One Conversation

Cru is a big missions organization.  About 800 staff work at the World Headquarters serving about 8,000 US staff, and another 10,000 globally.  And yet what defines Cru the most is…

...one conversation.

It is a conversation explaining how someone can know God personally.  It is a conversation helping someone to share their faith with a friend.  It is a conversation inviting someone trust God with a difficult period of life.  It is a conversation inviting someone to invest a week, a summer, a year, or a lifetime in telling others about Jesus.

This weekend I was talking to two of my high school friends about Gary, a Cru staff member who invested in each of our lives.  When I was 17 he sat with me on a stairwell and explained how I could walk in the Spirit moment by moment, and I still remember that conversation.

You can probably point to a conversation like that in your life.

When Cru went through the name change a few years ago they interviewed hundreds of people about what being a part of Cru meant to them.  There were three common themes:  They experienced changed lives,  they formed meaningful relationships, and they had opportunities to engage in the mission of introducing others to Jesus.

This video is a picture of what Cru helps happen.

Thank you.

This month we all celebrate Thanksgiving, and we thank you for investing in our lives and ministry.  You not only allow us to serve with Cru, but you help us make a difference in different parts of Cru all over the world.  Thank you for your friendship with us. We can’t express enough how much your partnership means to us.

With love and thanks,

And here is one more 2 minute video about why we do what we do.

The Hard Work of New

THE HARD WORK OF NEW

Coach Alan at work

This summer Macy decided she wanted to play softball in high school.  As a 14 year old freshman, she had never swung anything but a whiffle ball bat.  At the tryouts a woman said to her, “You are kind of old to be getting started, aren’t you?  Can you even throw?”  
Macy wanted to leave, but went through with the tryouts. We are full of admiration for her bravery and willingness to step into something so new that she has to learn how to do everything!
God gave her Coach Alan, who has been very encouraging, telling her not to worry about being behind, telling her making players better, “is what I do.”  He has kindly spent significant time with her, meticulously adjusting her throwing motion, her swing, how she moves her feet…everything.  Macy is having to pay attention to everything she does.  It feels awkward because it is all new, but she is learning.  With multiple practices and two games under her belt, she is improving every day with the skills her Coach is helping her learn.

RELENTLESS ATTENTION

When I was made aware of some areas in my life that needed to change, I also met with a coach to help me.  I found that changing my natural inclinations and behavior was hard!  It took relentless attention on what I was doing to make the changes.  Just like learning a new skill, I had to move slowly and intentionally with the new behavior I wanted to master.

As I’m coaching other leaders at Cru in areas that are hindering them, I let them know that it will mean they have to work hard at making changes to what feels natural to them.  Everyone has to go through the awkward stage before the changes feel somewhat normal.  It takes bravery and effort.     

Thank you for investing in our lives and ministry with Cru. We can’t adequately express how much your partnership means to us, and allows us to invest our lives for the sake of the gospel.

With love and thanks,

It's the little things...

PRACTICING HIS PRESENCE

Last night after dinner we sat around the table taking a Type A/B assessment. I didn’t come out as Type A, but I did observe that activity, finishing things, and being busy is a big part of who I am. But the drive to produce can keep me focused on the work, not the Lord.

Walking with God requires pausing, even if briefly, to acknowledge His presence. I too often find myself asking, “what is next?” and moving on, and I miss out on appropriating his love or wisdom, or hearing what he might want to say to me. In a devotional last week, we talked about how to help take that pause, and I tried some things. When I walked to my next meeting, I prayed for the person I was walking to meet. It has helped to take just a few minutes to say, “Thank you Lord, that you are here with me, that your Spirit empowers me. Please guide me.”


I’m hoping I can make those pauses more frequent and more of a natural part of what I do each day. It’s kind of a small thing, but I think it can help me walk moment by moment with Him.

SMALL STEPS, BIG IMPACT

At Cru, over the years, I’ve seen that implementing a relatively small change can have a large impact on the effectiveness of the mission. For example, several years ago I was able to make the month of May the time when everyone would receive their annual feedback, instead of on a work anniversary date. It was a small thing, but the result was a huge improvement on staff getting feedback from their supervisors and reinforcing our Cru values of faith, growth, and fruitfulness.

I’m working on another project now, that if successful, could have a similar impact, and result in our ability to equip our staff much more effectively, more quickly, and for less money. It may not work, but we’d appreciate your prayers for this project and my ability to navigate organizationally to see a small change bring big impact to Cru. I’ll let you know if it works or not!

Thank you for your investment in all we do with Cru.  We are so grateful for your friendship.

In Him,

JUNE CELEBRATIONS

Aubrey and Catelin

Grandpa/Dad Billy, Macy, Aubrey, Dayna, and Barrett

In June we celebrate Catelin, Aubrey, and Cara's Birthday, plus Father's Day.  We did as much celebrating as we could last month!  We are glad Barrett's Dad lives so close!

Dogs are life changing

Our life with a dog is not quite 2 years along, and we have enjoyed many things that have come from having a dog.

We have met way more neighbors than we had in the previous 15 years!  We are out more and most people like meeting dogs.

