A new ministry role for the Sweetmans beginning summer 2017
May 4, 2016 | Joe Sweetman
The Sweetman family: Joe, Sarah, Geneva (5), Hadassah (3), Bjorn (newborn)
Recently I was invited by the national collegiate leadership of The Navigators to become the collegiate Regional Leader of the Iowa/Nebraska Region. This sent Sarah and I into a process of earnestly seeking God, seeking godly counsel, an on-site visit, and deep evaluation. On April 20th, I officially accepted this offer. The full transition into the new role will take place in summer 2017, moving us to Omaha, Nebraska. This gives me one more academic year at University of Minnesota serving as Campus Director. This upcoming change fills us with a mixture of great excitement as well as a sense of loss.
If you're interested in reading more details, here's what you'll find below:
1. Discerning the call
2. What will happen with UMN Navs?
3. What is the Iowa/Nebraska Region?
4. Why move to Omaha, Nebraska?
5. A word to our ministry supporters
1. Discerning the call
The initial response to the invitation was filled with emotion. I've been associated with the University of Minnesota for 14 years (4 as a student), involved with The Navigators @ UMN for 11.5 years, on staff for 10 years, and Campus Director for 8 years. Sarah and I have invested ourselves deeply here, and we weren't seeking a change at all. The overall tone of our time has been much joy and fruitfulness (with some challenges and trials, of course). For the upcoming 2016-17 academic year, our staff team and student leaders team are the strongest and largest that we've had to date. Many students are being reached with the gospel, established in Christ, and equipped for ministry. UMN Navs is thriving, and most importantly God is transforming lives.
We're already in a context we love
Beyond the Navs ministry itself, we are blessed to have family in the Twin Cities, a church community we love, and a tight-knit small group community that we truly do life with. Many of our friends, Navs alum, and connections in our networks live in the area. We love the Twin Cities urban area and culture, and imagined ourselves living here indefinitely. In the past Sarah and I would occasionally remind ourselves that God may lead us elsewhere "someday," but we'd quickly move past that thought.
The main question
However, after the initial surprise of the invitation to become Regional Leader, the question we eventually kept coming back to was this: Lord, where can we serve You and Your Kingdom best given our spiritual and natural gifts, our experiences, and our education/training?
Experiences that have confirmed gifting and best contribution
In addition to all that I've gained from being a Campus Director in the past 8 years, in the past 4-5 years, I have been taking on additional broad leadership roles, and they have been fruitful experiences. I've been serving on the Upper Midwest Navs regional leadership team, on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Navs City leadership team, and on the board of the University Christian Ministers Association. In the past year, I was also asked to become Navs Area Overseer of Southern/Central Minnesota and South Dakota (essentially an Associate Regional Leader position). I've also been significantly involved in key leadership roles in all our regional initiatives, such our Fall Conference, Laborers Conference, and Summer Training Program.
In all these broader leadership endeavors I've especially enjoyed helping clarify and drive the vision, mission, and strategy in a way that will truly serve people and maximally advance The Navigators' calling. I've received much satisfaction in helping coach and develop other ministry leaders and make campus visits. It has been a pleasure directing staff teams in various contexts and collaborating on broader projects.
All these experiences lead very naturally to the core roles of a Regional Leader: driving the Navs vision/mission/strategy in the region, overseeing and developing staff and the campus ministries, bringing cohesion and collaboration among the staff in the region, coaching/supporting staff leaders, and helping give direction to national collegiate Navs strategies and plans.
God's Word as guide
Beyond considering the role fit with gifts and experiences, God's Word has been a foundational guide. Our campus ministry Bible studies went through the book of Acts this academic year. One day, Sarah and I were both preparing Bible study and we were both independently gripped by Acts 20:24. Paul says:
"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God," (Acts 20:24).
Paul's life vision was guided by a passion to faithfully fulfill the calling that Jesus gave him. Through this passage, Sarah and I both strongly sensed God drawing us to not shrink back in fear or shallow self-interest, but instead to follow the course and ministry that He has prepared for us. Over time, many other passages and people in our life gave us a sense of affirmation. The more we pressed into the Word, prayed, sought counsel, and discerned, the more we felt the clear confirmation that ultimately lead us to say "yes."
