January 29, 2025 • 51 mins
Have you ever wondered how emerging leaders in rescue ministries are shaping the future? Join us as we welcome Jordan Smith, Chief Development Officer at Tree of Life Ministries, who reveals the transformative mission of supporting the poor and needy in Purcellville, Virginia. Jordan shares powerful, faith-driven stories of how Tree of Life Ministries addresses hidden struggles in one of America’s wealthiest counties.
Our conversation with Jordan highlights the importance of nurturing new leaders as retiring CEOs and directors make way for the next wave of changemakers. We explore the collaborative efforts through Citygate Network, how La Manda and Jordan lead the Emerging Leaders group within the network, and the pivotal role mentorship plays in developing future leaders. The connections formed at conferences and monthly Zoom meetings provide a sense of community among leaders picking up the baton of ministry, fostering a supportive network where personal stories and professional growth are shared and celebrated.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Heavenly Father.
We thank you, lord, for God,your blessings, your provisions
and God, just this time torecord another podcast.
Lord, thank you for goodfriends that are serving
together to serve those in need.
Lord, thank you for this time,thank you for our special guest
today.
Pray blessings over him andthis conversation.
And, lord, we just invite yourspirit here right now.
(00:21):
Father, in your holy name, wepray Amen.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hello Father, in your holy name we pray Amen.
Hello everybody, thank you forlistening to Our Community, our
Mission.
A podcast of the Topeka RescueMission here on Wednesday,
january 29th 2024.
This is episode number 254.
This is your host, barry Feeker, here with Executive Director
Topeka Rescue Mission, lamandaBroyles.
Good morning, lamanda.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
That's impressive.
You did that all in like onebreath.
I read it right here Joshwrites it down.
You follow the directions well,I follow the directions yes.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Kind of got it down after 253 of these.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You've done it a couple times 254,.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, that's awesome, so I had my eyes closed
actually.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
But anyway Impressive .
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I'm not awake yet, so how are you?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
That is always a loaded question, that's why,
okay, moving on.
I know that's right.
I mean I probably should belike blessed and highly favored.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
It's been kind of cold, but it's been cold, yeah,
and the United States and busyUh-huh and.
But some really good thingshave been happening.
Yes, chiefs won barely again.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Barely, yeah, barely again, which apparently is
incredibly divisive in the restof the country.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I know they think they're cheating and the rest
are cheating.
I don't understand that it'snot happening.
It's AI.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Our sweet receptionist here, nancy.
She is a diehard Chiefs fan andI saw something yesterday on
social media and it made methink of her, but it showed like
heartbeats, and so it showed anormal heartbeat and a flatline
heartbeat and then it was justsquiggles all over the screen
and it said watching the Chiefsplay.
And I sent that to Nancy and Isaid I think this is you every
(01:55):
time and she said it is, I'mgoing to need oxygen for the
next game.
And I said I know you are.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
But we are global and are so, yeah, but we are global
and so if we are offensive toyou, get over it, because the
Chiefs are going to be in theSuper Bowl again and hopefully
going to have their third win,we hope, and so be really
disappointed if they don't.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
But anyway, we're talking to the refs now to get
them ready, that's right, andplease note, the person that
said get over it is the formerexecutive director, not the
current, and I didn't step downwillingly, that's right.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I'll tell you what.
So anyway, well, we're glad youjoined us today, lamanda.
We last week had a very heavyconversation in regards to the
weather and the warming centersand fortunately we're warming up
here a little bit for a brieftime.
Hopefully we're not going tohave any more of that.
So one of the things we didn'tget done last week is talking
(02:51):
about the importance of the day,and so this day, on January
29th, is really extremelyimportant for the state of
Kansas because it is called drumroll.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Kansas Day, kansas Day, that's right.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, if you all didn't know, this is Kansas Day
and we're the 34th member of theUnited States formed.
In what year?
I know you're from Arkansas,which is a foreign country, and
you have schools there.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Listen to that.
Yes, but I'll tell you, inArkansas we didn't study Kansas
history, but do you know how I?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
remember this, yes.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Because it's a hundred years.
Oh no, it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
So no offense to you all from Arkansas, the public
school system.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Lamanda was there Because I was born in 1987.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And so yeah.
Never mind, but it does meanthat we're what?
148?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
1861.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
148.
Get the calculator out.
I don't know, I don't know, Ican't take the pressure.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Moving on past Kansas Day and the number of years
it's been around and those kindof things.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
It's 1877.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It says right here so that's 148.
Celebrated in 1877, yeah, butit became a member of the United
States in 1869.
Oh shoot, I didn't read well,all right so.
But it's also another importantday, national Puzzle Day.
National Puzzle Day, isn't thatvery kind of representative of
every day?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, it's a puzzle.
Trying to put the piecestogether, trying to put the
pieces together.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, so, but one last thing, and then we're going
to move on to some moreimportant things.
It's National Corn Chip Day.
I thought that was on SuperBowl Corn chip like Fritos.
Well, that's nachos day, that'sright.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So anyway, nachos and jalapenos and pizza, yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Do you eat Fritos with your chili?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yes, have to yes.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I'm more of a cracker and ketchup girl yeah me too.
You are too.
You just like chili.
Anything with it.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Anything with chili, yeah.
So I like the crackers overhere over here.
I like the cheese over here.
I like the you know corn chipsover here.
I like the onions over here andall those kind of things.
Yeah, I like a little bit ofchili with my Fritos.
So, anyway, we'll have aspecial guest today that is not
with us here in.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Topeka.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
right now he's actually being interneted in
here, interneted into our spacehere in Topeka, kansas.
We're going to introduce him ina minute.
But LaManda, there is a veryimportant organization that
brings rescue ministriestogether.
That's been around over 100years and so it's a very
(05:17):
important ministry.
When I came on back in, youknow, when the park doors opened
and the animals got off and Igot off and no one was family,
it was called the InternationalUnion of Gospel Missions in 1986
.
International Union of GospelMissions.
It had been around for a longtime, started in New York City,
(05:37):
eventually became this veryimportant organization where we
could get in a car and go visitpeople at other missions once a
year, keeping in mind and thisis how tough it was for us back
in the old days there was nocell phones, there was no
internet, there was no email,there was nothing you'd carry
(05:59):
around in your pocket that toldyou what you were supposed to do
.
You had to remember, and soonce a year we had a meeting
that we could go to somewhereand a couple of district
meetings and so forth, and sothen it changed its name to the
Association of Gospel RescueMissions and about 2018, 2019,
it changed its name again forrebranding called the CityGate
Network Same organization justmoving and improving technology
(06:21):
and so forth, and so part ofthat, you've been able to really
get to meet a lot of reallycool people from around the
country and because oftechnology, you guys can stay in
real-time connection with eachother all the time.
What's that like as executivedirector?
How's it helped you?
I know it helped me to knowthat I wasn't the only one.
There were some others aroundthe country, around the world,
(06:42):
that were doing this kind ofwork with homeless and hunger
and so forth and the gospel, buthow has it affected you?
Coming into the position almostthree years?
Well, no, you're here longerthan that.
Three years as executivedirector come April.
How has it helped you to reallyexpand your thoughts?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I think you know, citygate Network is more than
just the yearly, and when wecome for the conference it's
incredible, from the generalsessions to the independent
sessions that we get to learnfrom, and the one that I'm
heavily involved in is theEmerging Leaders.
(07:29):
And what I love about EmergingLeaders is the level of support
that's there, not justprofessionally but personally,
because we're also connectedmany of us on social media, and
we connect through email texteach other on our birthdays,
just things like that, whereit's just we're doing life
(07:51):
together as much as we can,sometimes being on opposite
sides of the United States, andso there's this layer of support
that, just to me as a person,is fun because I'm I'm a social
person, I love people, butthat's also how I learn.
And so, professionally, what'sincredible is oftentimes we all
go to this conference, we meeteach other, but it doesn't stop
(08:15):
there.
Phone numbers are exchanged andum, you can get involved in
different ways, and so that'swhat we've done with the
emerging leaders is there'smonthly meetings, but there's
also a Facebook page, and thenit's just all that virtually yes
, yes.
And the other thing that I thinkis incredible about that is
(08:35):
what we do.
None of it builds upon eachother.
So if someone has to miss amonth or two months or three
months, when they are able tocome in, they don't feel like,
oh, I can't join now because Ihaven't been there the last two
months.
And we, jordan and I, have kindof done that intentionally
because we know people's busyschedules and we really just
(08:58):
want to be that group thatpeople can land on monthly,
regardless of what they haven'tbeen able to do the month before
and things.
So it's just, it's been such afun opportunity.
It's been also very important.
You know, as the ED, I evenpersonally have gone through
(09:18):
some pretty rough challenges,and so it's not just been about
how I can help lead orsupporting those that are in the
group.
They also have been so kind tome and such an encouragement
when they see things on ourFacebook page at the rescue
mission or they know we're goingthrough the warming centers and
(09:40):
such, I have people reach outsaying, hey, just so you know
we're we're praying for Topeka,we're praying for your people,
and so it's just.
When you asked me that question, I think I could just summarize
it by saying it's just an addedlayer of support that is so
valuable.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So over the years there's been different
connection groups within thenetwork executive directors,
food services case managers,shelter operators, those kind of
things.
How long is the EmergingLeaders group in play?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
So I think it was in play about four years before.
That would have been 2021.
So maybe 2018, 2017, they weretrying to really form this, but
it was kind of formed at theconference time.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And so people would come together and that about it.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
And Matt from the Milwaukee rescue mission led it.
Incredible guy, very smart,loves people, and so he really
tried to provide support andjust this opportunity for people
who he knew and the leaders atthat time knew were going to be
(10:53):
the next generation of rescuemission work.
