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One of the reasons many ministry leaders simply talk too much is because we are excited about what God is doing. But whether formally or informally, we have to consider the hearer and what they can learn and capture versus what will be too easily forgotten, and why. By: Aaron Babyar April 2022  One of the reasons many ministry leaders simply talk too much is because we are excited about what God is doing. But whether formally or informally, we have to consider the hearer and what they can learn and capture versus what will be too easily forgotten, and why.
Perhaps you have sat through far too many sermons that would have been far more powerful if shortened and clarified…instead of 60+ minutes of truth mixed with a lot of “I, me, and my” statements. What many of us fail to consider, is what are the critical things that people actually need to know…right now? For example, though there are at least 25 bullet points about your ministry or a bible passage that might be relevant for someone to be aware of, is your personal testimony also relevant when discussing that topic? A lot of people are affected by their life circumstances and what they want to share with others, but that's not always relevant to the conversation. So if you are going to share your personal testimony (which no doubt is a testament to God’s goodness), are you sharing because you want to and you're excited about what God’s doing in your life, or are you sharing because you think that’s what you are supposed to do? Meanwhile, is sharing your testimony relevant to the few pieces of information that a person really needs to know and remember in that moment? We must remember that everything you can think of may not be critically relevant to what you are hoping to clearly communicate. Stories of life change really are powerful though, so there is a balance to consider. For instance, if you're sharing with others about your ministry for the sake of building partnership, people need to understand the problem that your ministry is serving for the sake of the Kingdom. They also need to understand the vision. What are you doing to help fix that problem? And what is an example of some lives (perhaps even yours?) that have been changed? To be clear, I am “pro-testimony,” but we don’t always have to talk about ourselves and every other idea that comes to mind, some of which might not always be truly relevant. This brings us to a key point: When considering how much focus a person has to learn about what you are communicating, you will want to decide what is critically important to share, what isn’t, and how much time you have. Let’s zoom in a bit on the concepts of time and concentration which can affect understanding!. Nutrition, Hunger, Hydration, Stress, and Lack of sleep are just a handful of the factors that can affect any of us in concentration. I've been blessed to help equip many kingdom workers globally, and have noticed a trend that might be labeled as “one size fits most.” A shallow research dive shows there is some scientific data that would often agree with this statement/principle: “most people will only benefit from about 15-20 min of learning via a static communication style.” After that, they will generally lose focus and they become more accustomed to noise instead of learning (and we probably need to stop or change it up if more needs to be said or done, but that’s a different conversation.).” So if you were to keep that principle in mind, and you only have about twenty minutes to communicate effectively, how possible is it for you to adequately discuss 10 or 15 different bullet points or ideas? Instead, perhaps it is a blessing to those you are communicating with if you only share about 5 or 6 of the most important things, and leave space for people to ask questions or talk more later? It’s quite possible that allowing people to process what is critical, opens their mind and heart to the also important but slightly less urgent concepts as their brain synthesizes what you are saying. As ministry leaders, it would be helpful for us to keep in mind during mass communication that most people are unable to remember everything we hope to say. You might have an hour and a half’s worth of exposition as to why your mission is critical to the Great Commission, but most people don’t have the capacity or time to fully understand it. We can help them, by prayerfully and strategically self-policing our words. As such, when you have the opportunity to preach or even share about your ministry while raising support, or perhaps during a conversation in the parking lot at church - ask yourself, “Do I talk too much?” If so, let’s begin to ponder time, people's ability to focus, and how we can wisely limit ourselves to largely focus our communication on the most critical information. You might find that some will thank you for improving in this area! Aaron Babyar is the founder and CEO of Exago Ministries. You can read more about Aaron on our founders page. Click HERE. Whether you are the primary leader of your ministry organization or one of many leaders, setting a culture for healthy and productive mobile meetings is partly your responsibility. By: Aaron Babyar March 2022  If you want to lead a team remotely, there’s a dynamic and growing list of items that you will want to put in your jar of mobile communication. The following might not be exhaustive, but these are certainly big rocks that can affect interactions which in turn might impact how likely you are to accomplish desired goals. These “big rocks'' can positively affect your remote team, but there are also negative risks that could arise from ignoring them. Big Rock 1- Technology One of the perhaps less obvious points that you need to consider about remote interaction is the proper use of technology. Just because everyone is using a computer or smart device does not mean that it is optimized. For example, sometimes wifi by itself can be too slow for video interaction, and though being wired with ethernet cables may be an initial hassle, they might make a significant improvement in your team’s interactions. Meanwhile, consider the hardware and software programs affecting engagement. Though