Communications & Media

First half of 2025 + Brazil Trip

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2025 Campus Outreach Resource Connect in Chattanooga, TN

The first half of 2025 has been full of projects with Campus Outreach SERVE. Below, I have listed some of the highlights over the past 5 months. Together with our partners, we celebrate the impact on so many teams and campuses around the world. And the finale is our first trip to Brazil since we moved in 2023.

Resource Connect (photo above): In February, I participated in the 2025 CO Resource Connect in Chattanooga. This annual conference brings together operations, financial, communications and administrative staff from Campus Outreach regions domestically, and we always have international staff join us virtually or personally. Our time in Chattanooga was helpful to network, collaborate, discuss best practices and gear up for the 2026 Campus Outreach National Conference that will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center in January of 2026.

2024 Annual Impact Report: Lots of hours were dedicated to the 2024 Annual Impact Report over the past 9 months. This was my first year to quarterback the Report. It is a much larger and broader print media piece than I have done in years, so collaboration and planning were key. We learned a lot, especially about printinglarge quantity products and mailing them out to individual donors. The digital version will be out soon, and everyone can take pleasure in knowing that YOU helped make that happen.

Website launch: Almost 2 years ago, a major revamp of the Campus Outreach and CO SERVE websites began. The culmination of years of work is currently launching, so stay tuned for the official re-launch. From conceptualization to implementation, it took a lot of work. I came in on the phase of building the content and populating the pages, and preparing video elements - so it is a project I am convinced will benefit so many staff, students, supporters and others for many years to come. 

Season 3 of the CO podcast: Due to the previous two projects (Annual Impact Report and Websites), our podcast schedule for the staff-focused StaffCast was pushed back. Currently, we are publishing every few weeks and will conclude Season 3 this summer. Each recorded interview of approximately 1 hour of content takes about 12-15 hours of editing and preparation to complete and publish. These podcast episodes have been such a blessing to me as I hear over and over the wisdom and God-glorifying truth shared by our guests. Feedback from staff in the USA and overseas has been very positive, and we have accumulated over 10,000 downloads in just 2.5 years of production. 

Pre-Deployment Training session

Pre-Deployment Training Session: I recently had the privilege of pulling from my 20 years of experience in Brazil, and particularly as a member and elder of our local church in Belo Horizonte, to lead a session in our Pre-Deployment Training for 5 staff members about to deploy to their field assignments on 4 different continents. The session was “Engaging the Local Church,” and I enjoyed helping these new staff prepare for their relationship with their partner church in a healthy and humble manner.

Brazil Trip: And to close out the first half of 2025, our entire family will be taking our first trip back to Brazil since we moved in June of 2023. We hoped, prayed and desired to be able to reconnect with our family, friends and culture in Belo Horizonte, but were unsure it would happen. The Lord worked out so many details, and we were able to use a lot of frequent flier miles to make it happen. We will spend almost a month in BH and I will get the opportunity to work while on the ground in several projects with the CO team and local church while there. This time, our 16-year-old cat stays home - no more international travel for her. 

#3 International Ops - Year-End 2024, New Year 2025

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Jon with International Resource Staff at the 2024 CO Resource Connect

My first two Year-End 2024/New Year 2025 updates highlighted that God has me in the right place for impact. More validation came as I began researching missionary attrition after a conversation with a potential financial partner about "boots on the ground." I found that over the past 30 years, 71% of returning missionaries annually do so for PREVENTABLE reasons: financial, organizational, training, conflict, loss of vision, etc… (see full BLOG post here).

With my 20 years of experience as "boots on the ground," I thought, "If the need is boots on the ground, how can we keep those boots, well… on the ground?” This was the stimulus that God used to help me understand my unique contribution to the mission of Campus Outreach and to keep CO missionaries on the field for longer, healthier, and hopefully fruitful ministries for global gospel impact.

As we look toward 2025, I desire to give even more time and effort to my International Network Operations role. Read the field testimonies from Update #2 to understand why! 