And so then our guest in just aminute when he jumps on.
We made the mistake right ofasking some questions and saying
, hey, we think we might needthis.
And what we didn't know wasMatt had kind of been praying
(11:15):
for the next level that theemerging leaders needed to go to
, and he didn't think that thatwas him leading it with his
personal life, professional life, was him leading it with his
personal life, professional life.
But he believed in it so muchand so he and CityGate Network's
CEO, john Ashman, did a coupleof Zooms with Jordan and I and
said what do you feel likeemerging leaders need?
(11:37):
Because we have a lot of CEOsand executive directors retiring
and there is this gap ingenerations.
And so we know this work isimportant, we know it's what
God's called us to do, and sothat's how it kind of revised,
so in a very healthy placebefore Jordan and I.
(11:57):
But just times changed andwe've just tried to kind of take
it to this next level that'smatches and is appropriate for
the needs of the next generationof leaders.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I think that's very helpful.
It's not taking people who arenot in leadership necessarily.
They're in leadership indifferent positions within
rescue ministries andcultivating relationships for
furthering that leadershipdevelopment.
So any organization, if it'sgoing to work well, needs good
leadership that is emergingitself.
Well, needs good leadershipthat is emerging itself, and so
(12:29):
we have Jordan Smith here withus today and we're looking.
Jordan, we can see you here viathe internet, which is awesome.
This is our first time we'vedone anything like this, and so
you are from Tree of LifeMinistries in.
Where did I get that?
Percival, percival yeah,percival, west Virginia.
I was looking at my notes.
It's all over Percival, westVirginia.
I was looking at my notes.
It's all over Percival, westVirginia.
And so welcome to our community, our mission, and you're part
(12:50):
of the leadership.
I understand in regards to theemerging leaders.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Yeah, so good to be with you.
Just a quick correction there,it's Percival Virginia, oh, not
quite West Virginia.
Shoot West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Shoot, that was me I was right.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
That's all right.
Is there any problem with that?
I know I'm saying West Virginia.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Oh is there?
Is there West Virginia?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
is quite different to Virginia.
That's kind of like K-State KUhere, apparently yes or Kansas
City.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
She's sort of the other guys.
That's right.
So, anyway, thanks for thatclarification.
Yeah, so you're in Virginia, inPercival, right now.
Yeah, so talk about first ofall what you do there, what the
Tree of Life is, and then we'regoing to talk about the Emerging
(13:36):
Leaders and your role in thatand Amanda's role and what
that's all about.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
We'd be happy to.
Well, first of all, thank youfor having me on this podcast.
So grateful to be here, Reallyappreciate you guys and honored
to be a part of thisconversation.
So Tree of Life Ministries inshort, our mission is to reach
out to the poor and needy in thecommunity with the love of
Jesus Christ.
Interestingly, it's now goingon 17 years this year.
(14:00):
So 17 years ago my dad foundedthis organization, ultimately
prompted by the Holy Spirit andborn out of a church trying to
assist the needs locally withthe love of Christ.
And so five primary focus areas, five branches if you will food
, life skills, health care,shelter and relief are the
(14:22):
focuses.
And that's taken straight outof the gospel of Matthew and how
Jesus addressed the needs inthe community.
And we've ultimately led withthose five areas of need.
And then out of that has comecurrently 23 ministries in the
community, spread out all overour county.
So it's a joy and pleasure tobe a part of this and I get the
(14:43):
opportunity to be the chiefdevelopment officer, which
simply means I get to help withthe fundraising efforts and get
to see, ultimately, God's gloryin all of it.
So it's truly a pleasure to bea part of it.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
So Jordan, you grew up in this ministry.
This started 17 years ago andyou look just a slight bit older
than 17.
And so your dad founded this,and you've been through this,
through seeing the developmentfrom very beginnings to where it
is now.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Yeah, and that's been pretty powerful because what
started ultimately in aconversation between a group of
leaders in a church, somedeacons got together and said
how do we address this?
And if you recall, this wasaround 2008, when it was some
financial hardship times, andthey responded and then
ultimately that came home and itwas living room conversation
(15:32):
between family members to saythere are needs in this
community and we are privileged,in a way, to live in one of the
wealthiest counties in America.
Believe it or not, loudounCounty is currently one of the
wealthiest counties in Americaand so you might think there are
no needs here, but that's notthe case and when you actually
go out into the community, youmeet these individuals,
(15:53):
oftentimes living in betweenthese larger homes or just
trying to make it by.
You realize there are needs andGod has placed each and every
one of us right where he has us.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Jordan describe to us the population maybe of
Percival and being one of thewealthiest counties in the
United States.
Why is there an issue?
Why are you guys needed there?
What do you find are thereasons for that?
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Yeah, good question.
Well, percival is just a smalltown.
Loudoun County itself, where weserve holistically, is a larger
population.
I should probably know thenumbers a bit better to reel
those off to you.
But it's not terribly too big.
It's still a small town feel,but Loudoun County is certainly
a growing population.
(16:39):
I think the connection there is.
We're only about an hour fromWashington DC, so oftentimes you
have those that work in DC comeout to what we might classify
as the more countryside ofthings.
You tend to go west, enjoy lifethat way, but you will see a
discrepancy and you will see agap ultimately.
(16:59):
And so, um, it's easy enough toto live in this area and and
perhaps make the, the funds toget by, but then that creates a
larger gap for those that are inthis area and are trying to
keep up with, uh, expenses andinflation, and that gap only
gets bigger and bigger.
So oftentimes, even in thewealthiest of places, you see,
(17:20):
sometimes the poorest of peopleare the ones that are struggling
the most to keep up with timesand to be able to stay in this
town or this county, whichperhaps their families have
grown up in, which used to be aplace of farmers.
Ultimately, um, they're reallystruggling and so that's a huge
piece of it.
Is that gap and just thedifference between rich and poor
(17:41):
?
Speaker 2 (17:43):
I think we've all realized post-pandemic about the
cost of goods and services andhousing.
And so in a prosperous area,like we've seen around a number
of other prosperous communitieslike Seattle, washington, where
the housing costs outpriced thepeople to be able to afford a
place to live, and it soundslike that may be part of what's
(18:05):
going on when the prosperity ofPercival is that as you do
better, then the supply anddemand is a big challenge, and
then of course, that affectsyour everything food and
utilities and so forth.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Well, and to touch on that, to give you an idea we're
looking at, I believe theaverage home in this area most
recently has been three quartersof a million dollars.
I mean that is a ridiculousamount of money, and it's hard
to purchase a home if you havemoney right, just because of
supply and demand, but if you'rewithout, I mean there are so
many challenges.
Housing is probably the numberone need right now in this area,
(18:41):
and so it's a real challenge.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
I have family in Virginia as well, in Fairfax,
and so just outside of DC, mydaughter and family are there
and they have an apartment and Idon't remember what the square
footage of it is, but it's notvery big, but it's nearly three
times what the cost of buying ahouse in Topeka, kansas, would
be just to rent.
And of course, in Fairfax it'sa million people plus or
(19:04):
whatever in that community justoutside of DC.
So I have a visual of what thatcould be like in Percival and
how hard that is for people thatare so far away from being able
to get there.
And so who stands in the gapfor these folks?
And so 17 years ago your dadand others felt the call of the
(19:24):
Lord to stand in the gap, and soit sounds like it's been pretty
successful.
And you're in this place ofdevelopment of resources to come
in Talk about that.
I mean that's in fundraising.
A lot of people call itdevelopment fundraising.
There are techniques in gospelministries.
(19:44):
There are some techniques but awhole lot more reliance upon
the Lord.
How do you balance those?
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Great question.
Yeah, we've seen a lot ofgrowth in development
specifically.
Just to give you an idea ofthings, when I joined the team
officially as an employee, ifyou will, staff member in 2019,
we were looking at a budget ofjust over half a million dollars
operating budget in order tocomplete the ministry work in
the local community In just theshort amount of time in the last
(20:13):
few years.
We're now looking at two and ahalf million as an operating
budget, which just goes to showbig growth.
Yeah, and that that's the lordultimately.
I mean, with all funding right,it's all the lords we get to be
stewards of those funds and usethem as he sees fit.
But ultimately that's that'ssharing the love of christ in so
(20:33):
many different ways and andthat's just profound impact over
just a short amount of time.
But we've seen an immenseamount of growth and just goes
to show that the need is hereand that the Lord is wanting us
to be in this community and he'sshowing his ways to find his
glory, to give us theopportunity to give him glory in
(20:56):
many different ways of need.
So it's an honor.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah well, sounds like God is honored what you're
doing there in a prettysubstantial way.
That plus the growth of theministry itself.
So CityGate Network I'm sure anumber of years you've been
familiar with it and you're apart of it.
It's a membership organizationof different rescue ministries
and they're not all doing thesame thing the same way.
(21:19):
There's very unique ways ofdoing things.
If people went to your website,tree of Life there in Virginia,
in Percival, and went to PikaRescue Missions, you'd see some
similarities and somedifferences.
But CityGate brings it alltogether.
What's been the value ofCityGate Network to you
personally?
Speaker 4 (21:38):
You hit it on the head there, bringing it together
.
What's been the value ofCityGate Network to you
personally?
You hit it on the head there,bringing it together.
I think relationship is so, sokey.
I mean to know that there areothers across state lines,
across the other side of thecoast, doing something similar,
to ultimately be in the trenchesand fighting for those that are
less fortunate and for thosethat need a hand up.
(22:04):
It's just so amazing to be apart of that kind of group and
be aware of the needs across thenation and then relate it to
your own ministry and your ownwork, to ultimately come
together and learn from oneanother, develop together, grow
together, and so it's beenreally amazing for me.
