That’s the title of a great article in the May issue of Christianity Today. It’s subtitle is "The unknown story of how John Paul II ushered Campus Crusade into Catholic Poland." You can read the article on the magazine’s web site at this link: "The Pope We Never Knew."
Keynote’s Mission and Values
Last month I told you about my job responsibilities, so this month I want to give you more of a “big picture” view of Keynote. Below are Keynote’s Mission and Values; one of those values (Worldwide) is highlighted further down.
Keynote’s Mission Statement: Partnering with strategic ministries to communicate God’s love through music and the performing arts.
Keynote’s Ministry Values:
- Authentic – sharing compelling stories relating to real life that effectively reach audiences.
- Dynamic – being flexible enough to adapt to cultural change and go where God is moving.
- Catalytic – using our uniqueness to build strategic partnerships that help build spiritual movements.
- Worldwide – partnering with ministries around the globe to help accelerate their work.
- Life Change – seeing God change the lives of our audiences and our staff.
Keynote Worldwide
How Keynote is Helping Campus Crusade for Christ Around the World:
- As I’m writing this, a Keynote team is in Jamaica teaching worship seminars.
- A student from Mexico will join us for this year’s Summer Project.
- Janiê Sucupira is continuing her Keynote training in preparation for starting a music ministry in Brazil.
- A staff member from a Muslim country in Central Asia (formerly in the USSR) will join us for this year’s Summer Project.
- A six-person music team from Kazakhstan will go through the training portion of our Summer Project.
- A Keynote staff couple is helping the music ministry in Singapore start other music ministries in Thailand and Mongolia.
- A Keynote staff couple just returned from a year in Australia helping their Creative Arts Ministries. One of our Summer Project bands will tour there performing in public high schools.
(To see maps of these countries, go to my April Gallery.)
What’s On Your Plate?
In Connecticut they’re called potlucks, in Indiana they’re pitch-ins, and down south they’re covered dish dinners. But the result is the same: a plate full (and sometimes overflowing!) with a wonderful assortment of yummy morsels. That full plate also happens to be a fitting metaphor for the variety of responsibilities and activities I have in my life right now. Here are some of the “tasty” items that have been on my plate since I last wrote (not in any particular order):
- Teaching a Program Development class (i.e., how to plan a concert program) to the program committees for the six summer project bands
- Sending monthly emails to remind staff of training they still need to complete (it’s not as time-consuming as it sounds – the process is automated, thanks to my computer whiz teammate Mike)
- Attending weekly meetings with the rest of the Staff Development team
- Participating on the Senior Pastor Search Committee for my church, which includes meeting once or twice a week, reading resumes and references, listening to sermons, and planning & conducting preliminary interviews with candidates
- Planning the class calendar for the summer, which includes classes for our summer project students, additional classes for the new staff who arrive before the students, and upper level classes for our senior staff to prepare them for summer project responsibilities
- Making weekly phone calls to coach one of our new staff through her initial support raising time
- Coordinating a small cell group at church (I’m the point person, but everyone in the group takes turns leading)
- Attending weekly prayer & business meeting with all the Keynote staff
- Participating on a committee to give input to Keynote’s Graphics Department as they revamp Keynote’s web site
- Singing at church with the regular worship team and with a special small choir for Good Friday & Easter services
- Recording training-related information in Keynote’s Human Resources database (for example., which training modules people want to be enrolled in and which ones they have finished)
- Scheduling the four classes that make up our Office Track Module
- Writing this prayer letter! :-)
- And fun things, too, like attending a birthday dinner for my favorite 12-year-old, working on my hobby (my web site) and watching videos with friends :-)
Well, that’s what’s on my plate – what’s on yours? I can guess one item: your partnership with me in ministry! Thank you for keeping ME on your plate through your gifts and prayers!
Elsewhere in Keynote
Here are some encouraging items from other Keynote staff.
From The Boyds, who use contemporary music, humor and drama to reach out to couples and families:
“150 people attended this Executive Ministry Valentine’s dinner at a beautiful country club in northern NJ, which had an incredible view of the Manhattan skyline. It was a breathtaking scene. Of those 150, around half of them were non-believers, so it was a perfect opportunity to present Christ! At the end of the evening when the cards were turned in, 29 had indicated decisions to give their lives to the Lord, 13 checked that they wanted further information about a relationship with God, and 13 also wanted to be in a Bible study!! We were blown away. It meant that almost 40% of the non-believers had responded to the gospel!”
From Keynote staffers Bryan & Laurie Horvath in New York City:
“… a HUGE praise to God … Finding an apartment here is amazingly difficult (one you can afford, where they accept our CCC salary, that is bigger than a shoe box, safe, NOT a 6 story walk-up, etc…). Basically, God moved and we found a great apartment in our same neighborhood and even secured a two-year lease (very rare)where the rent does not increase the second year (never happens…). They accepted our financial situation (making less than half their required amount) without question and even the rental agents were amazed that we got a two-year lease with no increase (they said, ‘Boy, that manager must have been in a really good mood today!’ Go God!). And the building is extremely family friendly, in a better location, closer to the subways and Central Park, and we’ll actually have two bedrooms for the four of us! We’re really happy.”
Michael & Lisa Anderson are serving in Singapore for a year as part of Keynote’s partnership with ForeRunner, the music ministry of Singapore Campus Crusade for Christ. Lisa writes:
“Thank you so much for your continued prayers. On Wednesday [March 23] the Chinese band ‘7Days’ (that Michael plays drums for) had a concert here in Singapore at a local high school. They were able to present an evangelistic program to over 400 students. 128 students accepted Christ!!!! Join us in praising God for the decisions made and pray for the students to continue to grow in their new relationship with Christ.”