To put us in a position of strength for the mission ahead, our 1-time goal for 2025 is $12,000. We have raised $2000 so far.

With your increased monthly investment or year-end gift, together, we can be more effective to boots on the ground in Mexico, Brazil, Peru and England.

Scan the QR code or click on the image to go to our online giving page.

#2 Testimonies - Year-End 2024, New Year 2025

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I referenced one confirmation that God has me in the right place for impact in my previous post (see here). More validation continues to push my resolve to work hard to keep CO missionaries on the field for longer, healthier, and hopefully, fruitful ministries.

As we look toward 2025, I desire to give even more time and effort to my International Network Operations role. Read the field testimonies below to understand why! 

Rodrigo in Monterrey, Mexico: 
Jon, your coaching and training are beneficial to our development and resourcing of our campus ministry team in Monterrey. It helps us connect and see what other regions are doing. Hearing best practices and networking with other international regions will be very helpful.

Zack in Guadalajara, Mexico: 
Thank you so much, Jon. I've talked to our Director and we are going to adopt some of these support-raising strategies as a team and individually. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, super helpful!

Fabiana in Belo Horizonte, Brazil:
Your role as a liaison between our field team and other regions, network leadership and CO Serve is valuable because you bring vast international field experience where you walked in our shoes and understand the specifics of what our needs are. 

Jeff about Lima, Peru:
Thank you so much for your prep work for the team in Lima. The document you drafted with perspective and practical points about hiring was worth gold. I think this type of information will be so helpful as they consider their first national hires in Peru.

Dan in Birmingham, England:
We are still very much at a pioneering stage in the U.K. That brings with it a lot of excitement but also uncertainty and unfamiliarity. As a Resource Director, Jon’s experience and encouragement are invaluable to me. Having someone who understands the challenges and can give gospel perspective and practical help makes a massive difference to our day-to-day ministry in Birmingham.

Thank you so much for doing your part in reaching college students around the world. I hope that you are encouraged as your investment continues to reap benefits in God’s harvest field in the new year!

To put us in a position of strength for the mission ahead, our 1-time goal for 2025 is $12,000. With your increased monthly investment or year-end gift, together, we can be more effective to boots on the ground in Mexico, Brazil, Peru and England.

Scan the QR code or click on the image to go to our online giving page.

#1 Year-End 2024, New Year 2025

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At the close of our first full year at Campus Outreach SERVE, I will be sending several updates over our different media, and am mailing a physical year-end update to many of you. We are glad to share how your partnership and investment are impacting our lives personally and CO ministries around the world..

Here is an encouraging message I received recently from a team member in Brazil about the podcast series I produce with CO SERVE:

"The podcast helps keep the vision before me, and even gain a greater vision, for my primary work of evangelism and discipleship on the campus. The interviews, filled with biblical truth and practical ministry experience, are incredibly encouraging. I've even used quotes directly from StaffCast episodes in my one-on-one meetings with staff members."

This is just one confirmation that God has me in the right place for impact. As we look toward 2025, I desire to give even more time and effort to my International Network Operations role. Read the field testimonies below to understand why!

Thank you so much for doing your part in reaching college students around the world. I hope that you are encouraged as your investment continues to reap benefits in God’s harvest field in the new year!

To put us in a position of strength for the mission ahead, our 1-time goal for 2025 is $12,000. With your increased monthly investment or year-end gift, together, we can be more effective to boots on the ground in Mexico, Brazil, Peru and England.

Scan the QR code or click on the image to go to our online giving page.

PREVENTABLE ATTRITION: how is your ministry partnership combating it?