you could possibly just use the baked-in technologies of a smart device or messaging app (such as Facetime, WhatsApp video, etc), are those really the best tool for hands-free communication which allows for note-taking, sipping coffee, and talking with your hands (some of us can’t help ourselves!).,etc? If you find your team repeatedly dealing with poor communication due to using usable but sometimes inferior technologies, it may be time to build or overhaul your technology plan so that communication is freer and easy going with less interruptions. Possible solution: Encourage team members to be in a consistent location using ethernet/computer for all planned team meetings, with proper lighting, using a proven group video software such as Zoom. Big Rock 2 - Time Management It’s crucial that you keep an eye on the clock. If you plan for an hour-long meeting, nobody will be upset if you get done early. If you plan for an hour-long meeting and it lasts 85 minutes, you are demanding people’s time in a way that might be more than just a little inconvenient, and mess up their work-life flow. It should be an extreme aberration for a mobile meeting to run long. Most find that they actually save time by watching the clock while working on clear goals. Meanwhile, time zones can have a significant impact on communication. I’ve had meetings with people 14 time zones ahead of me, where I needed to be on a video call by 4 a.m while they needed to be on at 6pm. I missed a bit of sleep, and they had a longer work day and/or may have needed to adjust their dinner time. Though it’s okay to have meetings at different times, consider that factor while planning. What may be a simple time adjustment for some, might be a big burden on others and changes may need to be considered over time. Big Rock 3 - Personal Preparation One of the cardinal rules of good meetings, whether mobile or in person, is that people must arrive already prepared for the discussion. When this doesn’t happen, mobile meetings begin to feel optional. It’s important to build a culture where there is a mutual responsibility to be ready for times together. Questions and concerns need to be clear for all involved, and unpreparedness or ambiguity could undercut progress. Why is this crucial? Team members being able to bring all issues to the table, when everyone is present at the appropriate time, could be the difference between a meeting lasting fifteen minutes instead of an hour of slow and messy collaboration. And it saves from future repetition or people feeling left out of important decisions. Preparation saves time for everyone! Big Rock 4 - Focus Narrowly Last but not least, stay on target! Meetings should not turn into something they’re not intended for. For instance, several years ago I partnered with a ministry where our consistent “90 minute meeting” would not go less than two and a half hours, primarily because the leader would often want to catch up with the members and ask about their personal lives instead of engaging with the planned topic. As kind hearted as this was, it would have been more understandable if the stated goal of the meeting was relationship building and prayer. However, that regularly scheduled meeting often ended up being a massive use of time where good vibes were shared all around, but little was accomplished beyond building community bathed in the frustration of needed action steps being overlooked. Setting and sticking to meeting goals can keep your team members happy and focused. And yes… its good to set mobile meetings that are only about relationship building too! Yet those interactions are going to go even better if they are planned for, and sometimes in real life face2face interactions such as on a staff retreat. Whether you are the primary leader of your ministry organization or one of many leaders, setting a culture for healthy and productive mobile meetings is partly your responsibility. If your meetings are feeling out of control and needing some helpful boundaries, consider this short but easy to read book: “Read this before our next meeting.” Aaron Babyar is the founder and CEO of Exago Ministries. To read more about Aaron, go to our Founders Story HERE. No two paths are alike, so there’s no reason to compare. Some seem obvious. Others require investigation, discovery, and waiting for those “nudges” only He can give. By: Sue Duby March 2022  Back in the day… a few too many days ago to count… our family called a small East Texas town our home. When I say small, I mean SMALL. Think one blinking stoplight, a main street that stretched for just 2 blocks, and fields dotted with silent oil wells, marking what once was. And yet, we Dubys would all say we loved that sweet season.
We rarely locked our doors. Driving to work required focused attention for tractors that might be just “over the hill”. Though we felt connected to the world serving with an international ministry (Mercy Ships), our former frenzied life faded into simple country living. One sunny morning, 5-year old Peter needed some action, so we grabbed our bikes. As obedient West Coast-trained riders, we pulled on helmets and headed off for some adventure. A few blocks out, it hit me. #1 – there were no other riders anywhere. #2 – I realized I’d never seen another helmet on anyone who rode around town. We were the “odd ducks”. We were having fun enjoying the fresh air and time together, but odd indeed. I felt the embarrassing people-pleaser within me begin to rise. What if someone saw us? What would they think? Do we look silly? And yet, I knew we were doing a good thing for us getting some exercise and protecting our heads. Little did I realize that a simple bike ride would once again confirm that “this is our life” journey, wrestling to choose the right paths for us as a family and individually. It’s so hard to feel different at times, yet so freeing when you just know you’re on the right path, the one that God’s laid out before YOU, and when you remember (and believe!) that He has unique paths for all of us, each worth celebrating. Along the way, He’s been gracious to bring so many tough opportunities to strengthen that “choosing the right path” muscle… and it’s still being worked on daily!
