Family Rhythms: New Life and Relational Sweetness
August was special for us because our third grandchild, McKenna Maryjo, was born on August 4, 2026, to Jessica in Chicago. We spent three weeks there, simply being Grandpa and Grammy. Life was full and happy as we helped Jessica with Amaya, who is three, and Mack, who is one and a half. With ministry and our growing family, Amy and I have felt a little worn out lately.
Our time in Chicago and a good visit with Rachel, our oldest daughter, who also lives in Chicago, reminded us how important family rhythms are for lasting strength in ministry. We realize we can’t lead others well unless we value the new life God gives us at home. These real moments show us that the Great Commission is closely tied to families. The joy of new life in our family mirrors the new beginnings we see around the world.
The Heart of Collaboration: Clarifying the Coalition of the Willing (COTW)
In our work, we see God moving in the Coalition of the Willing (COTW). It is a privilege to watch 31 global organizations set aside their own brands for the Kingdom. Global Church Movements (GCM) is just one of these partners. We are choosing to work together instead of alone, aiming for unity like the early church. By sharing what we know, we help reach every village and use resources well.
The 5 DNA Strands of the COTW Movement
These 31 organizations are united by a shared spiritual DNA that shapes how we work together:
- Relational Trust (Ephesians 4:1-3 & 1 Thess 2:8): We put a “unity of hearts” above legal contracts. This helps reduce friction between organizations and lets us move forward based on trust instead of paperwork.
- Focused Urgency (Matthew 24:14 & Romans 10:13-15): We know time is short for those who have not heard the Gospel. This pushes us to move resources from comfortable, reached areas to the hardest “missional gaps.”
- Radical Collaboration (John 17:20-23 & 1 Cor 12:12-27): Our unity is our main witness. This helps us avoid repeating efforts by sharing tools and people across agencies.
- Data-Driven Clarity (Romans 15:19-24 & Acts 1:8): We use technology to find where churches are not yet established. With systems like iShare, we make sure every donor dollar goes directly to the places with the greatest spiritual need.
- Extravagant Generosity (Acts 4:32-35 & Exodus 35:4-36:7): We are open-handed with our resources. By sharing our training and data, we help even the smallest partners make a global impact.
A Narrative of the Harvest: Mapping and Planting
This DNA is showing up in a simpler harvest story. Right now, our mapping with iShare has expanded significantly, helping us see the spiritual needs of hundreds of thousands of villages worldwide. We have started working together in different countries to reach over 1.5 million villages by 2033. This goal is more than just a number; it marks about 2,000 years since the Resurrection and the Great Commission. It gives us a clear reason to move from only mapping needs to actually planting solutions.
Let’s keep serving, confident that His Kingdom is coming, and joyful that we can witness it together.