And sometimes we do get caughthaving our blinders on and just
seeing what's right in front ofus and just focusing on tasks at
hand or what we see in our owncommunities.
But when you take thoseblinders off and you realize
(22:26):
ultimately what God's doingacross the nation, across the
world, it's powerful.
I mean, I've got tinglesthinking about it now and it's
just.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
God is at work in so many different ways, in so many
different areas, and sometimesyou just need to be reminded of
that and connect with someoneelse to know you're not alone
and god is doing some amazingthings across this nation we can
take our um history back tobefore there was even telephones
, um, which is before all of us,lamanda, even before me, I know
(22:56):
so.
But the Salvation Army was outin the field and dispersing, or
deploying, I should say,different individuals in the
army, different officers thatwould go to share the gospel in
various places, and a lot ofthose officers were having a
significant challenge becausethey felt very alone.
And so back in the day,according to history that I've
(23:21):
learned about is that theheadquarters in the United
States sent telegrams to all ofthe outposts where the Salvation
Army was, but they didn't havemuch money, so they just put one
word in the telegram others,just others To let people know
there were others, not themalone.
Today the Salvation Army hasone of the most prestigious
awards today, called the OthersAward, and if you get the Others
(23:44):
Award, yeah, you've kind ofmoved up the ladder of
importance to the Salvation Armytoday.
And so that's what CityGate isit's reminding each person
that's involved that they're notalone.
That there are others, but youdon't have to have a telegram
with one word.
Today you have much moresophisticated opportunities to
get together in person, as wellas what we're doing right now.
(24:04):
So in this emerging leaders, Ithink it's awesome because it
cultivates the next level.
I mean, lamandu, you're anexecutive director, jordan,
you're the development officerin the shelter there, so it's
not just for one particular partof ministry work, it takes that
leadership, and so you guys areleading this.
From what I understand, youkind of were voluntold or
(24:26):
volunteered or coerced defrauded, whatever the case might be.
Talk about your relationship inVirginia and you've learned
something, LeMann it's not WestVirginia.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
I know it's Virginia that George had.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
And I bet he knows where Kansas is because he
watches the Kansas City Chiefsand he goes after the Chiefs.
He was on the Missouri team.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Well, and then Lauren .
She is CEO of Winchester, westVirginia, I believe.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Is it still Virginia?
No, no, virginia.
Do I know?
Speaker 3 (24:54):
anybody in West Virginia.
Can we just have them on?
I think there was nearly a war.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Maybe there was a war around that kind of stuff years
ago.
So be very careful the linesare drawn, and I think Candace
was blamed for some of that,which was maybe a good thing.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Then you know what?
There's someone in WestVirginia we need to friend, and
then we'll just have them onhere and we'll have it right.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Anyway, she's time too.
All right, everybody, she'sfrom.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Arkansas.
We've established that.
So, anyway, what's it like?
I mean, you guys, if you'regoing to lead this thing and
again, you don't see each other,but maybe once or twice a year
in person, what does that mean?
What do you do, how do you leadit, how do you co-lead this
thing, and why?
Speaker 4 (25:41):
You want me to go first?
You want to go first, you gofirst.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
You're so kind, you're so kind.
So I met Jordan a couple ofyears ago and I think both of us
were just so appreciative whenwe walked into um.
So when we go to theseconferences there'll, there will
either be a room available forall of us emerging leaders to
meet, or sometimes they willhave um like a suite that
(26:08):
they're that they reserve for us, and it just kind of depends.
And so it was super late onenight because the conference was
jam packed.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
So everybody, over a thousand people.
Yes, yes, fifteen hundred Yep.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
And so it was really late and I think we were all
just super tired.
It's so good, it's good stuff,but it's also late, and even
though we're emerging leaders,what I've learned is all of us
actually have like earlybedtimes, and so we were
cracking up at that because allof us were like, man, we're the
latest group meeting and we'reall ready for bed.
So it's kind of comical.
(26:41):
But what was incredible aboutthat was there was just this
synergy around the room where Ithink we all just looked at each
other and we're like there'sother people like us.
There's other people that haveno clue what they're doing but
are so willing to do it.
So many of us are sponges andwe're trying to learn from other
(27:06):
incredible people that are ourmentors.
There were people in that roomthat and I don't want to talk
about too much because then I'llcry and I have a busy day but
even that first night that I metJordan, people were astonished
at what I was learning from youas your ministry operations
director, because that's what Iwas the first year I went.
(27:27):
And so there were some peoplein that room that were like, oh,
I don't have that and I'mthinking well, doesn't everybody
have a Barry Like.
Isn't everybody learning thiswork like I'm learning?
And that was my first real timethat I realized that you and I
had something special, becauseit was my first time that I
realized that there are trulyand particularly in our age the
(27:51):
20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40year olds that are doing this
work and really withoutmentorship, that have been
called to it and are beingobedient and really feel alone.
And so, all that being said, Ithink there was just this
beautiful connection of all ofus of what was similar and then
what was different.
(28:11):
We all just kind of had thishungry to learn it and to keep
going, had this hungry to learnit and to keep going.
And so Jordan and I and one ofthe times we're kind of standing
in the corner by this table andI don't remember which one of
us said something, but it waslike we've got to keep this
going.
And so then I think it wasJordan, I'm going to blame it on
(28:33):
him, he may blame it on me.
One of us raised our hands andwe said what does emerging
leaders do after this?
And Matt was like good question, um.
And then it just kind ofevolved from that.
And so Jordan and I, I would sayit was just this instant
connection, um, and an instanttrust.
(28:56):
And then I think, now that youknow three plus years have
passed, I would say it's acalling like God.
Yeah, knew that he could use us, maybe because of ignorance or
just willingness, but I thinkthat's why we were instantly
(29:16):
bonded, almost as brother andsister, and then it was just
like we don't know what this isgoing to look like.
We want to hear what the othersneed and we want to just pivot
and be flexible with it, andthat's what happened.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
So, jordan, what is you guys?
Do you guys do a zoom um once amonth with the leaders?
You and LaManda then worktogether to kind of maybe talk
about what that's going to looklike, I guess, and uh, so what's
?
The whole outcome of that wasobviously having a time when you
can just kind of talk aboutrescue mission work, but is it
more than that?
Is it learning from each other?
(29:50):
Is it encouraging each other?
Is it getting to know eachother's personal story?
Um, as as as um, people that umare all over the place, but yet
, uh, there's a network here.
What?
What do you look forward to andwhat's your why of saying yes
to this?
Speaker 4 (30:08):
Yeah, great question.
Uh, it's a couple of things andfirst of all, amanda, you've
said it well there and just goesto show be careful what you
raise your hand for.
But I'm so grateful I did andI'm so grateful I met you and
I'm so grateful that that roomcame together and there was so
much energy and excitement andit's just been really cool to
see God continue that.
(30:28):
And so what do these monthlymeetings look like?
And the gatherings and thecontinued conversations is
carrying on that relationshipand it is, first and foremost,
it's checking in.
It's like how are you doing?
I mean, how many times do weliterally ask someone across
state lines how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (30:43):
How is?
Speaker 4 (30:44):
it out there, how are you on this topic or in this
weather, because it different,right, and so um.
But it's checking in with thempersonally as well and just
saying are you okay, how can Ibe praying for you?
And there's power in that, sothat that, so I would say, is
priority.
Step one is just checking inwith one another and continuing
that relationship, not just oncea year, but throughout the year
(31:05):
, and then it's hearing fromthem.
It's hearing from everyoneinvolved, hearing what the needs
are across the nation, what aresome challenges, what are some
areas of growth that we can talkabout, or how can we learn from
one another.
And so what we try and captureand understand is okay, is this
mission doing this well andwould you be willing to share
(31:26):
that with other missions orministries, to say, hey, they're
doing it really well and wecould learn from them?
Or someone has some questionson a particular topic?
Can we address this togetherand have a conversation?
So it's connecting andunderstanding, ultimately, how
we can assist one another, howwe can pray for one another, how
we can support each other and,ultimately, to praise God.
(31:48):
I mean again, just take a stepback and say, okay, god's doing
this here?
What's God doing there?
And when you hear all thesedifferent praise reports, it's
awesome.
So we get to pray for eachother, we get to support each
other, we get to grow together,develop, learn and praise God
together, and there's power inthat.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
I can imagine sometimes, when maybe things
aren't going so well in yourministry or personal life or
whatever, and somebody that youcan talk to, that you can trust
and maybe get encouraged by that.
Hey man, I was going throughthat same thing and here's what
God did in my situation or camethrough.
I'm sure that, with the successof development that you have
(32:28):
achieved there in a very shortamount of time through prayer
and through connections in yourcommunity, is very encouraging
to others that that can be done.
When you're not sure that itcan be, just to know that this
is what we experienced, this ishow we did it, that can be very,
very encouraging.
(32:49):
So what are the qualificationsof being involved in becoming
emerging leaders?
So is there obviously part ofCityGate, I'm assuming a staff
member?
Maybe not.
Maybe it's volunteers.
What are the qualifications fora person to be considered a
member of the Emerging LeadersGroup?
Speaker 3 (33:11):
You would not be eligible.
He gets jabs in on me all thetime, so when I can get him, I
better get him, josh.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Do you know my attorney's number?
Go ahead and get him on theline.
We got a little discriminationgoing on here.
I think it's called agediscrimination.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Yes, so what we say is I brought this up.
I know, I know I walked rightinto that one.
What we say is we don't excludeanybody, but our target is 40.
That's right, 40 or younger,but positions don't matter.
