related issues
  • Depression and Anxiety
  • Diet and Exercise
  • Long term disabilities
  • Loss and Bereavment
  • Sex and sexuality
  • Sleeping issues
  • Stress and Burnout
Lastly…let us pray…
  • We are clearly not trained medical or mental health professionals, but if there are specific issues that you are dealing with as an individual or as a family, we would love to be able to pray for you and support you as much as we can. Do get in touch with your PCC to let them know how we can pray for you.

If you struggle with aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle consider talking to Wycliffe’s Health Coach, or finding one yourself, and getting some support in making the changes you would like to make.

Inside Wycliffe
Outside Wycliffe
  • Talk to your GP as a first port of call if you are in the UK
  • To find your own Health Coach, try UK & International Health Coaching Association – Catherine Shelton is a Wycliffe member and has coached several members. She can be contacted on hello@catherineshelton.com
  • Dentists and Doctors – home assignment and returning to the UK
  • NHS Dentists – these are becoming few and far between. If you are not registered with an NHS Dentist you may find it difficult to do so when you return to the UK, unless you are registered and have been to the dentist at least once in the past 2 years. If you can maintain your attendance that would be optimal, otherwise you might need to look into insurance.
  • GP Surgeries in the UK are also undergoing a lot of change – there is a move towards pharmacists being able to prescribe and a broader range of people offering care in some of the larger surgeries.
  • Catherine Shelton, who has been a Wycliffe member, is a Health and Wellness Coach and offers discounted coaching to SIL/Wycliffe members. Catherine has experience coaching clients ranging from their 20s to their 80s with a variety of health concerns, and has a particular speciality in menopause. To find out more about what she does you can browse her website www.catherineshelton.com or email her directly at hello@catherineshelton.com.

Enjoy your Conversations
with your PCC