Tonight, as I write this Brigada, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I was pondering today… just how mighty and how broad is the power of a team. I happen to work with a fantastic group of characters. One amazing saint was serving with her husband in Mozambique when thugs murdered her lifelong mate. Instead of rejecting God because of some “Why-me?” complex like a lot of lesser souls would, she embraced the Lord’s care all the more and today supervises the work of 16 people as our Vice President of Prayer, Operations, and Personnel. She never remarried. Who could live up to the love she still holds for her husband.
There’s a fellow who retired at age 65 (in 1997), only to come work for us full-time. I think he’s held every job in our organization — except, perhaps, for my own, and I’m convinced we’d be all the better if he held that one too. He still beats me to work each day… and is often there when I leave. He has yet to agree to take a single dime, having dedicated his retirement years as a donation to the God He loves. He’s our VP of Organizational Advancement. No wonder we’re advancing.
And there’s the guy who supervises about 290 people, indirectly, through a squad of 8 coaches who, in turn, undergird the work of team leaders in nearly 50 countries. This guy lives, eats, and breathes church planting. He *longs* for the Lord to reign in his life and the lives around him. He’s our VP of Outreach.
Then there’s a guy who has somehow put up with working with me since about 1984 (for the most part). He knows my weaknesses, he’s seen me at my lowest points — yet he still would do seemingly anything to help me. I believe I could call him from another country on the other side of the world and, if I asked him to, he’d go jump on a plane and fly wherever I asked, just because he cares so deeply for our organization and for me personally. Time and time again, when we’ve experienced a leadership ‘hole’ somewhere, he’s jumped in to fill it. He’s currently our VP of Mobilization — but he could do anything.
These saints lead some two dozen or so full-time people here in Louisville, and, as I mentioned above, upwards of 320 people worldwide. My wife is one of those people. She now leads our effort to care for and train the children of our missionaries — and at last count there were about 242 of them. Shew! (She has a big youth group.)
These people form the team of which I am a part. These blessed saints are the people for whom I’m thankful tonight. And all the supporters that make possible their work. And all our Brigada readers who make possible this global outreach. For all those people, and more, I am thankful this season. I’ll be thanking God for them tonight when I close my eyes before I go to sleep.
Doug
PS. For whom are you thankful? Got someone in mind? Write, either by name or anonymously if you prefer, simply by clicking “Comment” below. Ask a question or leave a note at…
Doug, thanks for all your hard work to dream, form, expand and nuristh the ministry of Team Expansion. Blessings to you and yours this wonderful Thanksgiving season.
Thanks for the encouragement, Mike. God is the one ultimately in charge of arranging all the key players — and I’m thankful I just have a chance to get some “minutes” in the game! God bless your holiday!
Doug, your comments about several of your key co-workers are touching. I had no idea your team included so many people. Now I see Brigada is only a small part of what you do. Can you tell me/us more about your “real” work? Or a website with more details? I’m making a small donation in honor of your loyal co-workers.
Kip, just hearing you ask the question is an encouragement. We don’t often write a lot about the team, mainly because all those guys aren’t in it for their own name, credit or ambition. I’ll pass along your note to them though. They’ll be extremely glad… because they’re really hard-working people… and honestly… most are working for a fraction of what they’d make in the business world (like most missions types I guess). Our I.T. guy went from a $80K salary town to 1/3 that… just because he loves missions and the Lord.
Thanks for asking more about my “day job”. I’ll take your queue and write a tad more about it next edition. Again, thanks.
Doug