One of the greatest privileges I’ve had over the past ten years is getting to work with people I deeply respect, and want to learn from. One of the people who stands out amongst that crowd is Barry Slauenwhite. You know what impressed me most? Despite his busy schedule, and enormous responsibilities, Barry took the time to respond to my emails personally.

I’m so honoured – deeply, deeply honoured, to have had the chance to interview him about his ministry, leadership and his new book, Strategic Compassion. Please, enjoy getting to know Barry even a little bit. I think you’ll be so glad you did.

1. What is one of your most favourite memories from your 35 years at Compassion Canada?

35 years with Compassion has given me many memories. One that will always stand out to me, is my meeting of one of our sponsored children, in India. My wife Sharon and I sponsored Verababu since he was five years old, and when he was eleven, I had the privilege of preaching at his church and meeting him and his mom for the first time. That meeting had a profound impact on me.

After my sermon that day, the pastor invited people to come forward for prayer. I must admit – I was anxious to finish the prayer line and meet Verababu and his mom. In the process of praying, a woman approached me in a tattered Sari dress. As she approached me, she knelt and placed her hands on my ankles (in India you take your shoes off when inside), and she began to pray and sob – with her tears falling on my bare feet. I was puzzled. I was embarrassed. I didn’t understand this local custom. I didn’t know how to respond.

I beckoned to the translator to help me understand and the words he whispered in my ear confounded me. He told me that this woman was my sponsored child’s mother and she was praying a blessing over me and my family and giving thanks to God for the help that we provide through her son’s sponsorship. Her tears were tears of thanksgiving.

My heart exploded with emotion and my tear ducts went into overproduction. Imagine the picture – my tears falling on her head as she bowed in front of me and her tears falling on my feet. I will never forget that moment. It was as if I was in the very presence of God – I was so humbled.  She taught me so much about the heart of God and the spirit of thankfulness. Throughout our visit, and in the hours that followed, I felt like I had been lifted out of this world and into another.

2. Why did you decide to write your new book, Strategic Compassion, now? Why is this an important message that we need to hear, now?

I have travelled the globe meeting people in 61 countries over the past 35 years. I have seen, firsthand, the horrible devastation of poverty and the pain and suffering inflicted on human beings by this hideous evil. I have seen poverty destroy people individually, destroy families, relationships, communities, and entire countries. I have witnessed firsthand the enormous amount of money that has been directed at poverty and yet I have been dismayed by how little impact that money has had.

On the other hand, I have seen the most incredible impact that the gospel via the local church has made on the poor. I have seen lives broken and humiliated by poverty come to life and become agents of change – positively impacting people around them. I have seen the power of hope, I have witnessed the transformation of a heart given to God, and I have seen God do more with one individual than all the combined efforts of foreign aid to a community.

Over these years, I have watched many Christian organizations slowly walk away from their first love in favour of funding and politics. I felt convicted in my spirit that someone has to speak up and articulate the tremendous power of the gospel in addressing this hideous thing called poverty – which is why I wrote Strategic Compassion.

3. My heart for the Ellen’s Picks community is to connect and equip women who lead. Can you explain why being “strategically compassionate” is vital for leaders, specifically? What has being strategically compassionate meant for you? Or for Compassion Canada?

35 years has given me a front-row seat observing missions done in a variety of ways. One of the things I have come to realize is that, sadly, not all of our mission endeavours are as well planned or thought out as could be – often leaving us with less than expected impact. I’ve come to realize that many approaches to missions could be best described as a “shotgun approach.” I’m not a gun enthusiast, but I understand that in the shotgun shell there are many small metal objects called pellets and when fired, these pellets spread out with the hope that one or more of them will hit the intended target. I use this analogy to illustrate how many mission endeavours are carried out. They lack well-thought-out plans and are high in vision but low in strategy.

This often applies to our individual and corporate attempts at showing compassion. We love the poor and we want to help, but we are not often strategic and therefore, we don’t often have high impact.

For us at Compassion Canada, there are three words that are critical for high impact in our ministry:

1. Focus
2. Strategy
3. Accountability

To be focused is to know where you are going and what you want to accomplish. It’s that laser concentration on the main objective – the purpose for what God has called you to do. We must recognize that we can’t do everything. Spreading ourselves too thin results in low impact. In the world of poverty, there are many great causes – but at Compassion, God has called us to focus on children. Spurgeon once said; “Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than being able to read Latin.” In order to focus on children, we have to say no to a lot of good opportunities.

Strategy is the ability to chart a course and form a plan. There are a lot of people and groups that have great vision – but have not given a lot of thought to how they are going to accomplish their dreams. Strategy is the roadmap that takes you to your vision. At Compassion, our strategy to minister to children is holistic discipleship, through the local church.

Accountability is the safety net you build around you, or your ministry, to ensure that your focus and strategy are successful. It’s the action you take to do what you say you do, so that your donors and those you serve, trust you. Our ministries should be above reproach so that God’s name is highly honoured.

So, being strategically compassionate is not throwing your resources to the wind and hoping some good is accomplished. It’s being focused and strategic to ensure your intentions are actually having an impact.

4. What are some of the things that surprised you as you’ve learned about yourself in your role as President and CEO?

I have learned that I care more about people than I do about budgets or process. Maybe that’s my pastor’s heart, or maybe that’s just the way God wired me, but people, staff, supporters and the children we serve are more important to me than marketing and revenue.

I’ve learned that God never promised to bless organizations. He promised to bless people. Faithful people. My strategy is to surround myself with Godly, faithful people, whom God blesses – and thereby the organization benefits from those blessings.

I’ve learned that I can’t ask God to bless me, or my ministry, unless I am operating with integrity and doing His will. You cannot ignore God’s principles and expect Him to bless you or your ministry.

I have learned that I am totally dependant on God for the success of this ministry He has entrusted to me. All my experience, credentials and gifts come in handy, but at the end of the day, I need to hear from God and I must follow His guiding hand. I’ve learned that when I take that posture, He responds with a clear voice.

I’ve learned I am not a superstar. I am a normal, everyday guy, who God chooses to bless. I’m no more important than the building custodian or the IT specialist. We are all tools in the hand of a great God.

To read the rest of this interview, including Barry’s answers on retirement, the Good News, and mentoring, click here!

Barry’s book is available for purchase at StrategicCompassion.ca.