We get outside more.  Brexit loves being outside.

We meet other dogs, including this Great Dane named Lincoln.

We have unique dog decorated clothing.

We are more directly involved with wildlife, like this owl.

The culture in ministry

BUILDING A HEALTHY CULTURE

A few years ago, Cru began utilizing a staff survey with the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) to look at how our staff experience serving with the ministry.  They look at things like team health, work with purpose, leadership, strategy and communication, among others.  In the end, an organization ends up with a score, from “toxic” to “flourishing.”

You may remember that we have been assisting GAiN, our humanitarian ministry, for the last few years.   When we first talked I shared with Al, the President,  how his staff need to know that Gain wants to invest in them and build a culture where people would want to serve.  We started making a plan to do that.  

GAiN’s scores in this survey have increased significantly in each of the last two years.  Morale has increased dramatically because they are clear about what they are doing, and the team have been intentional about appreciating their work.  They are now certified as “healthy” by the BCWI survey. 

Al, wrote to my supervisor this month, “In terms of fruitfulness, our achieving a Best Christian Workplace certification by BCWI and our being financially solvent is in no small part due to Barrett’s help with our Leadership team. “   Your investment in our ministry with Cru is making a difference!  Thank you.

Staff join Cru to make a difference in the world for Christ; they are willing to raise their financial support to do it; they enter willing to serve.  We want to support that desire and faith.  It takes intentional effort to create the kind or organization that will support that calling and we are glad we have been able to help GAiN do that.

QUICK VISITS

Luke was the last one to go out to meet Zeke, and before that we got him down to Orlando to visit over Easter Weekend.  

Macy and Catelin went to Virginia to visit Luke last weekend.  It is great to see everyone making connections and welcoming Zeke into the family.

With much love and thanks,

A little about work and a lot about a baby!

WHO KNEW MISSIONARY WORK WOULD INCLUDE THIS?

A year ago I was asked to facilitate a Cyber Incident Response Team at Cru and prepare our response to several potential incidents, including a loss of IT service, a social media attack, or a loss of data due to hacking.   Three weeks ago a hacker in another country somehow got the login name and password of one of our staff, and logged into several of our systems!  Everything seems to be OK, and we now have lawyers and forensic IT folks working with us.  It appears he did not access any truly sensitive information, but the risk became very clear!

It has been a lot of work, but our team is working well and that is the good news.  It is not just IT that is involved, but HR, Communications, Legal, Risk Management, etc.  This team has helped Cru respond in a thorough and coordinated way.   We have learned a lot that will help us secure our systems in the future.


Hey, enough about that!  How about this baby?!

A NEW PHASE!

As you have been with us in our journey with Cru for all or part of our 32 years, you may have known us as newlyweds, new parents, old parents, and now, we have become grandparents!  

Ezekiel Steele Johnson was born March 8 in California.  Cara and Perry are doing well and Zeke has begun receiving many visitors!  

Dad

Mom

Dayna was there for the birth, Catelin and Aubrey are there now, Macy, my Dad, and I visit in April,  and Luke in May.  Thank you for praying for them, and celebrating with us! 

Mom,  Grandma Dayna, and Zeke

Aunt Aubrey

Aunt Catelin 

The other day, I was reflecting with amazement of how God has brought us together with you and so many others who partner with us as we serve with Cru.   We are so grateful for your investment in the gospel and in our family.  We love and appreciate you very much!

In Him, 

INVESTING IN NEW LEADERS

Last week we delivered a Leadership Development and Human Resources Centre of Excellence to 12 new country level leaders from 8 different countries, and 5 U.S. Ministries.  Our friend Cathy and Barrett began designing this time one year ago, and it was great to see it happen last week.

PRINCIPLES & FRAMEWORKS

Instead of skills, we focused on six principles that would help them with any issue or objective they would have.  Some come from countries with as few as 13 staff, and others from ministries with over 700.  By focusing on principles, we equipped them with a way of thinking that would help them in whatever stage they serve.

COACHING LEADERS

A lot of our leadership development plan in Cru is focused on “emerging leaders” or the next generation.  However,  I (Barrett) have observed at times that we can place people in positions of leadership, and then leave them to figure out how to lead well.  I have been asked to help coach a few leaders over the last few years to identify and grow in areas that may be limiting their leadership.  I actually think that it is one of the most effective ways to build leaders…to come alongside them while they lead.  It’s been a fun way to help us live out our values of Faith, Growth and Fruitfulness.

GETTING READY FOR A GRANDSON!

With Cara and Perry in California, we are planning a series of trips to help and visit the baby, which is due March 6.  They live in a small one bedroom apartment, so we are staggering our visits.  Dayna will go out for two weeks at the beginning of March, followed by Catelin and Aubrey, followed by Perry’s Mom, Kathy, and then in April Macy and Barrett will go visit for a week.  By then, they’ll be glad to have some time time alone!  Perry is interviewing for professor positions around the country, this winter.  In addition to a safe delivery, will you pray for God’s provision and direction for them?

We are so grateful for your friendship and partnership with us!