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Several major missionary studies over the past 30 years have stated that 71% of returning missionaries annually do so for PREVENTABLE reasons. This is called preventable attrition for career missionaries. Those reasons include lack of financial support, lack of organizational support, personal concerns, inadequate pre-field training, poor cultural adaptation, loss of vision/drive, team conflict and disagreement with the agency. (source: Mission Frontiers, Nations Outreach)

I began researching missionary attrition after a conversation with a potential financial partner who was unsure about supporting someone who is not "boots on the ground". As one of those "boots on the ground" for 20 years, I admit I needed to remind myself of the importance of my current role. The rhetorical question in my mind was, "If the need is boots on the ground, what is the biggest need for those boots on the ground to not return prematurely?" Do we just send more people into the field, or can we also provide support that helps keep those missionaries on the front lines for longer, healthier, and, hopefully, fruitful ministries?

When I was developing Season 3 of the Campus Outreach StaffCast, I asked a CO Network Director what he thought the staff needed to hear the most. His answer was immediate: "They need encouragement that is specific to what they are doing. They need encouragement from those who have been through what they are facing and who encourage them to rely on God, to persevere when it's tough, and rejoice when it's fruitful."

I am glad to say that the goal of our staff-focused podcast series is exactly that—"a podcast produced by CO Staff for CO Staff."

Beyond that, I enjoy the direct and indirect ways that I work alongside staff on campuses around the globe on projects like publishing a Home Ministry Assignment Guide, developing Latin American resource staff on the field, and highlighting impact each year through our CO SERVE Annual Report. 

I am confident that your ministry partnership is impacting staff across the CO regions so they can impact the next generation of leaders around the globe. Thank you for investing in this ministry with us. 

Please be encouraged by watching this one-minute video testimony from the Director of our Cape Town, South Africa team about the StaffCast. 

James Broadaway - Cape Town, South Africa.

Lusaka, Zambia Spotlight Video

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A recent project our Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team completed was a joint investment with the Campus Outreach team in Lusaka, Zambia. This project was personal for me, as I have been friends with the Lusaka Regional Director for almost 20 years. I first met Tim Byrd at an international staff conference in 2005 when he was still single and adjusting to his first field assignment in Johannesburg, South Africa. Now Tim, Niai and their family are pioneering on the campuses in Zambia.

The spotlight video shows how God is working in Lusaka, Zambia, beyond what we could have imagined! Students are sharing the gospel, growing in God's Word, and changing the culture for Christ.

Watch the video to learn more and hear from CO Lusaka Staff and students.

Thank you for partnering with us as we invest in churches and staff around the world as they labor on the college campuses to reach students with the gospel.

Welcome to the StaffCast!

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One of the projects I am taking on as Creative Content and Media Specialist is a podcast series that went live in January of 2023. The podcast is called the Campus Outreach StaffCast, and its audience is CO staff across the globe, or as we say - "a podcast for CO staff, by CO staff".

I am happy to share that today, March 7th, 2024 - my first StaffCast production is live! In this episode, I share a short testimony and then CO Serve Director Kent Bailey and I dive into talking about the upcoming Worldwide Day of Prayer 2024. You can access the podcast on the following link, or find it on your favorite podcast platforms. https://campusoutreachstaffcast.buzzsprout.com/

The StaffCast isn't just a trendy idea because podcasts are "the thing" to do. The StaffCast is meeting a need in the growing and decentralized network of ministries that make up Campus Outreach. After 45 years, there are staff who find themselves distanced from the early days and visionary history of the ministry. For example, Rev. Frank Barker, the champion behind the founding and early years of Campus Outreach, passed away in 2021; new staff will no longer have the opportunity to personally know him. So many of the initial staff have moved to other opportunities and places of service in the Kingdom. The organic relationships that trace their way to back to the humble beginnings can wear thin when spanning double-digit generations and expansions to new regions and continents. The StaffCast seeks to bridge that gap and maintain a strong connection between the current body of staff and the overarching vision and values on which the ministry was founded and continues its impact.

One last necessary attribution is needed in this update. Connor Hopkins, who worked with CO Serve for years as Media Manager, did the hard work to make this podcast become a reality. He procured the equipment and developed the process for the StaffCast to progress from an idea to a project to a reality. I am standing on his shoulders, and am so thankful for all he did and all he has documented to help me.