If you're interested in reading more details, here's what you'll find below:
1. Discerning the call
2. What will happen with UMN Navs?
3. What is the Iowa/Nebraska Region?
4. Why move to Omaha, Nebraska?
5. A word to our ministry supporters
1. Discerning the call
The initial response to the invitation was filled with emotion. I've been associated with the University of Minnesota for 14 years (4 as a student), involved with The Navigators @ UMN for 11.5 years, on staff for 10 years, and Campus Director for 8 years. Sarah and I have invested ourselves deeply here, and we weren't seeking a change at all. The overall tone of our time has been much joy and fruitfulness (with some challenges and trials, of course). For the upcoming 2016-17 academic year, our staff team and student leaders team are the strongest and largest that we've had to date. Many students are being reached with the gospel, established in Christ, and equipped for ministry. UMN Navs is thriving, and most importantly God is transforming lives.
We're already in a context we love
Beyond the Navs ministry itself, we are blessed to have family in the Twin Cities, a church community we love, and a tight-knit small group community that we truly do life with. Many of our friends, Navs alum, and connections in our networks live in the area. We love the Twin Cities urban area and culture, and imagined ourselves living here indefinitely. In the past Sarah and I would occasionally remind ourselves that God may lead us elsewhere "someday," but we'd quickly move past that thought.
The main question
However, after the initial surprise of the invitation to become Regional Leader, the question we eventually kept coming back to was this: Lord, where can we serve You and Your Kingdom best given our spiritual and natural gifts, our experiences, and our education/training?
Experiences that have confirmed gifting and best contribution
In addition to all that I've gained from being a Campus Director in the past 8 years, in the past 4-5 years, I have been taking on additional broad leadership roles, and they have been fruitful experiences. I've been serving on the Upper Midwest Navs regional leadership team, on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Navs City leadership team, and on the board of the University Christian Ministers Association. In the past year, I was also asked to become Navs Area Overseer of Southern/Central Minnesota and South Dakota (essentially an Associate Regional Leader position). I've also been significantly involved in key leadership roles in all our regional initiatives, such our Fall Conference, Laborers Conference, and Summer Training Program.
In all these broader leadership endeavors I've especially enjoyed helping clarify and drive the vision, mission, and strategy in a way that will truly serve people and maximally advance The Navigators' calling. I've received much satisfaction in helping coach and develop other ministry leaders and make campus visits. It has been a pleasure directing staff teams in various contexts and collaborating on broader projects.
All these experiences lead very naturally to the core roles of a Regional Leader: driving the Navs vision/mission/strategy in the region, overseeing and developing staff and the campus ministries, bringing cohesion and collaboration among the staff in the region, coaching/supporting staff leaders, and helping give direction to national collegiate Navs strategies and plans.
God's Word as guide
Beyond considering the role fit with gifts and experiences, God's Word has been a foundational guide. Our campus ministry Bible studies went through the book of Acts this academic year. One day, Sarah and I were both preparing Bible study and we were both independently gripped by Acts 20:24. Paul says:
"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God," (Acts 20:24).
Paul's life vision was guided by a passion to faithfully fulfill the calling that Jesus gave him. Through this passage, Sarah and I both strongly sensed God drawing us to not shrink back in fear or shallow self-interest, but instead to follow the course and ministry that He has prepared for us. Over time, many other passages and people in our life gave us a sense of affirmation. The more we pressed into the Word, prayed, sought counsel, and discerned, the more we felt the clear confirmation that ultimately lead us to say "yes."
2. What will happen with UMN Navs?
UMN Navs is in a great place. There is strong health and momentum, with 58+ student leaders and 12 staff for the 2016-17 academic year. I've been reminding others (and myself) that God doesn't rely on any one person or one ministry to accomplish His work on campus. However, we do also want to be wise stewards of UMN Navs and take healthy responsibility to be faithful in the midst of transition. Upper Midwest Regional Leader Bill Teten has expressed a firm commitment to keeping staff leadership strong for UMN Navs, and by God's grace, to keep the ministry in a place of health and strong momentum. This means trusting God and selecting the right person to fulfill the role of Campus Director. Right now there are several options being considered. Pray with us for clarity.
UMN Navs is in a great place. There is strong health and momentum, with 58+ student leaders and 12 staff for the 2016-17 academic year. I've been reminding others (and myself) that God doesn't rely on any one person or one ministry to accomplish His work on campus. However, we do also want to be wise stewards of UMN Navs and take healthy responsibility to be faithful in the midst of transition. Upper Midwest Regional Leader Bill Teten has expressed a firm commitment to keeping staff leadership strong for UMN Navs, and by God's grace, to keep the ministry in a place of health and strong momentum. This means trusting God and selecting the right person to fulfill the role of Campus Director. Right now there are several options being considered. Pray with us for clarity.
