A Big Change!

Last month in our Newsletter we revealed that God has been leading us toward some big changes in our lives...

For the past two years, we have been really seeking God about where He is leading us in the future. We have loved working with Athletes in Action these past 3 years – they have been so wonderful to us and supportive of every aspect of our ministry, even though our ministry is totally unique within the organization!! Yet we have missed being in a ministry that is urban-focused and working alongside other urban practitioners of the Gospel. We have never wavered in our calling, but have been asking God what is the best vehicle in which to fulfill that calling?

After many months of praying and looking into various ministry possibilities, God has led us to the Navigators. If you haven’t heard of the Navigators, it is an international, interdenominational Christian ministry established in 1933 very similar to Campus Crusade. Their desire is to know Christ and make Him known. Like Crusade, they are most widely known for their college ministry.

However, in recent years, Navigators have made a huge commitment to focus on reaching poor and marginalized people groups with the Gospel. One of the ways they do that is through their inner city ministry called Metro Missions which is in 14 cities. They currently are not in Los Angeles and have been praying for a staff team to be raised up! So by the grace of God, we are some of the staff they have been praying for!! Best of all, we will be joined by two other couples who are close friends that we have ministered alongside of for the past 14+ years -- we will be part of an urban team again!

What will this new ministry look like? The basics of how we’ve been doing ministry will not change. Mike will continue to work with Athletes in Action (AIA often partners with other ministries and is excited to still work with us!) by serving as Chaplain of Chivas, USA. He will continue to facilitate mentoring relationships between the pro Chivas players that he disciples and our youth in Compton United. He will continue to run and expand the Compton United soccer club as God allows. Tonya will continue mentoring youth and families in the community and offering training to others ministering to people in poverty.

The biggest differences in our ministry will come in the future. For the longest time, we have dreamed of using economic and community development as a larger platform for bringing the Gospel to our community. The scope of the Navigators mission will afford us the freedom do so -- starting businesses and acquiring property are just some of the what we envision. We long to see people transformed by the Gospel through the creation of self-sustaining entrepreneurial programs and services. Not only would individual lives be changed, but the inner city community would be stronger because of Christ centered businesses and services that are meeting the community’s needs. We will be learning from a Navigators staff member in Chicago who has been seeing God transform lives and communities through business/job creation for the last 20 years. (see http://www.navigators.org/us/)

We are so excited about what God has in store for us in the future!

Saying Thanks

We are grateful for the last 20 years that we have served with Campus Crusade. We love the friends we have made, are grateful for all the experience we have gained and the opportunities made available to us, and could not say enough great things about the blessings we have received. We even through a Crusade summer project in NYC, 1990! We will continue partnering with Crusade in ministry whenever God affords the opportunity.

When will you begin with Navigators? We will be transitioning from Campus Crusade for Christ October 31^st and starting with Navigators on November 1st.

Thank you for praying for us in this transition!

If you have questions about this move please contact us. Our email address is urbanfocus@gmail.com.

Thanks again!

Mike & Tonya