You know we have some that someof the ministries are heavy
(33:51):
with sheltering, some aren't,some are heavy with food service
and there's some that's morework, training and all of that.
So it doesn't matter what type.
Where your ministry fits in withthe rescue mission work Doesn't
matter what your title is, itis staff members.
So right now it's notvolunteers that are staff
(34:12):
members of ministries and rescuemissions, but really the
thought behind it is we want ourgroup to help individuals grow,
and sometimes that doesn't meanjust professionally, because,
personally, if support is neededand the right support isn't
given, just as us as people,then your professional life
(34:34):
takes a hit.
And so I love how Jordanmentioned that.
Like every call that we're on,that's the first way that we
start.
We're like, hey, what's newwith everybody?
How are you doing?
And not so much this year, butlast year we had a couple of
meetings where we didn't evenget to the topic.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
The topics could be what?
Speaker 3 (34:54):
They're a wide range.
For instance, in January we hadto cancel it because of the
warming center and I couldn't beon, but that was going to be
like volunteer services, and sowe've had everything from
specific fundraising ideas.
We've had talks on there aboutcommunication strategies, social
media.
We've had things on there abouthow to handle believe it or not
(35:18):
even though we're ministries,we have personnel issues.
Can you believe it?
Speaker 2 (35:21):
No, never happened on my watch oh okay.
More than every day.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Okay, I guess I didn't inherit that, I created
it, no, so we've talked aboutpersonnel matters and loved that
one.
I mean, we were really talkingabout when you have to run
things like a business with HRand policies and procedures, but
yet that doesn't trump thegospel, and so also, you know,
(35:46):
praying for those situations andhaving the crucial
conversations.
So we've had topics about that.
We've had when things bubbledup and we were all watching it.
You know cases that mighthappen and ordinance changes
things like that.
So it kind of just depends.
But what we do is at theconference we have a link, and
(36:09):
the link we send it out and it'skind of like a survey where
people can give their input onwhat they would like to see, and
then we try to map it out andthen we look at who are the
speakers and that kind of thing.
So sometimes, though, that getsthwarted because of either
busyness or we change the coursebecause what we thought might
(36:35):
need to be that need for thatmonth isn't, and so we really
try to be flexible with that.
Also, in the holidays,sometimes we choose not to meet
because we recognize we reallyneed to just be lifting each
other up in prayer, but peoplecannot give one more hour and so
we just try to really do itbased on needs.
So I love how Jordan mentionedthat as the focus.
(36:55):
It really is from the contentto just the check-ins.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
I think one of the things that's become more
apparent and it's safer to talkabout it in regards to the kind
of work that rescue ministriesdo is that it's not just done
out of the goodness of yourheart or your relationship with
God.
It's hard work and many people,if they don't have the support
just like we all need ineverything that's difficult in
(37:20):
life, if we don't have thesupport, we may not stay.
We may not last, and I thinkthat's one of the real big
challenges there.
Well, this sounds like how manypeople are involved currently
in the Pur out of the city gatenetwork?
Speaker 3 (37:33):
I don't even know what we're up to on Facebook now
.
I believe it's 50 something onthe Facebook page, um, and we
can have anywhere betweenmeetings of five to 10 people on
the call to two dozen.
It just kind of depends, um,and that's why we try to keep it
fluid, um, because we recognizepeople's loads.
(37:54):
We're also working on timechanges, so we're not all in the
same time zone, um, so that canbe a challenge, um, but what's
needed?
Speaker 1 (38:02):
currently.
Sorry.
I just looked it up real quick.
Currently there's 114 memberson the Facebook.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
Okay, so we tried it on the Facebook page.
Uh, when we started out, westarted out with not even a
Facebook page.
And so then Jordan and I had aZoom conference with the at that
time the CEO, john Ashman, andhis team.
And it's kind of comical now Ithink we all laugh, but I think
(38:28):
the team was like what is Jordanand LaManda wanting to do?
Because, rightfully so CityGatehas very strict parameters of
their social media and theirwebsite because they're orderly
and they have to be becausethey're dealing with 300 of us
rescue missions that need them.
Um, but I do think that Jordanand I kind of threw this like
(38:51):
curve ball of yeah, theconference is great, but ongoing
is better.
And well then, it was well, howare you going to do this?
And we're like oh, we're goingto do Zooms.
Well, who's going to own theZoom link?
Topeka, will you know?
I mean, it was just all ofthese different things.
So we got on this zoom and wewere like okay, we want to have
(39:14):
a monthly zoom, we want to havea Facebook page, we want to
create an emerging leaderswithin the city gate network
website so that we can emaileach other.
I mean, we had this whole listof things and the team were so
nice, but I think they weretrying to wrap their brain
around.
Basically, this is a wholenother cohort, and how much did
(39:36):
they involve themselves and howmuch did they let us run with it
?
And John just kind of listened,the at that time that the CEO,
and then finally he just saidthis is the direction we need to
go.
And we all just kind of satthere and looking at each other
and we're like, ok, now what arewe going to do?
So we got off that Zoom and thenJordan and I stayed on and it
(39:59):
was one of those things.
We weren't sure what to do next, but we knew we had permission.
And so we looked at each otherand we were like, well, we're
celebrating.
Now what?
Because we both have our ownpositions, our own jobs, and now
we've just accepted taking onhowever many.
So what was the first year?
You and I had like a small goalon the Facebook page.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
It was like well, it was over 50 active and now it's
over a hundred, so it'scontinuing to grow.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
But at first, I think Jordan and I were like you know
, if we get get 20 people onthis Facebook page the first
year, it's going to prove thatit's OK, it's going to prove
that this is important.
And so we did that.
We got the 20.
And then we had the nextconference and they put two or
three emerging leaders sessionswithin the conference and so,
(40:52):
jordan, I planned out thesegetting to know you activities.
We did some leadershipactivities, all of this stuff,
and I was greeting.
Jordan was in the room talkingto people and people just kept
coming through the door andcoming through the door, and I
looked at Jordan at one pointgoing we have no other room and
everybody's still coming, and weended up packing.
(41:16):
I think it was like 50something people in that room,
yes, and we were like, yep, thisis what we need to do.
That's 50.
And it's the same way, even ifit was 10.
No-transcript, and we were alljust so eager to teach and learn
(41:52):
, um, and so it was incredible,and so we're going in the right
direction.
Um, it's.
It is a lot to juggle sometimes,I think, because, jordan, this
is above and beyond what we dodaily, and so sometimes there
are texts where it's like you'regoing to be on the call, right,
okay, good Cause, I can't be,and vice versa.
And what I love about that isthat Jordan and I can trust each
(42:16):
other so much with that that wedo all of this planning, we do
the surveys, we do all of thatfor people, but there's still a
level of understanding where Irecognize he's a person and he
has his own job and all of that.
He does that with me and wejust always have each other's
back as we are entrusted withthese incredible people all over
.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
I just want to say thank you to both of you for
doing this, because of havingbeen in that space before,
knowing that the lack of that orthe need for that or whatever
is a game changer, is a gamechanger.
We have Virginia and Kansascoming together here to help
cultivate relationship with awhole lot of other people, to
help them to not only just stayin the game, so to speak, but to
(42:59):
be able to flourish in the game.
Jordan, before we end heretoday, there's going to be
people listening here, goingwhere's he from?
So we've established it's notWest Virginia.
We've established it isVirginia, but there's an accent.
Established it's not WestVirginia.
We've established it isVirginia, but there's an accent
that's not either West Virginiaor Virginia.
Could you give us a littlebackground about the Scottish
accent that you have?
Speaker 4 (43:19):
Barry, I don't know what you're talking about.
I'm from.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
West Virginia through and through.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
That's good.
I've been putting on an accentthis whole time, but it's doing
my head so definitely.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
You've been in Virginia for a while.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
That better not be, your Arkansas accent.
Speaker 4 (43:36):
I'm in the heart of West Virginia.
I tell you that's good.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Well, there was another accent we detected here.
But there's, a connection toeven Kansas in this.
So, for our listeners, catch usup this lineage that you have
here.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
Yeah, it's a funny story.
So originally I'm born inEngland, manchester.
England, is my hometown and theconnection here between Kansas
and my family is my mom isactually from Kansas and my
grandfather actually answeredthe call to be a missionary and
start a church in England, inManchester, and boldly went
(44:13):
across, honored and obeyed theLord and in this community where
there was not much God, notmuch church, started a church,
started a Bible study group,moved into a home and right
opposite that home was my dadand his family and so this
American couple moved in andthere was this Bible study and
my dad and his family were likethis American couple moved in
and there was this Bible study.
My dad and his family were like, what's this all about?
(44:34):
So they went over and, believeit or not.
My English side of the familycame to know the Lord through
this Bible study and through mygrandfather, who honored and
obeyed the Lord, to move fromKansas to Manchester not knowing
anything or understanding whyhe would place in there.
But this church grew.
They had a school bus thatwould go out and collect kids
(44:56):
and there's individuals thathave come to Christ through this
opportunity and through thischurch gathering, and my
families have been connected andmy mom and dad were connected,
started dating at an early age Ibelieve they were 12 and
holding hands at the back of thechurch.
Just a profound story, profoundimpact of how the Lord brings
these different culturestogether, families together, in
(45:18):
his timing, for his purpose.
And so now you have me.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
So God was doing some emerging leadership stuff a
long time ago.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Well, jordan, thank you for joining us and thank you
for what you're doing, you andLaManda, partnering with this,
this emerging leader.
It's very important.
Lamanda, I have some bad newsfor you.
You're getting close to agingout, I know.
So I'm going to start a groupcalled Emerging Old and
Forgotten Leader.
