Raising Up Laborers for the Harvest

Volume 3, Issue 11
Raising up laborers for the Harvest


The month of November is a busy month around Keynote. It kicks off with the annual Vision Dinner where new staff, alumni, and recruits come from all over as well as local guests. November also, begins our new placement cycle. Training for our new staff and interns lasts through the week of Thanksgiving, which Leslie is currently taking part in.

Though the new placement cycle has begun, Mike’s role didn’t change this year. He serves as the new staff ministry partner development (MPD) coach. Mike is in charge of tracking with the new staff and coaching them as they raise their initial support.

We recently had the opportunity to have three of the new staff Mike coaches stay with us while they attended Keynote’s annual vision dinner. (see photo on rt. Jon, Thomas and Liz pose with Mike -their support coach- for a group photo at Keynote’s Vision Dinner earlier this month.)

Jon, who went through new staff training in June, is an aerospace engineer from Denver. Though he continues to work full time working on rocket launches, he is also spending about 20 hours a week raising his support. He and Mike talk weekly so that Mike can give Jon guidance on how to balance his busy life, how to maximize his support raising and to continue to point him to Christ.

We also housed Thomas and Liz Witmer. Thomas’ parents are Campus Crusade staff and used to be a part of Keynote. Thomas and Liz were engaged when they went through new staff training this past June. It was only a matter of weeks after the training ended that they were married in August. Both have been working part-time jobs as they raise their support. Mike talks with them each week as well to encourage them in balancing a new marriage and the stresses of raising support.

These are just 3 of the 12 new staff raising their support to join Keynote. Mike often says, like Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, “When I run [coach new staff] I feel God’s pleasure!” (Italics- Mike) There is no doubt that the Lord has strategically placed Mike in this role.

Thank you dear and faithful supporters as you have helped raise up new laborers through this ministry. In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus is speaking to his disciples, ...The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. These new staff raising their initial support represent a handful of laborers the Lord will use to further the Gospel. Through you supporting us you are sending workers out into the harvest.

We recently were in Peoria, IL for Mike’s home church mission’s conference. We had the privilege of teaching preschoolers about missions. A highlight for Leslie was when she helped the kids make their own candle (out of a toilet roll) to symbolize “being a light” in the world. (see rt. Photo)

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Rest and strength as we come off of an intense month of traveling, trainings, and projects.
• For grace and unity as staff adjust to their new roles and departments they serve in.
• We would finish well in 2008.