DEATH, a reality check

Death is an unavoidable reality, it will happen to each of us. Since Oct. 18th our family has known 12 people that are no longer alive. Among them were Mike’s former roommate, a woman we did ministry alongside with at church -- Mike knew since his early 20s, a childhood classmate of Leslie, our son’s classmate’s father, a young child of fellow adoptive parents, Mike’s childhood Boy’s Brigade leader. All but two we know are believers -- people who had a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Grief has been a heavy, dark cloud over our minds and hearts these past months.

One specific relationship has had immense-lasting residual effects. Ms. M, was a therapeutic provider (play therapist) for one of our kids. Her unexpected death was like a sucker punch. We’ve known her and saw her weekly for two and half years. Ms. M was an immense blessing and answer to prayer as she worked tirelessly with our son. She has a son, the same age as ours, that she’d often speak about with our child. What continues to cloak my mind is her spiritual reality upon her death. Ms. M from what we know, didn’t know the Lord as her Savior and Lord. It’s haunting to think she’s eternally separated from God. I wonder on occasion what opportunities I missed in sharing
my faith in Christ with her.

“All mankind is sitting on Death Row. How we die or when is not the main issue, but where [we] go after death,” said Billy Graham. God gives life eternal to those saved by Christ, as He conquered death. The New Bible Dictionary has this to add regarding death, “For those who are apart from Christ, death is the supreme enemy, the symbol of our alienation from God the ultimate horror. But Christ has used death to deliver people from death. He died that believers may live [eternally]… Heaven is the abode of God and those closely associated with him.” Christ conquered spiritual separation from God for eternity. One of the deaths was Mike’s former roommate, Stan.

Processing these many months has left me with a newfound ache for the Lost. At another level it has hit our family hard as Ms. M is another loss for our son who has already faced so much loss in his decade of life. Add to that three additional people we are close to, have a cancer diagnosis.
These deaths: friends, parents, classmates, elderly and the like have brought about the brevity of life that it’s easy to take for granted. We (Mike and I) are in the vocation of life and death matters. It is a humbling yet weighty place to steward.

 

Year in Review of Cru's Digital Strategies One of the ministries of Cru is focused on how to use our internet presence to share the gospel and to continue to enhance people’s walk with the Lord. Here are some of the things that happened in 2024.

6,000,000 Total Visitors Our main website, cru.org, had 6 million global visitors! The team creates and edits articles, studies and resources available on the site. The top five countries with the highest viewers were the U.S., India, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt. The site reaches nearly every country in the world, including those “closed” to the gospel 65,000 Monthly Newsletter Subscribers We provided discipleship and evangelism resources to 65,000 Cru Newsletter email subscribers three times every month.

9,600 Evangelism Series subscriptions We created a series for people to learn how to share the gospel and their testimonies. Nearly 9,600 subscribers have joined us to more effectively get the Good News to more people. 13,680 Christmas Devotional Subscriptions We created a 7-day Christmas devotional series to help people connect with Jesus through Scripture, thoughtful reflections, and guided prayer. More than 13,000 people joined us through email, PDF and YouVersion.

11,600 Holy Week Devotional Subscriptions Our 8-day Holy Week devo series had 11,600 subscribers on YouVersion. The series discusses the events leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection and the significance for us today. 10,750 Easter Guide subscriptions We created a truth and reflection guide for people to understand how Jesus’ resurrection changes everything.

This is a small fraction of the kind of work that we support in our roles. Leslie presently is coaching a staff person on this team to get her full support raised to engage even more in this work. Mike provides leadership for the overall care of all the employees within this department. "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..." — Philippians 1:3-5, NIV

Christmas Greeting and Photo Card

As Christmas approaches, it conjures up a myriad of emotions.  For me, the hustle, bustle, externals and present challenges cloud my thoughts this season.  Yet, I desire to soak in the fundamental meaning to this season.  In reading a devotional about The Heart of Christmas, I was struck afresh with the teaching in Matthew chapter two about the wise men following the star.  The story -- the three wise men followed a star that led them to Jesus.  This baby was one who would change the world forever.  There wasn’t a palace for this future king to be born in, rather a manger.  Imagine the three wise men’s expectations upon finding this prophesied child.  

Author, John Maxwell, writes his excerpt in On This Holy Night; “Every one of us has had times in life when we’ve followed a star.  Everything looked so promising, but we were to find out at the end that we were in a stable… Sometimes when you follow the star it doesn’t lead you where you want to go… Strong Christians see God in both the good and the bad.  The mature believer sees God not only in pleasures and palaces but also in the barnyards and stables of life.”

I know 2024 has been trifling for some, others faced loss of hopes and dreams or even loss of a family member. While others still may have had a jubilant year.

My prayer is that you can cling to the fact “God is somewhere in this.”  Even when we don’t have answers to our “whys”, in faith, an act of obedience we declare His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Like the wise men thousands of years ago on that dark night, followed the star that led to a baby -- the Future Savior of the World, a humbling experience that no doubt changed their lives.

Growth Project

It isn’t often that Mike can talk about the work that he does -- given the fact that it is mostly reactive work about personnel issues. However, over the last year, Mike has been working on a proactive project.

The project is crafting a training for everyone who is a supervisor in Cru to be better prepared for managing their people. As a ministry, our focus is to fulfill the Great Commission through Win (evangelism), Build (Discipleship), and Send (doing ministry). Sometimes the skills of being a good supervisor and team leader are missed in favor of doing more effective ministry.

The team that Mike has been working with has been crafting a training course to help supervisors understand their role and responsibility for the people they steward on their teams.

This training would be provided to just over 1,800 staff who are supervisors in all of Cru. Hopefully, it will enable us as a ministry to have a more unified approach to how we care and correct.