No two paths are alike, so there’s no reason to compare. Some seem obvious. Others require investigation, discovery, and waiting for those “nudges” only He can give. Gratefully, we’re not on our own to figure out our unique “right paths”. So many simple reminders provide a guiding framework to find those next steps:
May you look for and even expect new paths to open before you, and may you trust He will be there as you dare to step forward in all that He has planned. Sue Duby grew up on an island just minutes from downtown Seattle. From there, she ventured to California for college, teaching high school math and meeting husband Chuck. In 1989, Sue and Chuck entered full time ministry. 17 years with Mercy Ships took them to Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. In 2006, they began 13 years with Hope Force International, serving those affected by natural disasters both in the U.S. and internationally. Sue loves continued adventures with Chuck (44 years), deep friendships with children Krista, Peter, and their spouses, hugs from 5 grandchildren, flower arranging, and coffee shops. "Stop trying to balance life and begin to be led by the rhythms of life in concert with the Holy Spirit. This means that sometimes life will be more fast-paced and other times it will be slower. Live your life not directed by your calendar, but led by the Spirit." By: Virgil Lee March 2022  Let’s be honest for a moment. Life is chaos! Unless you are living a monastic lifestyle, trying to balance family, work, friends, and soul care is impossible. There I said it - IMPOSSIBLE. Why? Because there is always something trying to distract you from your current focus, and many times it’s something good.
If you are anything like me, you tried and failed to balance it all. You tried to pray, you tried the newest day planner, you read the best books, and you still came up short. So what do you do if you have a calling, a dream, a family, a ministry, and your soul (all significant)? Do you give up on some of those things hoping that someday you will be able to pick them back up again? But without dreams life is hopeless, without calling there is no direction, without family you lose the most precious, without ministry you aren't impacting eternity, and without your soul, well, you are dead in the water. No, you cannot give up anything. So you continue to rob Peter to pay Paul in the ever-revolving rat race of life and settle for BUSY being your life and always being behind. It’s just the cross that a Christian leader has to carry, right? Wrong. I pose to you that we have it all backward and that there is a better way. Stop trying to balance life and begin to be led by the rhythms of life in concert with the Holy Spirit. This means that sometimes life will be more fast-paced and other times it will be slower. Live your life not directed by your calendar, but led by the Spirit. Jesus said to come to Him all that were tired and weary and He would give them rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Many of us are making Jesus out to be a liar. “But I am supposed to do more for Jesus." Nope. You are putting it through your lens of earning your righteousness at that point. If God called you to do something, He will give you the grace to do it (2 Corinthians 9:8). Life is chaos, but with Jesus setting the rhythm of your life, being busy becomes productive for the Kingdom. Over the past few years, I have worn many hats in ministry and life. Once I gave myself the okay to stop balancing and making sure my time was equalized between everything, I found peace and rhythms that are led by Jesus. And I realized that I have more time than I have ever had before. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, but are we allowing the Spirit to lead them, or are we trying to balance them in our own way of thinking? Therefore, what rhythm is the Lord leading you to adopt instead of trying to balance something that causes more struggle? There may be some things in your life that you are holding onto that are energy drainers, and the Holy Spirit might ask you to give them up for a season or longer. I used to love watching college football all day Saturday. It was my time and I loved it, until one day the Lord showed me that I was missing life with my family. I still enjoy football, but now I enjoy my family more, along with other things that are more productive and not just energy drainers. Where to start finding your rhythm in Christ? John 15:1-17 gives a great start. Abide in Him! Choose to stay connected to the Vine every day. Change your mindset so He is not the top of your to-do list, but the very center of your life that everything else ebbs and flows from. This is where the rest is found. As you do that, you will begin to produce real, lasting fruit. No one wants to work and invest and get nothing out of it. That’s the definition of insanity, by the way. Simple, I know, but it’s not easy. The world and the flesh want to earn what only abiding in the Vine will produce. You will daily have to choose to abide in Him, but it will bring true peace to the chaos of life. This is one of the reasons why Exago Coaching is beneficial. It’s a process that brings someone into your life that will help you navigate time management, but even beyond that, help you find your rhythms of life led by God so that you can survive and thrive in ministry. Virgil Lee is an Exago Coach and has been in vocational ministry since 2003. He loves engaging people to discover their passions and callings for Christ, equipping them and empowering them to make Jesus famous in their unique spheres of influence. Virgil is married to Cami Lee since 2002 and has two amazing kids- Ayden and Meygan. His degree is in History and he is ordained. Virgil has been working with Exago since 2019. He enjoys drinking coffee, talking theology, and spending time with friends and family making lasting memories. Is raising your support just a means to an end or a necessary evil? Have you considered the implications of support raising from a big picture / macro standpoint? Let’s hear from guest blogger, Jenn Fortner (and Exago Support Raising Coach) on the biblical basis for riasing support. By: Jenn Fortner February 14th, 2022 Blog originally posted to www.jennfortner.com July, 2018  Is raising your support just a means to an end or a necessary evil? Have you considered the implications of support raising from a big picture / macro standpoint? Let’s talk about it for a minute. The difference between a missionary who raises their funds verses a missionary who is