Backstory
As most of you know, I’m an avid reader, as are many friends. Well, about a month ago, Pastor Rudy Rasmus, as a dear friend and brother, asked our brotherhood to read The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates. However, I could read it immediately as I was reading two books at the time—The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, and Ikigai, by Hector Garcia Puigcerver and Francesc Miralles, two great books. I’d read The Alchemist before, but
an acquaintance of mine, Tina Haung, did a fantastic YouTube review of the book that made me want to reread it.
Once I started The Message, I was intrigued by Coates’s writing style—it’s not straightforward, a bit circular, and requires some attention. Yet, the style enhanced the work by highlighting the author’s reflective nature. Also, it was a very dense book for me, and I had to put it down more often to digest many of his points. Ikigai is a beautiful book that is very easy to read. However, the reader must be open-minded, as many ideas and philosophies are introduced. Ikigai reminds me of a gentle brook or stream—soft yet persistent.
Combining these two books for a Mindcraft Mashup tailored for Black ministry leadership was very easy, however, as most leaders are called to do something and often must confront injustices. I hope you enjoy it.
What is a Mindcraft Mashup?
As a quick reminder, a Mindcraft Mashup combines the key ideas from two or more books to create a fresh, actionable framework to help guide your life, mission, and community. By blending the bold reflections of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ The Message with the gentle yet compelling wisdom of Héctor García Puigcerver and Francesc Miralles’ Ikigai, this mashup offers religious leaders, nonprofit changemakers, and purpose-driven
individuals a pathway to refine, enhance, and amplify their purpose.
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or someone seeking fresh inspiration, this mashup connects storytelling, resilience, and actionable purpose to transform personal and communal impact.
Purpose Meets Power
When reading The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates, I was captivated by the bold spotlight Coates shines on society and himself. It deepened my conviction that we all must do more to support one another on this planet. In his reflections, I saw myself—my strengths, vulnerabilities, and responsibilities.
In Ikigai by Héctor García Puigcerver and Francesc Miralles, I was equally moved by its gentleness and profound clarity. It offers a powerful call to action: to find your purpose and live it consistently and intentionally—gentle yet demanding. Together, these two works create an incredible dynamic. They challenge us to embrace our callings (yes, more than one at a time) and leverage them to transform our lives,
communities, and the world.
But for leaders already rooted in purpose, the challenge is not discovering it—it’s refining, enhancing, and amplifying it. How can you bring sharper clarity to your work, deepen your impact, and expand your reach? This mashup explores these layers and inspires bold action.
- Refining Purpose: Reclaiming Your Story
- From The Message: Coates emphasizes storytelling as a tool for reclaiming identity and rewriting narratives that empower individuals and communities. For Black communities, owning these stories is an act of liberation.
- From Ikigai: Refining your purpose involves clarifying the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what sustains you.
Practical Step: Enhance your purpose by setting actionable, measurable goals. For example, if you aim to grow a food ministry, focus on expanding outreach by 10% over three months. Consistent action, rooted in purpose, builds momentum.
2. Enhancing Purpose: Building Resilience Through Action
- From Ikigai: Small, consistent actions—what the Okinawans call “flow”—build meaningful progress. Incremental steps lead to significant impact.
- From The Message: Coates reminds us that resilience is forged through intentional action, even in the face of systemic challenges.
3. Amplifying Purpose: Mobilizing Networks for Greater Impact
- From Ikigai: Amplifying purpose involves engaging your “moai” (tight-knit social groups) to multiply efforts.
- From The Message: Coates demonstrates the collective power of shared narratives and how interconnected stories build solidarity and drive systemic change.
Practical Step: Amplify your purpose by involving others in your mission. Host a salon or Adopt-A-Project Program to connect donors, leaders, and community members to a shared goal. Mobilizing networks creates a ripple effect that magnifies the impact.
4. The Injustice Connection: Compelled to Act
Systemic injustices—whether racial inequality, poverty, or educational barriers—are deeply interconnected. Coates highlights how these injustices reinforce each other, creating systemic barriers that demand action. Ikigai compels us to align our purpose with action against these injustices.
Ministries and changemakers must address not just isolated issues but their interconnections, recognizing that dismantling one injustice strengthens the fight against all.
Call to Action:
- Acknowledge the interconnectedness of injustices.
- Inspire your congregation or donors by framing their actions (like funding a scholarship or supporting a food pantry) as part of a larger movement toward justice.
- Use storytelling to highlight the systemic impact of these efforts.
5. Purpose Drives Generosity: Inspiring Legacy Giving
- From Ikigai: The intersection of passion and contribution leads to fulfillment. Purpose-driven individuals naturally want to give back.
- From The Message: Coates emphasizes helping people see their role in a larger story, inspiring them to invest in the future.
Practical Step: Position your ministry’s fundraising as an opportunity for legacy-building. For instance, donors can be invited to fund an endowment or planned giving initiative that leaves a lasting impact that is aligned with their values. Amplify their purpose by showing how their generosity creates lasting change.
Conclusion: Aligning Purpose and Power for Change
The Message and Ikigai remind us that purpose is not static—it evolves as we refine, enhance, and amplify it. They teach us that injustices are dismantled through intentional action, collective storytelling, and unwavering resolve.
For religious leaders, the challenge is not just living with purpose but leading with purpose in a way that inspires others. By embracing clarity (refine), building resilience (enhance), and multiplying your impact (amplify), you can transform your ministry, your
community, and the world.
Reflection: How are you refining, enhancing, and amplifying your purpose? What more can you do to inspire and lead change in your community?