So, lamanda, I will consideryou being a part of that.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
You know, I, on a serious note, even though you're
just being a meanie I have beentelling them that I said just
so.
Y'all know, every year I'm likewhen we meet at the conference,
I'm like, and then I'm justreminding you all I'm about to
age out, or I'll say I'm aboutto get kicked out.
And a couple of them haveteased me and they're like oh no
, we're always going to keep youin.
You know, um, but I think thatis something that has been neat,
(46:16):
um, probably for me and Jordan,but particularly me because of
this position.
It's been neat to be the newkid under you and to learn it
and then to have and to learnhow to take on things.
But then, with this EmergingLeaders, I mean I love it, I'm
(46:39):
invested in it, the people areamazing and we have so much fun
and they're just authentic.
But I have been looking at thiswhole time going and I don't
know if it's the age limit thingor if it's just God changing me
as a leader, but we shouldalways be looking at who is
going to carry this on and it isa reminder, and Jordan and I
(47:04):
I've heard Jordan say this somany times and I love it and I
think it shows his, um, hishumbleness, and that's one of
the things I love it, and Ithink it shows his, his
humbleness and that's one of thethings I love about him too.
But we've both said this isn'tthe LaManda and Jordan show.
We just saw the need and sawpeople want it and were willing
to do it.
But at any time other peoplefeel like God's calling them to
(47:27):
lead it, we will step aside ifpeople have better ideas or they
feel like God is calling themto lead something or whatever.
We want to be obedient to thatand so I joke all the time that
I'm approaching the 40.
But on a serious note, it hasbeen neat to be the new kid
taking on things but then alsolooking at something that in my
(47:49):
opinion, is so precious, soimportant, so valuable, but to
know it's not about me or Jordanand that both of us are ready
to pivot at any time, to handthis over to someone else that
God sees fit for it.
We want to do that because wecare about the cause more than
our careers or our leadership inthis, more than our careers or
(48:10):
our leadership in this, and Ijust appreciate God's work.
You know personally on my ownheart to learn that skill, I
guess.
Speaker 4 (48:18):
So you're equipping emerging leaders, If I can just
add to that as well.
I mean, I would challenge alllisteners to this podcast.
Think about who those emergingleaders are, Think about the
next generation and maybechallenge yourself and ask
yourself are you investing inthem?
Are you investing your time howthe Lord's blessed you and used
(48:39):
you in your testimony?
Are you sharing that to others?
Are you allowing there to be atransition, a healthy transition
, in organizations and families?
All sorts of personal,professional ways?
But, there's so much power againin the older generation, if you
will talking to the youngergeneration and helping with that
transition.
So I challenge anyone listeningto this are you investing into
(49:02):
an emerging leader and are youassisting and supporting each
other?
It goes both directions.
Make sure that the Lord's workcontinues and he continues to be
glorified in all ways.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
Yeah, that's really well said.
Well, jordan, thank you forbeing kind of.
In our experimental, we'recrossing on our podcast, our
community, our mission to beable to talk with people around
the country, and so, and JoshTurley, thank you for studying.
I don't know how to do this.
I know, not everybody can dothis and making it work and
(49:35):
we're able to see Jordan righthere on a screen, and people on
podcasts don't see that normallyunless it's a video podcast,
but thank you for what you'redoing in Virginia.
If people would like moreinformation about the Percival
Tree of Life Ministries inVirginia Percival Virginia Tree
of Life Ministries they've got awebsite.
Can you tell us what that is?
Speaker 4 (49:51):
Of course, tolministriesorg and we'd be
happy to.
Of course, you can reach out tome anytime and be happy to
share more information or answerany questions.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
Yeah, you never know who's going to end up in
Virginia, like a kid of mine.
So.
I'm going to be talking to herabout this here real soon about
you guys, because she was raisedin rescue ministries as well.
To her about this here realsoon about you guys, because she
was raised in rescue ministriesas well.
So she loves them and so,anyway, well, we have Jordan
Smith, part of the CityGateNetwork emerging leaders from
Virginia, that's joined us todaywith Amanda Broyles of talking
(50:22):
about passing the baton, gettingpeople equipped to move forward
to really honor the Lord, meetthe needs of people right where
they are, all over this nationand, obviously, all over this
world.
Thank you for listening today.
If you'd like more informationabout the Topeka Rescue Mission,
you can go to trmonlineorg.
(50:42):
That's trmonlineorg, and thankyou for being a part of what's
happening here in Topeka, kansas, through being a part of a
community that's on a mission.
Heavenly Father.
We thank you, lord, for God,your blessings, your provisions
and God, just this time torecord another podcast.
Lord, thank you for goodfriends that are serving
together to serve those in need.
Lord, thank you for this time,thank you for our special guest
today.
Pray blessings over him andthis conversation.
And, lord, we just invite yourspirit here right now.
(00:21):
Father, in your holy name, wepray Amen.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hello Father, in your holy name we pray Amen.
Hello everybody, thank you forlistening to Our Community, our
Mission.
A podcast of the Topeka RescueMission here on Wednesday,
january 29th 2024.
This is episode number 254.
This is your host, barry Feeker, here with Executive Director
Topeka Rescue Mission, lamandaBroyles.
Good morning, lamanda.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
That's impressive.
You did that all in like onebreath.
I read it right here Joshwrites it down.
You follow the directions well,I follow the directions yes.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Kind of got it down after 253 of these.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You've done it a couple times 254,.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, that's awesome, so I had my eyes closed
actually.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
But anyway Impressive .
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I'm not awake yet, so how are you?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
That is always a loaded question, that's why,
okay, moving on.
I know that's right.
I mean I probably should belike blessed and highly favored.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
It's been kind of cold, but it's been cold, yeah,
and the United States and busyUh-huh and.
But some really good thingshave been happening.
Yes, chiefs won barely again.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Barely, yeah, barely again, which apparently is
incredibly divisive in the restof the country.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I know they think they're cheating and the rest
are cheating.
I don't understand that it'snot happening.
It's AI.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Our sweet receptionist here, nancy.
She is a diehard Chiefs fan andI saw something yesterday on
social media and it made methink of her, but it showed like
heartbeats, and so it showed anormal heartbeat and a flatline
heartbeat and then it was justsquiggles all over the screen
and it said watching the Chiefsplay.
And I sent that to Nancy and Isaid I think this is you every
(01:55):
time and she said it is, I'mgoing to need oxygen for the
next game.
And I said I know you are.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
But we are global and are so, yeah, but we are global
and so if we are offensive toyou, get over it, because the
Chiefs are going to be in theSuper Bowl again and hopefully
going to have their third win,we hope, and so be really
disappointed if they don't.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
But anyway, we're talking to the refs now to get
them ready, that's right, andplease note, the person that
said get over it is the formerexecutive director, not the
current, and I didn't step downwillingly, that's right.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I'll tell you what.
So anyway, well, we're glad youjoined us today, lamanda.
We last week had a very heavyconversation in regards to the
weather and the warming centersand fortunately we're warming up
here a little bit for a brieftime.
Hopefully we're not going tohave any more of that.
So one of the things we didn'tget done last week is talking
(02:51):
about the importance of the day,and so this day, on January
29th, is really extremelyimportant for the state of
Kansas because it is called drumroll.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Kansas Day, kansas Day, that's right.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, if you all didn't know, this is Kansas Day
and we're the 34th member of theUnited States formed.
In what year?
I know you're from Arkansas,which is a foreign country, and
you have schools there.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Listen to that.
Yes, but I'll tell you, inArkansas we didn't study Kansas
history, but do you know how I?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
remember this, yes.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Because it's a hundred years.
Oh no, it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
So no offense to you all from Arkansas, the public
school system.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Lamanda was there Because I was born in 1987.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And so yeah.
Never mind, but it does meanthat we're what?
148?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
1861.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
148.
Get the calculator out.
I don't know, I don't know, Ican't take the pressure.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Moving on past Kansas Day and the number of years
it's been around and those kindof things.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
It's 1877.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It says right here so that's 148.
Celebrated in 1877, yeah, butit became a member of the United
States in 1869.
Oh shoot, I didn't read well,all right so.
But it's also another importantday, national Puzzle Day.
National Puzzle Day, isn't thatvery kind of representative of
every day?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, it's a puzzle.
Trying to put the piecestogether, trying to put the
pieces together.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, so, but one last thing, and then we're going
to move on to some moreimportant things.
It's National Corn Chip Day.
I thought that was on SuperBowl Corn chip like Fritos.
Well, that's nachos day, that'sright.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So anyway, nachos and jalapenos and pizza, yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Do you eat Fritos with your chili?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yes, have to yes.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I'm more of a cracker and ketchup girl yeah me too.
You are too.
You just like chili.
Anything with it.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Anything with chili, yeah.
So I like the crackers overhere over here.
I like the cheese over here.
I like the you know corn chipsover here.
I like the onions over here andall those kind of things.
Yeah, I like a little bit ofchili with my Fritos.
So, anyway, we'll have aspecial guest today that is not
with us here in.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Topeka.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
right now he's actually being interneted in
here, interneted into our spacehere in Topeka, kansas.
We're going to introduce him ina minute.
But LaManda, there is a veryimportant organization that
brings rescue ministriestogether.
That's been around over 100years and so it's a very
(05:17):
important ministry.
When I came on back in, youknow, when the park doors opened
and the animals got off and Igot off and no one was family,
it was called the InternationalUnion of Gospel Missions in 1986
.
International Union of GospelMissions.
It had been around for a longtime, started in New York City,
(05:37):
eventually became this veryimportant organization where we
could get in a car and go visitpeople at other missions once a
year, keeping in mind and thisis how tough it was for us back
in the old days there was nocell phones, there was no
internet, there was no email,there was nothing you'd carry
(05:59):
around in your pocket that toldyou what you were supposed to do
.