Recently, a film crew was brought in to finish the final videos needed to complete the curriculum. Our approach is to live out our value of growth. While we want and, in many cases, need certain things to change, we invite our people into a process focused on growth.

A series of role plays were recorded to show how the process looks and what happens if growth doesn’t occur. Our aim is always restoration, which we see as a Biblical mandate. But also, as an employer, there are times that the restoration just cannot be done with us. Whether someone stays or someone goes, it is our desire that we have pointed them to Jesus.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Pray for Leslie as the role she serves with our staff conference in the summer of 2025 is beginning to pick up. Pray for balance in the variety of work she is responsible for.
• Pray for the completion of the training this newsletter references.
• Pray for Mike to have wisdom in each of the personnel cases he works on — to be able to balance grace and truth. Mike always seeks that each appointment results in the individual(s) being pointed to Jesus.

A Conversation & Sending Missionaries

On a Tuesday around 9 AM, I was returning from breakfast at our Ohio, inner city hotel. I turned the corner of our building and found a man artistically drawing with chalk on the sidewalk. His room happened to be underneath ours. In complimenting him for his work, we started up a conversation. Somehow the conversation went deep fast. Josh relayed how tough life had been for their family of 5. He and his wife, Michelle, had been living in hotels and motels since the insurance money ran out 3 months ago after their house burnt down 9 months ago. In the 15 min. conversation he shared and asked questions that hit me afresh. Josh added, at age four, he prayed to the devil and dappled with the Ouija board. He asked if I believed in the devil. I confirmed there is evil in this world. Josh then asked if I believe in spiritual things as well as a higher power. I of course replied with “absolutely, and God is the higher power in my experience.” Josh is an example of a man who I believe is searching for God -- though he says he doesn’t believe in God. While my divine appointment with Josh was perhaps planting seeds, it reminded me how every human being has a story. Some darkness cloaks one’s thoughts, but they too are curious and or searching.

Summer months have been spent by Leslie, coaching 3 groups of staff raising support so that they can return to their ministry assignments. Every Mon. and Wed. 37 staff log on for our weekly virtually meeting. What has been amazing to me is the gift of these communities. They share their highs, lows and what God is doing. The staff serve in various ministry roles such as Technology, Cybersecurity, Unto, Bridges, Campus ministry, City. I get to facilitate the discussions that plunge them into deeper conversations about their support raising. I marvel at how privileged I feel to get to bolster, equip and mobilize our staff so that they are fully funded and financially faithful. Because of your partnership we are sending out missionaries to various parts of US so that they get to win, build, and send. That is something to celebrate!

Prayer requests:

• Wisdom for Mike in his role as he navigates crucial decisions regarding staff care.
• For Leslie: pray opportunities to collaborate with staff in various ministry roles as she seeks to serve them well.

Remember

Lately, I (Leslie) have been mulling over the word “remember”. Many instances, not only in our lives but in ministry as well have caused me to ponder “remembering”.

• When I’m overwhelmed by the mountain of home and ministry responsibilities, I pause and remember to cast my cares unto Him. Take a deep breath. Ask for help. Admit I can’t do it all.
• Challenging staff to remember their call (the why they do ministry) to ministry as they prepare to engage with potential ministry partners.
• While waiting for a major decision to be made, I have a choice to “worship” while I wait and not be anxious. Remembering, how God gone before me and already knows what lies ahead.
• When Scripture is filled with “recall to mind, remember”. The concept of “Think about my thinking.” The act of remember is ushering me back to my foundation, which is Christ.

One of the privileges of working at the Cru Headquarters is the opportunity to remember the staff who have come before us. On days that can be hard, Mike will often walk out to the Legacy Wall of Remembrance. There are plaques of the names of staff who served 40 years, or those who passed away after 25 years of service. It reminds Mike of the shoulders of those he stands upon as he does the work of engaging in Staff Care.

God commanded the Israelites to remember with standing stones. It was a way to remember what God had done. We often think of the standing stones in our lives of what God has done and are reminded of his immense love for us. Our standing stones include many of you – those that partner with us in financial support and prayer. We praise God for each one of you that partners with us so that the Gospel is not just remembered, but professed and shared with those who do not have a personal relationship with Christ.

Favorite passages in the Bible about Remember:

• Genesis 9:16 (rainbows)
• Deuteronomy 8: 2-3 (when in wilderness)
• Psalm 77:11 (miracles)
• Acts 20:35 (giving)
• Ephesians 1:16 (give thanks for people)
• Philippians 4:8 (thinking)

Behind the Scenes

In the early evening of Jan. 9th Leslie and the kids took cover under our stairs in a closet. A tornado warning had just been issued on Leslie’s phone. Being from the Midwest (IL, IN, OH) we knew better than to disregard the alert. The warning was a precaution for the storm headed toward our home which had the potential for a tornado. Taking proper cover to prevent a crisis seemed prudent. Flashlights illuminated the tight quarters as we played Uno and kept our dog from getting to our dinner. Memories were made that night.

Mike and Leslie both serve in the staff care department of Cru. We have the distinct privilege to provide proactive training and equipping to staff in the organization. Yet, we also have the responsibility and honor to come alongside our staff as they face a crisis. We provide care on multiple levels. While what we do may be unseen, behind closed doors and even confidential, we have the opportunity to be alight in some of the darkest times a staff person may have.

Much like being prepared for a tornado, our jobs ensure we have resources prepared and ready when a need arises. At times, it is providing resources that are preparation. At other times, it is entering into a time of crisis. It is a privileged place to serve!

 

Above: Mike works side by side with these women on a daily basis.

Below: Leslie leading a group of new staff through our stewardship training.

Above: The various staff care leaders throughout the ministry at a recent training.

Below: Leslie was one of the MPD coaches at a training for launching new staff.