UMN Navs student leadership team for 2016-17 (Photo taken May 1, 2016)
3. What is the Iowa/Nebraska Region?
The Collegiate Navigators has campus ministries on 160+ campuses across the USA. These ministries are divided up into 12 geographic regions. One of the largest regions currently in the Navs is the Heartland Region, in terms of number of campus ministries, staff, and students involved. This region includes Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. Starting in 2017, this region will be split in half, creating the Iowa/Nebraska Region (official name TBD).
A region functions as a team that works together in staff development and oversight, strengthening existing ministries, launching new ministries, hosting regional conferences and summer training programs, and in sending teams to overseas partnerships.
In Iowa/Nebraska there are currently Navs campus ministries at: University of Nebraska-Kearney, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Creighton University, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Rapids Colleges, and a handful of other small campuses. Several of these listed above are among the healthiest and largest Navs campus ministries in the country.
Fun fact: University of Nebraska-Lincoln was the first Navs campus ministry, started in 1958.
The Collegiate Navigators has campus ministries on 160+ campuses across the USA. These ministries are divided up into 12 geographic regions. One of the largest regions currently in the Navs is the Heartland Region, in terms of number of campus ministries, staff, and students involved. This region includes Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. Starting in 2017, this region will be split in half, creating the Iowa/Nebraska Region (official name TBD).
A region functions as a team that works together in staff development and oversight, strengthening existing ministries, launching new ministries, hosting regional conferences and summer training programs, and in sending teams to overseas partnerships.
In Iowa/Nebraska there are currently Navs campus ministries at: University of Nebraska-Kearney, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Creighton University, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Rapids Colleges, and a handful of other small campuses. Several of these listed above are among the healthiest and largest Navs campus ministries in the country.
Fun fact: University of Nebraska-Lincoln was the first Navs campus ministry, started in 1958.
4. Why move to Omaha, Nebraska?
Omaha is in the geographic center of the two-state region, on the border of Nebraska and Iowa. There are also two significant campuses in the city of Omaha: University of Nebraska-Omaha (15,500 students) and Creighton University (8,200 students). These campuses are only 4 miles from each other. UNO has no Navs ministry yet. Creighton does have a few staff leading a Navs ministry. We'd like to boost efforts to reach these campuses. Sarah and I plan to support these efforts in direct student ministry with a portion of our time. Beyond the clear strategic ministry positioning, we are also drawn to live in an urban metropolitan setting. Omaha is the largest city in the two-state region, with a city population of 450,000.
Omaha is in the geographic center of the two-state region, on the border of Nebraska and Iowa. There are also two significant campuses in the city of Omaha: University of Nebraska-Omaha (15,500 students) and Creighton University (8,200 students). These campuses are only 4 miles from each other. UNO has no Navs ministry yet. Creighton does have a few staff leading a Navs ministry. We'd like to boost efforts to reach these campuses. Sarah and I plan to support these efforts in direct student ministry with a portion of our time. Beyond the clear strategic ministry positioning, we are also drawn to live in an urban metropolitan setting. Omaha is the largest city in the two-state region, with a city population of 450,000.
5. A word to our ministry supporters
Thank you for supporting us in our ministry! We are now finishing our 10th year on staff with The Navigators, and because of your faithful financial support and prayer, God has enabled us to fruitfully multiply disciples of Jesus and raise up many leaders and laborers for His Kingdom at the University of Minnesota.
Once we transition into this new role as Regional Leader in summer of 2017, our personal ministry budget will still depend completely on the generous support of partners who share our heart and vision to reach and invest in college students. Thank you for helping so many students come "To Know Christ and to Make Him Known®" in the past, present -- and as we expect, by God's grace -- the future.
Our aim is to reach out to all our ministry supporters during the summer of 2016 to visit and catch up -- in person or via phone. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me (Joe).
Thank you for supporting us in our ministry! We are now finishing our 10th year on staff with The Navigators, and because of your faithful financial support and prayer, God has enabled us to fruitfully multiply disciples of Jesus and raise up many leaders and laborers for His Kingdom at the University of Minnesota.
Once we transition into this new role as Regional Leader in summer of 2017, our personal ministry budget will still depend completely on the generous support of partners who share our heart and vision to reach and invest in college students. Thank you for helping so many students come "To Know Christ and to Make Him Known®" in the past, present -- and as we expect, by God's grace -- the future.
Our aim is to reach out to all our ministry supporters during the summer of 2016 to visit and catch up -- in person or via phone. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me (Joe).