You had to remember, and soonce a year we had a meeting
that we could go to somewhereand a couple of district
meetings and so forth, and sothen it changed its name to the
Association of Gospel RescueMissions and about 2018, 2019,
it changed its name again forrebranding called the CityGate
Network Same organization justmoving and improving technology
(06:21):
and so forth, and so part ofthat, you've been able to really
get to meet a lot of reallycool people from around the
country and because oftechnology, you guys can stay in
real-time connection with eachother all the time.
What's that like as executivedirector?
How's it helped you?
I know it helped me to knowthat I wasn't the only one.
There were some others aroundthe country, around the world,
(06:42):
that were doing this kind ofwork with homeless and hunger
and so forth and the gospel, buthow has it affected you?
Coming into the position almostthree years?
Well, no, you're here longerthan that.
Three years as executivedirector come April.
How has it helped you to reallyexpand your thoughts?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I think you know, citygate Network is more than
just the yearly, and when wecome for the conference it's
incredible, from the generalsessions to the independent
sessions that we get to learnfrom, and the one that I'm
heavily involved in is theEmerging Leaders.
(07:29):
And what I love about EmergingLeaders is the level of support
that's there, not justprofessionally but personally,
because we're also connectedmany of us on social media, and
we connect through email texteach other on our birthdays,
just things like that, whereit's just we're doing life
(07:51):
together as much as we can,sometimes being on opposite
sides of the United States, andso there's this layer of support
that, just to me as a person,is fun because I'm I'm a social
person, I love people, butthat's also how I learn.
And so, professionally, what'sincredible is oftentimes we all
go to this conference, we meeteach other, but it doesn't stop
(08:15):
there.
Phone numbers are exchanged andum, you can get involved in
different ways, and so that'swhat we've done with the
emerging leaders is there'smonthly meetings, but there's
also a Facebook page, and thenit's just all that virtually yes
, yes.
And the other thing that I thinkis incredible about that is
(08:35):
what we do.
None of it builds upon eachother.
So if someone has to miss amonth or two months or three
months, when they are able tocome in, they don't feel like,
oh, I can't join now because Ihaven't been there the last two
months.
And we, jordan and I, have kindof done that intentionally
because we know people's busyschedules and we really just
(08:58):
want to be that group thatpeople can land on monthly,
regardless of what they haven'tbeen able to do the month before
and things.
So it's just, it's been such afun opportunity.
It's been also very important.
You know, as the ED, I evenpersonally have gone through
(09:18):
some pretty rough challenges,and so it's not just been about
how I can help lead orsupporting those that are in the
group.
They also have been so kind tome and such an encouragement
when they see things on ourFacebook page at the rescue
mission or they know we're goingthrough the warming centers and
(09:40):
such, I have people reach outsaying, hey, just so you know
we're we're praying for Topeka,we're praying for your people,
and so it's just.
When you asked me that question, I think I could just summarize
it by saying it's just an addedlayer of support that is so
valuable.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So over the years there's been different
connection groups within thenetwork executive directors,
food services case managers,shelter operators, those kind of
things.
How long is the EmergingLeaders group in play?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
So I think it was in play about four years before.
That would have been 2021.
So maybe 2018, 2017, they weretrying to really form this, but
it was kind of formed at theconference time.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And so people would come together and that about it.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
And Matt from the Milwaukee rescue mission led it.
Incredible guy, very smart,loves people, and so he really
tried to provide support andjust this opportunity for people
who he knew and the leaders atthat time knew were going to be
(10:53):
the next generation of rescuemission work.
And so then our guest in just aminute when he jumps on.
We made the mistake right ofasking some questions and saying
, hey, we think we might needthis.
And what we didn't know wasMatt had kind of been praying
(11:15):
for the next level that theemerging leaders needed to go to
, and he didn't think that thatwas him leading it with his
personal life, professional life, was him leading it with his
personal life, professional life.
But he believed in it so muchand so he and CityGate Network's
CEO, john Ashman, did a coupleof Zooms with Jordan and I and
said what do you feel likeemerging leaders need?
(11:37):
Because we have a lot of CEOsand executive directors retiring
and there is this gap ingenerations.
And so we know this work isimportant, we know it's what
God's called us to do, and sothat's how it kind of revised,
so in a very healthy placebefore Jordan and I.
(11:57):
But just times changed andwe've just tried to kind of take
it to this next level that'smatches and is appropriate for
the needs of the next generationof leaders.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I think that's very helpful.
It's not taking people who arenot in leadership necessarily.
They're in leadership indifferent positions within
rescue ministries andcultivating relationships for
furthering that leadershipdevelopment.
So any organization, if it'sgoing to work well, needs good
leadership that is emergingitself.
Well, needs good leadershipthat is emerging itself, and so
(12:29):
we have Jordan Smith here withus today and we're looking.
Jordan, we can see you here viathe internet, which is awesome.
This is our first time we'vedone anything like this, and so
you are from Tree of LifeMinistries in.
Where did I get that?
Percival, percival yeah,percival, west Virginia.
I was looking at my notes.
It's all over Percival, westVirginia.
I was looking at my notes.
It's all over Percival, westVirginia.
And so welcome to our community, our mission, and you're part
(12:50):
of the leadership.
I understand in regards to theemerging leaders.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Yeah, so good to be with you.
Just a quick correction there,it's Percival Virginia, oh, not
quite West Virginia.
Shoot West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Shoot, that was me I was right.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
That's all right.
Is there any problem with that?
I know I'm saying West Virginia.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Oh is there?
Is there West Virginia?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
is quite different to Virginia.
That's kind of like K-State KUhere, apparently yes or Kansas
City.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
She's sort of the other guys.
That's right.
So, anyway, thanks for thatclarification.
Yeah, so you're in Virginia, inPercival, right now.
Yeah, so talk about first ofall what you do there, what the
Tree of Life is, and then we'regoing to talk about the Emerging
(13:36):
Leaders and your role in thatand Amanda's role and what
that's all about.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
We'd be happy to.
Well, first of all, thank youfor having me on this podcast.
So grateful to be here, Reallyappreciate you guys and honored
to be a part of thisconversation.
So Tree of Life Ministries inshort, our mission is to reach
out to the poor and needy in thecommunity with the love of
Jesus Christ.
Interestingly, it's now goingon 17 years this year.
(14:00):
So 17 years ago my dad foundedthis organization, ultimately
prompted by the Holy Spirit andborn out of a church trying to
assist the needs locally withthe love of Christ.
And so five primary focus areas, five branches if you will food
, life skills, health care,shelter and relief are the
(14:22):
focuses.
And that's taken straight outof the gospel of Matthew and how
Jesus addressed the needs inthe community.
And we've ultimately led withthose five areas of need.
And then out of that has comecurrently 23 ministries in the
community, spread out all overour county.
So it's a joy and pleasure tobe a part of this and I get the
(14:43):
opportunity to be the chiefdevelopment officer, which
simply means I get to help withthe fundraising efforts and get
to see, ultimately, God's gloryin all of it.
So it's truly a pleasure to bea part of it.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
So Jordan, you grew up in this ministry.
This started 17 years ago andyou look just a slight bit older
than 17.
And so your dad founded this,and you've been through this,
through seeing the developmentfrom very beginnings to where it
is now.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Yeah, and that's been pretty powerful because what
started ultimately in aconversation between a group of
leaders in a church, somedeacons got together and said
how do we address this?
And if you recall, this wasaround 2008, when it was some
financial hardship times, andthey responded and then
ultimately that came home and itwas living room conversation
(15:32):
between family members to saythere are needs in this
community and we are privileged,in a way, to live in one of the
wealthiest counties in America.
Believe it or not, loudounCounty is currently one of the
wealthiest counties in Americaand so you might think there are
no needs here, but that's notthe case and when you actually
go out into the community, youmeet these individuals,
(15:53):
oftentimes living in betweenthese larger homes or just
trying to make it by.
You realize there are needs andGod has placed each and every
one of us right where he has us.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Jordan describe to us the population maybe of
Percival and being one of thewealthiest counties in the
United States.
Why is there an issue?
Why are you guys needed there?
What do you find are thereasons for that?
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Yeah, good question.
Well, percival is just a smalltown.
Loudoun County itself, where weserve holistically, is a larger
population.
I should probably know thenumbers a bit better to reel
those off to you.
But it's not terribly too big.
It's still a small town feel,but Loudoun County is certainly
a growing population.
(16:39):
I think the connection there is.
We're only about an hour fromWashington DC, so oftentimes you
have those that work in DC comeout to what we might classify
as the more countryside ofthings.
You tend to go west, enjoy lifethat way, but you will see a
discrepancy and you will see agap ultimately.
(16:59):
And so, um, it's easy enough toto live in this area and and
perhaps make the, the funds toget by, but then that creates a
larger gap for those that are inthis area and are trying to
keep up with, uh, expenses andinflation, and that gap only
gets bigger and bigger.
So oftentimes, even in thewealthiest of places, you see,
(17:20):
sometimes the poorest of peopleare the ones that are struggling
the most to keep up with timesand to be able to stay in this
town or this county, whichperhaps their families have
grown up in, which used to be aplace of farmers.
Ultimately, um, they're reallystruggling and so that's a huge
piece of it.
Is that gap and just thedifference between rich and poor
(17:41):
?
Speaker 2 (17:43):
I think we've all realized post-pandemic about the
cost of goods and services andhousing.