paid is simply that – one raises their financial support and the other is paid to minister. Right? Right. Typically missionaries who raise their financial support are the norm. However, there are a denominations / sending agencies such that pay their missionaries. Though being a paid missionary sounds awesome, as we found out late summer of 2015, this method of funding can have it’s own set of challenges and downfalls. If you think about it from a macro viewpoint, a sending agency / denomination that pays its missionaries / workers by design is limiting the amount of missionaries it can send out to the nations. I don’t know this as hard fact, but I can surmise that there simply isn’t enough money divided up amongst all of the sending agencies in the world to pay enough missionaries to finish the task of the great commission. Hence God’s good idea — calling us all to be a part of the Great Commission. Yes, all of us. This is where the brilliance of God and raising support comes in. Throughout the Bible (the Levites, Elijah, Nehemiah, Jesus, Paul, the Apostles) you find examples of ministers being supported to do the work of ministry the Lord has given them. It doesn’t just start with modern missions, raising finances has been God’s design all along. I venture to say it is His idea not only because it works, but because we are all called to take part – either as goers or senders – as I mentioned above. Mark 16:15-16. Let’s talk about some major pros and cons from a macro (big picture) and micro (smaller picture – your perspective) standpoint of a missionary who lives off of support versus one that is paid. Benefits of a Missionary Raising Support:
Cons of a Missionary Raising Support:
Benefits of a Missionary Being Paid:
Cons of a Missionary Being Paid:
A common misconception and attitude amongst workers who raise their support, is that support raising is just a necessary evil and means to an end. I would challenge that thinking by saying let’s get past ourselves and see it for what God intended it to be! In the macro sense, raising support is about so much more than one person’s budget, essentially it is about the body of Christ partnering with the Great Commission. And in the micro sense, the fact of the matter is, when done correctly and with the correct biblical perspective, support raising is actually ministry. Raising support can be a exciting, rewarding, and truly vital ministry. As I mentioned above, the one major upside to a missionary being paid for their service is they get to the field quicker and “waste” less time before they go into their assignment. However, I can’t tell you the amount of times I have heard missionaries that raise their support say that their season of itinerating (particularly at the beginning of their journey in missions) is the absolute best preparation they could ever imagine for the field. Pastor Chris, who is a guest blogger on this blog, recently wrote an article in which he explains this principle: “As a christian worker or missionary you are going to find many people interested in speaking to you about Jesus, but they may not always be ready to make a commitment. They may not be prepared to forsake Islam or their family’s religion of many generations because you told them a nice story. Successful ministry work requires faithful and patient follow-up with that person who has shown some interest. The man who pumps my gas gave his life to Jesus, but only after I spoke with him many times. He had to know more than my “story” about Jesus… he had to know ME. Was I a worthy person to carry such a story to him? Could I be trusted? Did I really believe the message I was sharing with him? The first place you learn and practice how to do follow-up is while raising your financial support. You may think raising money and sharing the gospel are vastly different but they are not. If you are unable to look a pastor square in the eyes and say, “I need your support to fulfill God’s call on my life” – then you will find it difficult to look another man, with another religion, square in the eyes and say to him, “I need you to abandon everything you have been taught and follow Jesus!”I encourage you to think of the macro implications of raising your support in your season of itineration! Ministry, the Great Commission, God’s plan, more missionaries, etc. etc.” In this season of itineration, I echo what Pastor Chris said- think of more than just the micro implications of raising your support – think of the bigger picture as well! Raising support means more missionaries spreading the gospel, more workers doing more good things, involving the body of Christ in the Great Commission, more prayer, more preparation, etc. It’s so much more about God’s plan than it is about raising your budget! Jenn Fortner is a seasoned support raising coach with over 10 years of experience. Currently Jenn serves Eurasia Assembly of God World Missionaries and provides guided training and coaching to over 100 missionaries. She is also an Exago Support Raising Coach. As a young adult Jenn began to raise her own funds for ministry assignments and quickly realized a heart for not only ministry, but for the people who served as her financial and spiritual team throughout years of ministry. Jenn began a journey of coaching others called to ministry to develop a relational approach to raising their funds, and has professionally coached over 400 missionaries throughout their journey of fundraising. Jenn is the author of Financial Partnership Development: Fundraising Made Relational and www.jennfortner.com, a blog dedicated to support raising challenges. Jenn lives in Springfield Missouri with her husband Zach and their two children, Sloane and Merrick. ...The reality is it’s okay to have healthy boundaries even in ministry! Even though you want to be Christlike to all, not everybody can be your best friend or work closely with you, particularly when there are unresolved issues. By: Aaron Babyar February 2022  In being Christlike, one of the topics that can be difficult for people to engage with is developing proper boundaries. In fact, if you have never read the book ‘Boundaries’ by Henry Cloud and John Townsend, I highly recommend it. But where does that apply to ministry? Believe it or not, this is completely relevant to our ministry relationships with other organizations, as well as our other pastors, church planters, missionary workers, youth workers, etc. One of the questions that you may have to occasionally step back and ask is, “Am I meeting someone else’s needs, and are they meeting mine as well?” If