Monday, October 28, 2013

Sending Overseas

Volume 8 - Issue 5
Sending Overseas

It’s 9pm Sunday night having just hung up the phone from our reoccurring coaching call with Cru new staff.  The wife had shared how something I (Leslie) said in a prior call had stuck with them.  She and her husband have continued to mull over my statement about how preparing to get to the field in raising their financial support, “It’s a journey of faith”.   I marvel at how words the Lord had me say have encouraged them.  For a moment I was reminded at how the Lord has brought Mike and I to where we are presently serving Him.  Our own support raising journey — including the ups and downs — give us a platform and wisdom in coaching. Together we get to serve (as one of our many hats) as Ministry Partner Development (MPD) coaches.  As you may recall in our last newsletter we shared about attending a training while both being away from our son.  While there, we were challenged to take on coaching three New Staff couples.  The God part of this is that we already knew these three couples as Keynote (our ministry) had conducted their staff interviews and all of us are members of the same local church.  In fact we have served alongside two of the couples at church. 


These three couples will be going overseas together as a team.  They have an incredible heart for the people in a certain middle-eastern country.  Currently they are raising their initial support so they can report to this undisclosed country in the very near future.  As we have taken on coaching them it’s incredible how the Lord has opened my thoughts to lost people groups.  I can’t imagine the impact these families will have and the opportunities to introduce foreigners to Jesus!  Mike and I have the privilege of playing a small part in sending them and seeing Matthew 9:36-38 come true before our eyes.  Then He [Jesus] said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.  How exciting one our ministry roles is to raise up, equip and send labors out into the harvest both stateside and more recently to the nations! 

Praise & Prayer:
  • For wisdom and the right words—coaching, equipping and training staff through our ministry.
  • The coming months as our HR team evaluates our current training curriculum.  Pray that we’d meet the deadlines and God would reveal what is crucial and relevant.

God is using Keynote to make a difference in the world.  Stay tuned for our next newsletter to hear about the recent team we sent to India.  The band Stone is taking Jesus to the people in India! 

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Travel Abounds

Volume 8 Issue 4
Travel Abounds


As the fall begins, the travel schedule picks up for us.  Both of us have traveled to Orlando the 2nd week of September.  We attended the Ministry Partner Development School of Coaching.  While Mike attended something like this almost 8 years ago as he began coaching new staff as they raise their support, many changes have been made in the schooling.  Leslie went as a new coach.  This signifies added responsibilities for Leslie, but still provides flexibility in her ministry hours.  The job entails helping new staff as they raise their initial support, keeping them accountable, trying to encourage them, and helping them to keep a right perspective that God is in control.  Mike’s parents took care of Benjamin while we were both on the road for this training. 

In October, Mike will again hit the road, but this time for Valley Forge, PA.  This will be for an Intern Coordinator’s Conference.  While Mike was able to hand off the intern coordinator role last year to a woman in our ministry, she will be in India with a band from Keynote who will be performing on college campuses throughout the country.  So, as her supervisor, Mike is filling in at the conference for her.

The fall also usually brings recruiting trips.  These have not been determined yet, but it is likely that Mike will make a trip or two to try to recruit college students to join Keynote.
Summer recap

 Below: Benjamin on his dad’s shoulders enjoying the worship music during an evening session. 


 

Right: Outside the main auditorium staff gather and connect with others.

  


Left: Cru’s new logo as displayed on the stage of the US Staff Conference.
 




Above: While Mike was in college-years ago, Claudia’s husband, Dick–now with the Lord –challenged Mike to embrace reading the Bible in the context of everyday life and it changed Mike’s life. 


Below: A fun family moment amidst the busy staff conference.



Praise & Prayer:
  • Praise for a GREAT summer! (travels, visit family, staff conference, ministry/serve opportunities)

  • Amidst life’s demands, deadlines, activities and serving, our relationship with the Lord would be #1.  His Word would permeate our every thought and action.
  •