And so in a prosperous area,like we've seen around a number
of other prosperous communitieslike Seattle, washington, where
the housing costs outpriced thepeople to be able to afford a
place to live, and it soundslike that may be part of what's
(18:05):
going on when the prosperity ofPercival is that as you do
better, then the supply anddemand is a big challenge, and
then of course, that affectsyour everything food and
utilities and so forth.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Well, and to touch on that, to give you an idea we're
looking at, I believe theaverage home in this area most
recently has been three quartersof a million dollars.
I mean that is a ridiculousamount of money, and it's hard
to purchase a home if you havemoney right, just because of
supply and demand, but if you'rewithout, I mean there are so
many challenges.
Housing is probably the numberone need right now in this area,
(18:41):
and so it's a real challenge.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
I have family in Virginia as well, in Fairfax,
and so just outside of DC, mydaughter and family are there
and they have an apartment and Idon't remember what the square
footage of it is, but it's notvery big, but it's nearly three
times what the cost of buying ahouse in Topeka, kansas, would
be just to rent.
And of course, in Fairfax it'sa million people plus or
(19:04):
whatever in that community justoutside of DC.
So I have a visual of what thatcould be like in Percival and
how hard that is for people thatare so far away from being able
to get there.
And so who stands in the gapfor these folks?
And so 17 years ago your dadand others felt the call of the
(19:24):
Lord to stand in the gap, and soit sounds like it's been pretty
successful.
And you're in this place ofdevelopment of resources to come
in Talk about that.
I mean that's in fundraising.
A lot of people call itdevelopment fundraising.
There are techniques in gospelministries.
(19:44):
There are some techniques but awhole lot more reliance upon
the Lord.
How do you balance those?
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Great question.
Yeah, we've seen a lot ofgrowth in development
specifically.
Just to give you an idea ofthings, when I joined the team
officially as an employee, ifyou will, staff member in 2019,
we were looking at a budget ofjust over half a million dollars
operating budget in order tocomplete the ministry work in
the local community In just theshort amount of time in the last
(20:13):
few years.
We're now looking at two and ahalf million as an operating
budget, which just goes to showbig growth.
Yeah, and that that's the lordultimately.
I mean, with all funding right,it's all the lords we get to be
stewards of those funds and usethem as he sees fit.
But ultimately that's that'ssharing the love of christ in so
(20:33):
many different ways and andthat's just profound impact over
just a short amount of time.
But we've seen an immenseamount of growth and just goes
to show that the need is hereand that the Lord is wanting us
to be in this community and he'sshowing his ways to find his
glory, to give us theopportunity to give him glory in
(20:56):
many different ways of need.
So it's an honor.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah well, sounds like God is honored what you're
doing there in a prettysubstantial way.
That plus the growth of theministry itself.
So CityGate Network I'm sure anumber of years you've been
familiar with it and you're apart of it.
It's a membership organizationof different rescue ministries
and they're not all doing thesame thing the same way.
(21:19):
There's very unique ways ofdoing things.
If people went to your website,tree of Life there in Virginia,
in Percival, and went to PikaRescue Missions, you'd see some
similarities and somedifferences.
But CityGate brings it alltogether.
What's been the value ofCityGate Network to you
personally?
Speaker 4 (21:38):
You hit it on the head there, bringing it together
.
What's been the value ofCityGate Network to you
personally?
You hit it on the head there,bringing it together.
I think relationship is so, sokey.
I mean to know that there areothers across state lines,
across the other side of thecoast, doing something similar,
to ultimately be in the trenchesand fighting for those that are
less fortunate and for thosethat need a hand up.
(22:04):
It's just so amazing to be apart of that kind of group and
be aware of the needs across thenation and then relate it to
your own ministry and your ownwork, to ultimately come
together and learn from oneanother, develop together, grow
together, and so it's beenreally amazing for me.
And sometimes we do get caughthaving our blinders on and just
seeing what's right in front ofus and just focusing on tasks at
hand or what we see in our owncommunities.
But when you take thoseblinders off and you realize
(22:26):
ultimately what God's doingacross the nation, across the
world, it's powerful.
I mean, I've got tinglesthinking about it now and it's
just.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
God is at work in so many different ways, in so many
different areas, and sometimesyou just need to be reminded of
that and connect with someoneelse to know you're not alone
and god is doing some amazingthings across this nation we can
take our um history back tobefore there was even telephones
, um, which is before all of us,lamanda, even before me, I know
(22:56):
so.
But the Salvation Army was outin the field and dispersing, or
deploying, I should say,different individuals in the
army, different officers thatwould go to share the gospel in
various places, and a lot ofthose officers were having a
significant challenge becausethey felt very alone.
And so back in the day,according to history that I've
(23:21):
learned about is that theheadquarters in the United
States sent telegrams to all ofthe outposts where the Salvation
Army was, but they didn't havemuch money, so they just put one
word in the telegram others,just others To let people know
there were others, not themalone.
Today the Salvation Army hasone of the most prestigious
awards today, called the OthersAward, and if you get the Others
(23:44):
Award, yeah, you've kind ofmoved up the ladder of
importance to the Salvation Armytoday.
And so that's what CityGate isit's reminding each person
that's involved that they're notalone.
That there are others, but youdon't have to have a telegram
with one word.
Today you have much moresophisticated opportunities to
get together in person, as wellas what we're doing right now.
(24:04):
So in this emerging leaders, Ithink it's awesome because it
cultivates the next level.
I mean, lamandu, you're anexecutive director, jordan,
you're the development officerin the shelter there, so it's
not just for one particular partof ministry work, it takes that
leadership, and so you guys areleading this.
From what I understand, youkind of were voluntold or
(24:26):
volunteered or coerced defrauded, whatever the case might be.
Talk about your relationship inVirginia and you've learned
something, LeMann it's not WestVirginia.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
I know it's Virginia that George had.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
And I bet he knows where Kansas is because he
watches the Kansas City Chiefsand he goes after the Chiefs.
He was on the Missouri team.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Well, and then Lauren .
She is CEO of Winchester, westVirginia, I believe.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Is it still Virginia?
No, no, virginia.
Do I know?
Speaker 3 (24:54):
anybody in West Virginia.
Can we just have them on?
I think there was nearly a war.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Maybe there was a war around that kind of stuff years
ago.
So be very careful the linesare drawn, and I think Candace
was blamed for some of that,which was maybe a good thing.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Then you know what?
There's someone in WestVirginia we need to friend, and
then we'll just have them onhere and we'll have it right.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Anyway, she's time too.
All right, everybody, she'sfrom.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Arkansas.
We've established that.
So, anyway, what's it like?
I mean, you guys, if you'regoing to lead this thing and
again, you don't see each other,but maybe once or twice a year
in person, what does that mean?
What do you do, how do you leadit, how do you co-lead this
thing, and why?
Speaker 4 (25:41):
You want me to go first?
You want to go first, you gofirst.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
You're so kind, you're so kind.
So I met Jordan a couple ofyears ago and I think both of us
were just so appreciative whenwe walked into um.
So when we go to theseconferences there'll, there will
either be a room available forall of us emerging leaders to
meet, or sometimes they willhave um like a suite that
(26:08):
they're that they reserve for us, and it just kind of depends.
And so it was super late onenight because the conference was
jam packed.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
So everybody, over a thousand people.
Yes, yes, fifteen hundred Yep.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
And so it was really late and I think we were all
just super tired.
It's so good, it's good stuff,but it's also late, and even
though we're emerging leaders,what I've learned is all of us
actually have like earlybedtimes, and so we were
cracking up at that because allof us were like, man, we're the
latest group meeting and we'reall ready for bed.
So it's kind of comical.
(26:41):
But what was incredible aboutthat was there was just this
synergy around the room where Ithink we all just looked at each
other and we're like there'sother people like us.
There's other people that haveno clue what they're doing but
are so willing to do it.
So many of us are sponges andwe're trying to learn from other
(27:06):
incredible people that are ourmentors.
There were people in that roomthat and I don't want to talk
about too much because then I'llcry and I have a busy day but
even that first night that I metJordan, people were astonished
at what I was learning from youas your ministry operations
director, because that's what Iwas the first year I went.
(27:27):
And so there were some peoplein that room that were like, oh,
I don't have that and I'mthinking well, doesn't everybody
have a Barry Like.
Isn't everybody learning thiswork like I'm learning?
And that was my first real timethat I realized that you and I
had something special, becauseit was my first time that I
realized that there are trulyand particularly in our age the
(27:51):
20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40year olds that are doing this
work and really withoutmentorship, that have been
called to it and are beingobedient and really feel alone.
And so, all that being said, Ithink there was just this
beautiful connection of all ofus of what was similar and then
what was different.
(28:11):
We all just kind of had thishungry to learn it and to keep
going, had this hungry to learnit and to keep going.
And so Jordan and I and one ofthe times we're kind of standing
in the corner by this table andI don't remember which one of
us said something, but it waslike we've got to keep this
going.
And so then I think it wasJordan, I'm going to blame it on
(28:33):
him, he may blame it on me.
One of us raised our hands andwe said what does emerging
leaders do after this?
And Matt was like good question, um.
And then it just kind ofevolved from that.
And so Jordan and I, I would sayit was just this instant
connection, um, and an instanttrust.
(28:56):
And then I think, now that youknow three plus years have
passed, I would say it's acalling like God.
Yeah, knew that he could use us, maybe because of ignorance or
just willingness, but I thinkthat's why we were instantly
(29:16):
bonded, almost as brother andsister, and then it was just
like we don't know what this isgoing to look like.
We want to hear what the othersneed and we want to just pivot
and be flexible with it, andthat's what happened.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
So, jordan, what is you guys?
Do you guys do a zoom um once amonth with the leaders?
You and LaManda then worktogether to kind of maybe talk
about what that's going to looklike, I guess, and uh, so what's
?