you aren’t, why not? If you are, where? And if there is tension, can that tension be addressed? In a healthy relationship, when there’s tension, there can be a give and take in communication and things will tend to improve. However, in an unhealthy situation, one, if not both people, will refuse to acknowledge faults, not make attempts at making changes, and blame or otherwise show immature relational ability to move past the tension. When that happens, then the question is if there is a need to change the relationship. How can you end this relationship well without creating an enemy? The reality is it’s okay to have healthy boundaries even in ministry! Even though you want to be Christlike to all, not everybody can be your best friend or work closely with you, particularly when there are unresolved issues. If we look to Matthew 18 as an example, it talks about how if a brother sins against you, it is best to go to him personally before going back with someone else. It continues beyond that, but I believe the main point is, let’s talk with people, not about people, as that will typically go a long way in helping to address the problem. By way of example, consider Paul and Barnabus. Here were two godly men, loved by the churches, filled with the Spirit, enduring persecution together and seeing effective ministry. Yet they were fallible and did not see eye to eye on everything. They had disagreements and parted ways. Even the best and most faithful among us are prone to interpersonal conflicts and mistakes. We are all fallen human beings. The ministries of both men continued—in fact, the number of missionary teams doubled! God can use even our disagreements to further His work. Most of us have experienced people who have talked about you instead of to you. In fact I experienced this very recently from someone I have interacted a lot with in ministry, and it kinda hurt. I think it could have been “solved,” but the situation was made worse because of increasing poor and erratic communication. In situations like this, I advise people towards grace, communicating as best as possible, attempting to work through issues, but also understanding that perhaps its time to reach a peaceable parting of ways. The person whom I had the tension with is a valuable brother in Christ! But the amount of energy and effort it was taking to maintain a working relationship was not ultimately going to be the wisest use of my time/energy/resources that I need to be focusing elsewhere. So though it was difficult, I actually believe our peaceful parting of ways truly was for the best. Boundaries and communication skills are vital for our relationships in all areas of life. With this in mind, let’s strive to have healthy ministries, while realizing that not every situation and partnership was intended to be permanent. Aaron Babyar is the founder and CEO of Exago Ministries. To read more about Aaron, go HERE. We list WHAT we do and let that define us, instead of being first and foremost a child of the King and making Him the center of all that we are AND do. By: Cami Lee January 2022  “This is a waste of time! I need to get to work on school, and this is taking too long!” Have you ever had God talk to you loudly through your kids? It happens to me All. The. TIME. And it happened again yesterday morning. I’ve noticed that my son has inherited my disdain of mornings, especially on Mondays, so I decided that it would be a good idea for us to start having a short devotional time before we begin school each day. Don’t judge me that I’m just now thinking of doing this with my kids. I never imagined that my 9-year-old (who loves to stall, by the way) would fight me on it. I even found an Adventures in Odyssey daily Bible reading, and my son absolutely loves Adventures in Odyssey. I was shocked that he wasn’t giddy over my announcement. That’s when I realized that my crazy life and the pressure I sometimes get under can be contagious. Hello, my name is Cami, and just like many of you, I tend to take on a lot of stuff. Like, a lot. I homeschool my two kids (grades 4 and 1), I work for Exago as the Director of Administration and as a Coach, I’m the Women’s Ministry Director at my local church, I’m the wife of a pastor, and I’m a full-time mom. Oh, yeah… I’m also a disciple of Christ. Isn’t it sad how often we think that way? We list WHAT we do and let that define us, instead of being first and foremost a child of the King and making Him the center of all that we are AND do. Maybe that’s why things can get so topsy-turvy so fast. Life is full of busyness and most of the time it’s filled with very important things. I sat down planning to write a blog about how to work 4 full-time jobs and still manage to smile. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure how to do that. Actually, I’m not completely convinced that I want to, because the world is filled with people who plaster a smile on their faces and seem to be just fine, but are coming to pieces inside. How do we truly walk in peace in the middle of chaos? A couple of years ago, in the middle of our school time, I had reached a place of frustration that was bad enough that I had to call a short recess so I could regroup and hopefully keep from yelling and having a hissy fit that would put a 2-year-old to shame. I even went outside because I didn’t trust myself to be around my children and not say something that I would regret. While I was standing on my back porch, God asked me why I was so short-tempered lately. I let the floodgates flow and told Him how my son wasn’t understanding the concepts I was trying to teach him, I had text messages coming through from work, my husband called to ask me to look through something he was working on, I got a What’s App message from one of the ladies on my women’s planning team asking about something for an upcoming event, I was out of clean socks because I was so far behind on laundry, and my family had been living on sub sandwiches and cereal for days because I didn’t have the time or bandwidth to cook. That was when He reminded me of something I’d heard in a sermon once— what, out of all of that, will matter 5 years from now? Wow. That reminder didn’t change the fact that I had stuff to take care of, but talk about putting things into perspective and lining out priorities! First and foremost, what would matter in 5 years is what will echo into eternity… my relationship with Jesus. I realized at that moment that I hadn’t been making that my core reason for being. No wonder I felt like I was in so much turmoil. I know it may sound