Communication Training – Page 22

Janiê Is Here!

February 20, 2005April 16, 2013

Janiê Sucupira arrived from Brazil on Wednesday, February 9.In fact, she’s living with me! Honestly, I wondered if it would be too much of an adjustment to have a roommate again, since I’ve lived alone for almost nine years. But as I prayed it became clear to me that God gave me a home with extra space specifically to provide for friends like Janiê. And she has already been a blessing to me!

Since she can only stay for six months, she won’t be able to perform with a Keynote band, but will instead focus on completing Keynote Training and getting practical experience in many vital behind-the-scenes tasks.

Please pray that God will give us wisdom in how to best prepare her to start a music ministry in Brazil for Campus Crusade.

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International Training Opportunities

January 13, 2005April 16, 2013

Brazil – Several years ago, a Campus Crusade staff member named Kristin took a summer off from her responsibilities with the Campus Ministry to participate in Keynote’s summer music project. The following fall, she transferred to Crusade’s ministry in Brazil, where she began discipling a professional musician named Janiê. At Kristin’s encouragement, Janiê attended Keynote’s 2002 summer project, using her musical skills as part of an evangelistic band. Now Janiê has come on staff with Campus Crusade in Brazil, and her dream is to start a Keynote-style music ministry there. As soon as her visa comes through, she will come to Keynote for a year of training and ministry experience.

Please Pray:

That God would cut through the red tape that’s holding up Janiê’s visa
For wisdom for those of us planning Janiê’s training.

Jamaica – One of our newer partnerships is with the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry in Jamaica. One Keynote team (made up of some of our office personnel) returns tonight from a week of leading worship at a Campus Ministry conference. Another, our hip-hop team Black Soil Project, leaves this Wednesday for outreach concerts from January 19-24. Finally, my director (John Pescio) will teach several worship-leading seminars at a date yet to be determined.

Please pray:

For many to come to Christ during Black Soil Project’s evangelistic concerts in Jamaica.
For my director, John Pescio, as he prepares to teach worship-leading seminars in Jamaica

December News – A Look Back at Changed Lives

December 18, 2004April 16, 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2004 has been a full year! Here’s just a partial list of the projects God has graciously allowed me to work on, either alone or with the rest of the Staff Development team:

Coaching a new Keynote staff woman raising her initial support
Writing four new classes on verbal communication
Training and evaluating new teachers & communication coaches
Coaching summer project students and new staff in public speaking skills
Coordinating a 3-week training session
Planning and running an elaborate team building day for the entire Keynote staff
Continuing the major training reorganization we began last year

I feel incredibly blessed that I can do a job I love to help change lives for eternity! I see life-change in both those we train to become musical evangelists and those who come to Christ through their ministry. I see it in people like Zach, who participated in our summer project this year, and later wrote this to us:

“While reading through my journal, I consistently see God’s love and faithfulness. Those just happen to be my two biggest areas of weakness (coincidence? I don’t think so). He completely broke me and revealed to me all of the doubts that I didn’t even know that I had. God’s love became very real to me like it had never been before. God revealed to me that although I’m not perfect, although I make mistakes, even with my sin nature, with God’s help my heart is capable of love, of compassion, of actually caring if complete strangers go to heaven or hell. That may not sound like a very profound thought, but after 19 years of being more or less alone, cynicism and self-centered self-preservation took its toll on my love and compassion for others.

“This summer wasn’t about learning how to use my musical gifts and interests to share God with others. This summer was about God giving me a new heart and teaching me evangelism’s prerequisite: love. This summer was about being healed from my past and getting up from where I had fallen and, with God at my side, continuing to run the race that God has promised that we can finish. The biggest thing that I learned this summer didn’t really set in until I had gotten home: God will continue his good work in me until completion. God doesn’t let go. Thank you all for being willing to be used by God to change people’s lives, to change my life.”

As I look forward to more ministry opportunities like these in 2005, I’m also trusting God to provide the resources I need to continue serving Him. Beginning in January, the charges for my medical benefits are going up by a significant amount. What’s more, I just learned yesterday that my car needs four tires and a new head gasket. I estimate the total of all these expenses to be over $3,700. Would you consider giving a special year-end gift to help cover my car repairs and/or increased health insurance costs? If God leads you to help, you’ll find instructions for several giving options on the Contributions page on my website.

Thank you for all you already do to help change lives like Zach’s through your partnership with me! May the Lord bless you abundantly as you walk with Him in the coming new year!