cliche, but there is no bigger truth anywhere— God has to be the very center of everything. I can try and try to be what I need to be to everyone in my life, but it isn’t possible for me to do that on my own. Believe me, I’ve tried! I have to get my spirit and soul aligned with Christ and let the Holy Spirit work in and through me and then everything else will fall into place. What will matter in 5 years is the example I set for my children. Do they see Jesus in me? Do I set a good example of walking in and with Him? Do they see good fruit in how I treat people or talk about others when they aren’t around? What about the other people around me? Do they see Jesus when they look at me? I would love to say that that was the end of my ever getting my priorities out of order and that I’m a powerhouse for God who never allows the stress of my responsibilities to get ahead of what’s really important, but I already threw a bucket of water on that cotton candy lie when I told you about my son’s reaction to my devo order yesterday. It’s a daily journey and we are all a work in progress. Thankfully we serve a God Who remembers that we are dust and loves us so much that He patiently walks this journey with us. To quote one of the wisest men I’ve ever known (who I just happen to be married to), “It’s not about perfection, it’s about growing and moving forward.” We must keep moving forward. To quote another very wise man, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14, NASB) Oh, in case you’re wondering about how yesterday turned out, we had a great conversation about priorities and what matters the most and then had our devotional time as planned. The day went smoothly. We all had a good and productive day. This morning my son asked me if we could do devotions again, which we did. #movingforward! Cami Lee was somewhat born into ministry as the daughter of traveling evangelists and continued on that path when she married a Student Ministries pastor. Over the years she has served alongside her parents and then later her husband in various areas within the body of Christ. She has been serving with Exago as the Director of Administration since January of 2017. Cami and her husband, Virgil, live in Pea Ridge, Arkansas with their two children, Ayden and Meygan. Her favorite things are baking, spending quality time with her family, and reading. She's also a Civil War buff! “Listen to me”. Words so easily missed when I skim through Bible passages or quickly glance at verses to finish another chapter. But those words. . . ”Listen to me”. . . mean just that. Pause. Take a moment to concentrate. Focus on the words and the instruction. Let them go deep. Be willing to respond in thought, course correction, or action. Trust that the words are coming from a heart of love for me. By: Sue Duby January 2022  Three words strung together hold a very important place in our home. A “code phrase” just for my husband and I. Spoken only by Chuck. Requiring immediate attention and obedience by me. “Listen to me!”. Harsh sounding, right? But the historical context frames a different picture indeed. Chuck’s full name means “warrior, protector,” and believe me, he’s gifted in that way. Always aware of his surroundings. On alert for sounds, actions, and scenes that sniff of any kind of danger. First to notice a car barreling down the road on our walks. This patient man just happens to be married to one who can daydream with the best of them, forget to look both ways crossing a street, and miss most cues that would cry out “be careful”. In many past moments, when Chuck’s tried to quietly draw me to “alert mode”, I’d fire endless curious questions his way (Why? What’s going on? What do you see? Where?). Let’s just say, I keep him busy in his gifting! Chuck soon realized he needed a clear code that said, “This is serious. Please trust me and just do what I say. No questions.” Only to be used in the most extreme situations. Mutually agreed upon and understood. One day on a California vacation, lounging by the hotel pool, I finally got the message. We noticed two policemen enter a room, just outside the pool gate. Two more followed. Then, one exited, hauling a mattress and bedding. More staff arrived. After a few minutes of harmless curiosity, Chuck’s smile disappeared and he quietly instructed me. . .”If I say ‘ Listen to me’, drop to the ground and roll under your chair”. Wide-eyed, I swallowed my questions and nodded. We watched and waited. After 15 minutes, the crowd exited the room and we exhaled. Later, we discovered there had been a drug bust just minutes before we arrived. One man was shot and killed. Chuck’s words meant “I am trying to protect you. Please listen to my heart and my way of doing so. It’s out of love for you, not to control you”. I often reflect on that afternoon by the pool and smile with a fresh, grateful understanding. From that afternoon forward, I committed to obeying all “Listen to me” moments. I’m struck by how many times God says the same thing… “Listen to me”. Words so easily missed when I skim through Bible passages or quickly glance at verses to finish another chapter. But those words. . . ”Listen to me”. . . mean just that. Pause. Take a moment to concentrate. Focus on the words and the instruction. Let them go deep. Be willing to respond in thought, course correction, or action. Trust that the words are coming from a heart of love for me. “O that my people would once and for all listen to me and walk faithfully in my footsteps, following my ways. Then and only then will I conquer your every foe and tell every one of them, ‘You must go!’ . . . But I will feed you with my spiritual bread. You will feast and be satisfied with me, feeding on my revelation-truth like honey dripping from the cliffs of the high place.” Psalm 81:13,14,16 TPT If He’s asking me to listen, He has words of instruction and guidance. My job? To pay attention, follow (“faithfully” in an ongoing way), and know that He will carry the load and “satisfy” me (fill me with “enough”). Sometimes it’s a simple nudge that says “don’t go there” or “do go here”… all from His care and affection. “So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.” Ruth 2:8 NIV Boaz’s heart was for Ruth. . .in protection, provision, and care. His “Listen to me” came with clear instruction for her very best. Understanding the circumstances, seeing the big picture, and with knowledge of her needs. Just like God in his love for us. “But the one who always listens to me will live undisturbed in a heavenly peace. Free from fear, confident and courageous, that one will rest unafraid and sheltered from the storms of life.” Proverbs 1:33 TPT There is a need for ongoing listening. . . choosing to be “one who always listens”, rather than selectively picking the instructions I like! Who doesn’t long to be “free from fear, confident and courageous”. . . and able to rest peacefully? For that, I’ll gladly tune up my hearing to full volume, waiting for His instruction. “Listen to Me,” [says the Lord], “O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been carried by Me from your birth And have been carried [in My arms] from the womb, Even to your old age I am He, And even to your advanced old age I will carry you! I have made you, and I will carry you; Be assured I will carry you and I will save you.” Isaiah 46:3,4 AMP Remembering this makes it easy to want to listen. Knowing that His hand of care, protection, and presence has been with me since conception and will continue for all my days on earth. Great promise. Great comfort. “Be assured I will. . .” With such certainty, how can I not long to listen to every word He speaks? May I continue to learn how to listen to Him well. . . and follow the words I hear. Knowing I’m loved beyond my wildest imagination. Sue Duby grew up on an island just minutes from downtown Seattle. From there, she ventured to California for college, teaching high school math and meeting husband Chuck. In 1989, Sue and Chuck entered full time ministry. 17 years with Mercy Ships took them to Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. In 2006, they began 13 years with Hope Force International, serving those affected by natural disasters both in the U.S. and internationally. Sue loves continued adventures with Chuck (44 years), deep friendships with children Krista, Peter, and their spouses, hugs from 5 grandchildren, flower arranging, and coffee shops. If we are going to raise up biblical leaders around us, whether in our ministry workplace or in our own home, we need to grasp that biblical knowledge - though important - is ultimately different from being a biblical leader. By: Aaron Babyar January 2022  Raising Up Biblical Leaders
By: Aaron Babyar January 2022 As an adolescent, I earnestly wanted to be known for certain attributes. World's biggest Chicago sports fan (Bulls, Bears, Sox, Cubs, Blackhawks- I followed them all far too intently). Vicious basketball dunker (As I never quite made it to 6 foot tall, I was quite proud of slam-dunking a basketball on the heads of people 8 inches taller than me). Lover of Mt. Dew (oh what sweet nectar - I don’t talk about it much anymore or wear the t-shirt...but it’s still a treat the rarer times I allow myself the splurge). Though these dreams seem rather silly now, there was a time when having these so-called achievements meant far too much to me, despite their profound unimportance to my primary identity. Slowly, God changed my heart via the use of scripture and the wisdom of those He put in my life. As I began considering what is REALLY important in life, one passage that got my attention was Ecclesiastes 2:11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Over time, I realized that there were far more important things, eternal things, to set my sights on. My real identity as a child of God began to take far more precedent. In our culture, identity is a massive issue that has derailed many people wholeheartedly pursuing temporal things. If we are going to raise up biblical leaders around us, whether in our ministry workplace or in our own home, we need to grasp that biblical knowledge - though important - is ultimately different from being a biblical leader. The Bible does not specifically say, “....and this is the definition of a biblical leader:.......” However, I hope the following admittedly oversimplified definition of a biblical leader will suffice for our purposes: A biblical leader is a person whose primary identity and value is seen first and foremost through God’s lens, who embraces the whole of scripture (including easy and difficult parts), and whom others find themselves following due to their Christ-like influence. Let’s acknowledge that that is a very lofty definition. I could argue that none of us fully live up to that ideal, but it seems like a God-honoring goal. You can have positional authority of course, yet relational authority carries far more staying power in the lives of those around you. I'll likely not forget the misguided pastor who publicly berated and embarrassed 17yo me. I was in the chapel at East Iowa Bible Camp (a wonderful ministry to this day!), and the first time I picked up a guitar I slowly and repeatedly plucked out the 3 primary notes that I could haphazardly find (which almost sounded like the popular and innocent song “Louie, Louie”). The brash, loud, and impromptu sermon, along with shame suddenly heaped upon me by the visiting fundamentalist pastor espousing theories of demons and rocknroll was neither biblical nor a good example of leadership. Many good things can be said about leadership, the Bible, and intermingling the two. But as you can tell from experience, I take pause and get a bit concerned about too strict of a definition of what is biblical leadership. You don’t have to look hard to find so-called leaders that play fast and loose with which scriptures they want to apply vs. those that make them uncomfortable because it doesn’t fit the narrative of their cultural lens or current situation, which is a very slippery slope. Similarly, you may have known or experienced leaders who take on a perceived moral high ground and take some passages from the Bible as an opportunity to beat down the sinners around them in a misguided attempt to fix the world at the expense of love, reason, logic, kindness, etc. Christ was called a friend of sinners (Luke 7:34), and as someone who would like to be a “biblical leader,” I hope I’m guilty of the same. Rather than further parsing “what is Biblical'' and “what is leadership,” or keep telling about leadership fails I’ve witnessed at the hands of missionaries, pastors, etc….it’s better to seek God’s wisdom on all manner of subjects that are interrelated to seeking God for wisdom. Proverbs 2:1-10 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORDand find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. If you were hoping for a quick answer to the question: “How do you raise up Biblical leaders?” I apologize for letting you down. However, I challenge you to consider the following short list of answers, while also seeking the Lord and scripture to perhaps add to this list.
Aaron Babyar is the founder and CEO of Exago Ministries. Read his full bio here. As the coming days unfold, may we anticipate His birth with wonder. May we remember His promises for today and all days to come. May we exhale, knowing He desires to be our weight-bearer. And may we continue to trust His love-laced wisdom in directing our future steps. By: Sue Duby  “...IN ANTICIPATION” BY: SUE DUBY DECEMBER 2021 No other morning on the calendar holds such delight. Wonder. Surprise. Giggles. Pajamas ‘til noon. Coffee and chocolate chip scones by the fire. Ribbons, piles of wrapping paper, and of course half-eaten “for-Santa cookies.” Satisfied sighs (and maybe a few sighs of exhaustion!) That morning to top all other mornings. . . Christmas. My favorite one as a young girl may very well mark the beginning of my love for investigating, discovering, sleuthing, and figuring out mysteries. Triple starred on my wish list that year were new clothes for my doll. Somehow, a few weeks before the big morning, I realized my Mother had been tucked away in the bedroom during school hours, hand-sewing those clothes. And somehow, I discovered where the work-in-progress lay hidden under her dresser. Almost daily, I crept into her room, quietly pulled out the secret box, examined the clothes, and tucked it all away before being caught. Though knowing what was coming, I still found myself full to the brim of excitement for the big morning. Then and only then would the finished project be mine to open, mine to embrace, and mine to keep. It proved to be a grand morning indeed! I never confessed my deception to my Mother, but I’m sure my squeals of delight gave her the satisfaction of a job well done. Looking back, I realize the sacrifice of her time and energy to give me joy. . . and how her gift, in a very personal way, said “I love you so much!” For that, I’m so grateful. As the years go by, we now have every-other-year quiet Christmas mornings. Where kids and grandkids celebrate with their in-laws. Where my husband Chuck and I still enjoy coffee and pastries by the fire. Where only two stockings spill over with surprises. Where the magic still hovers over us. And we remember why anticipation fills us in all those December days. Because He came and He is near. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV Anticipation is guessing or being aware of what will happen. It’s preparing for something upcoming, or looking forward to an event. And so it is with those of Advent. Waiting. Letting our hearts be tenderized, ready to receive. Expecting fresh wonder in the ways of His affection and love. Jesus. The one given. Bestowed, entrusted, and committed to us. He is God’s intentional, thoughtful, sacrificial, love-laced, forever gift. He is provision for us as our way to the Father. He’s our weight-bearer. “The government will be on His shoulders.” There are many worries, unfixable struggles, confusing times, and mysteries, yet He promises that “rule and dominion” will be on HIS shoulders. . . not ours. Such freedom in trusting His word to do just that – carry it all for us, as we just follow Him. Anticipate refreshment in seeing who He is in new ways as the year closes and a new one begins. • Wonderful Counselor. Not just one with a few good ideas and clever thoughts. But a marvelous, extraordinary giver of life-changing wisdom and direction. • Mighty God. Not just one of many gods. Not just so-so in strength. But STRONG. Able to fight our battles. To stand firm in any situation. To be trusted. . . always. • Everlasting Father. Not just for some of our lives, grateful as I am for my own Dad’s 94 years. No need to wonder when His timeline will finish. It is forever. Before I was born. All my life here. After I’m gone. There is no expiration on His care. He is Father. • Prince of Peace. Not just a peace-making ambassador who comes and goes. Not just a skilled negotiator, nor a savvy politician, but the chief overseer of peace. The one who rules over all and promises His peace will absolutely reign one day. The one we can trust to bring perfect peace. As the coming days unfold, may we anticipate His birth with wonder. May we remember His promises for today and all days to come. May we exhale, knowing He desires to be our weight-bearer. And may we continue to trust His love-laced wisdom in directing our future steps. Sue Duby grew up on an island just minutes from downtown Seattle. From there, she ventured to California for college, teaching high school math and meeting husband Chuck. In 1989, Sue and Chuck entered full-time ministry. 17 years with Mercy Ships took them to Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. In 2006, they began 13 years with Hope Force International, serving those affected by natural disasters both in the U.S. and internationally. Sue loves continued adventures with Chuck (44 years), deep friendships with children Krista, Peter, and their spouses, hugs from 5 grandchildren, flower arranging, and coffee shops. |