The whole outcome of that wasobviously having a time when you
can just kind of talk aboutrescue mission work, but is it
more than that?
Is it learning from each other?
(29:50):
Is it encouraging each other?
Is it getting to know eachother's personal story?
Um, as as as um, people that umare all over the place, but yet
, uh, there's a network here.
What?
What do you look forward to andwhat's your why of saying yes
to this?
Speaker 4 (30:08):
Yeah, great question.
Uh, it's a couple of things andfirst of all, amanda, you've
said it well there and just goesto show be careful what you
raise your hand for.
But I'm so grateful I did andI'm so grateful I met you and
I'm so grateful that that roomcame together and there was so
much energy and excitement andit's just been really cool to
see God continue that.
(30:28):
And so what do these monthlymeetings look like?
And the gatherings and thecontinued conversations is
carrying on that relationshipand it is, first and foremost,
it's checking in.
It's like how are you doing?
I mean, how many times do weliterally ask someone across
state lines how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (30:43):
How is?
Speaker 4 (30:44):
it out there, how are you on this topic or in this
weather, because it different,right, and so um.
But it's checking in with thempersonally as well and just
saying are you okay, how can Ibe praying for you?
And there's power in that, sothat that, so I would say, is
priority.
Step one is just checking inwith one another and continuing
that relationship, not just oncea year, but throughout the year
(31:05):
, and then it's hearing fromthem.
It's hearing from everyoneinvolved, hearing what the needs
are across the nation, what aresome challenges, what are some
areas of growth that we can talkabout, or how can we learn from
one another.
And so what we try and captureand understand is okay, is this
mission doing this well andwould you be willing to share
(31:26):
that with other missions orministries, to say, hey, they're
doing it really well and wecould learn from them?
Or someone has some questionson a particular topic?
Can we address this togetherand have a conversation?
So it's connecting andunderstanding, ultimately, how
we can assist one another, howwe can pray for one another, how
we can support each other and,ultimately, to praise God.
(31:48):
I mean again, just take a stepback and say, okay, god's doing
this here?
What's God doing there?
And when you hear all thesedifferent praise reports, it's
awesome.
So we get to pray for eachother, we get to support each
other, we get to grow together,develop, learn and praise God
together, and there's power inthat.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
I can imagine sometimes, when maybe things
aren't going so well in yourministry or personal life or
whatever, and somebody that youcan talk to, that you can trust
and maybe get encouraged by that.
Hey man, I was going throughthat same thing and here's what
God did in my situation or camethrough.
I'm sure that, with the successof development that you have
(32:28):
achieved there in a very shortamount of time through prayer
and through connections in yourcommunity, is very encouraging
to others that that can be done.
When you're not sure that itcan be, just to know that this
is what we experienced, this ishow we did it, that can be very,
very encouraging.
(32:49):
So what are the qualificationsof being involved in becoming
emerging leaders?
So is there obviously part ofCityGate, I'm assuming a staff
member?
Maybe not.
Maybe it's volunteers.
What are the qualifications fora person to be considered a
member of the Emerging LeadersGroup?
Speaker 3 (33:11):
You would not be eligible.
He gets jabs in on me all thetime, so when I can get him, I
better get him, josh.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Do you know my attorney's number?
Go ahead and get him on theline.
We got a little discriminationgoing on here.
I think it's called agediscrimination.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Yes, so what we say is I brought this up.
I know, I know I walked rightinto that one.
What we say is we don't excludeanybody, but our target is 40.
That's right, 40 or younger,but positions don't matter.
You know we have some that someof the ministries are heavy
(33:51):
with sheltering, some aren't,some are heavy with food service
and there's some that's morework, training and all of that.
So it doesn't matter what type.
Where your ministry fits in withthe rescue mission work Doesn't
matter what your title is, itis staff members.
So right now it's notvolunteers that are staff
(34:12):
members of ministries and rescuemissions, but really the
thought behind it is we want ourgroup to help individuals grow,
and sometimes that doesn't meanjust professionally, because,
personally, if support is neededand the right support isn't
given, just as us as people,then your professional life
(34:34):
takes a hit.
And so I love how Jordanmentioned that.
Like every call that we're on,that's the first way that we
start.
We're like, hey, what's newwith everybody?
How are you doing?
And not so much this year, butlast year we had a couple of
meetings where we didn't evenget to the topic.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
The topics could be what?
Speaker 3 (34:54):
They're a wide range.
For instance, in January we hadto cancel it because of the
warming center and I couldn't beon, but that was going to be
like volunteer services, and sowe've had everything from
specific fundraising ideas.
We've had talks on there aboutcommunication strategies, social
media.
We've had things on there abouthow to handle believe it or not
(35:18):
even though we're ministries,we have personnel issues.
Can you believe it?
Speaker 2 (35:21):
No, never happened on my watch oh okay.
More than every day.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Okay, I guess I didn't inherit that, I created
it, no, so we've talked aboutpersonnel matters and loved that
one.
I mean, we were really talkingabout when you have to run
things like a business with HRand policies and procedures, but
yet that doesn't trump thegospel, and so also, you know,
(35:46):
praying for those situations andhaving the crucial
conversations.
So we've had topics about that.
We've had when things bubbledup and we were all watching it.
You know cases that mighthappen and ordinance changes
things like that.
So it kind of just depends.
But what we do is at theconference we have a link, and
(36:09):
the link we send it out and it'skind of like a survey where
people can give their input onwhat they would like to see, and
then we try to map it out andthen we look at who are the
speakers and that kind of thing.
So sometimes, though, that getsthwarted because of either
busyness or we change the coursebecause what we thought might
(36:35):
need to be that need for thatmonth isn't, and so we really
try to be flexible with that.
Also, in the holidays,sometimes we choose not to meet
because we recognize we reallyneed to just be lifting each
other up in prayer, but peoplecannot give one more hour and so
we just try to really do itbased on needs.
So I love how Jordan mentionedthat as the focus.
(36:55):
It really is from the contentto just the check-ins.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
I think one of the things that's become more
apparent and it's safer to talkabout it in regards to the kind
of work that rescue ministriesdo is that it's not just done
out of the goodness of yourheart or your relationship with
God.
It's hard work and many people,if they don't have the support
just like we all need ineverything that's difficult in
(37:20):
life, if we don't have thesupport, we may not stay.
We may not last, and I thinkthat's one of the real big
challenges there.
Well, this sounds like how manypeople are involved currently
in the Pur out of the city gatenetwork?
Speaker 3 (37:33):
I don't even know what we're up to on Facebook now
.
I believe it's 50 something onthe Facebook page, um, and we
can have anywhere betweenmeetings of five to 10 people on
the call to two dozen.
It just kind of depends, um,and that's why we try to keep it
fluid, um, because we recognizepeople's loads.
(37:54):
We're also working on timechanges, so we're not all in the
same time zone, um, so that canbe a challenge, um, but what's
needed?
Speaker 1 (38:02):
currently.
Sorry.
I just looked it up real quick.
Currently there's 114 memberson the Facebook.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
Okay, so we tried it on the Facebook page.
Uh, when we started out, westarted out with not even a
Facebook page.
And so then Jordan and I had aZoom conference with the at that
time the CEO, john Ashman, andhis team.
And it's kind of comical now Ithink we all laugh, but I think
(38:28):
the team was like what is Jordanand LaManda wanting to do?
Because, rightfully so CityGatehas very strict parameters of
their social media and theirwebsite because they're orderly
and they have to be becausethey're dealing with 300 of us
rescue missions that need them.
Um, but I do think that Jordanand I kind of threw this like
(38:51):
curve ball of yeah, theconference is great, but ongoing
is better.
And well then, it was well, howare you going to do this?
And we're like oh, we're goingto do Zooms.
Well, who's going to own theZoom link?
Topeka, will you know?
I mean, it was just all ofthese different things.
So we got on this zoom and wewere like okay, we want to have
(39:14):
a monthly zoom, we want to havea Facebook page, we want to
create an emerging leaderswithin the city gate network
website so that we can emaileach other.
I mean, we had this whole listof things and the team were so
nice, but I think they weretrying to wrap their brain
around.
Basically, this is a wholenother cohort, and how much did
(39:36):
they involve themselves and howmuch did they let us run with it
?
And John just kind of listened,the at that time that the CEO,
and then finally he just saidthis is the direction we need to
go.
And we all just kind of satthere and looking at each other
and we're like, ok, now what arewe going to do?
So we got off that Zoom and thenJordan and I stayed on and it
(39:59):
was one of those things.
We weren't sure what to do next, but we knew we had permission.
And so we looked at each otherand we were like, well, we're
celebrating.
Now what?
Because we both have our ownpositions, our own jobs, and now
we've just accepted taking onhowever many.
So what was the first year?
You and I had like a small goalon the Facebook page.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
It was like well, it was over 50 active and now it's
over a hundred, so it'scontinuing to grow.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
But at first, I think Jordan and I were like you know
, if we get get 20 people onthis Facebook page the first
year, it's going to prove thatit's OK, it's going to prove
that this is important.
And so we did that.
We got the 20.
And then we had the nextconference and they put two or
three emerging leaders sessionswithin the conference and so,
(40:52):
jordan, I planned out thesegetting to know you activities.
We did some leadershipactivities, all of this stuff,
and I was greeting.
Jordan was in the room talkingto people and people just kept
coming through the door andcoming through the door, and I
looked at Jordan at one pointgoing we have no other room and
everybody's still coming, and weended up packing.
(41:16):
I think it was like 50something people in that room,
yes, and we were like, yep, thisis what we need to do.
That's 50.
And it's the same way, even ifit was 10.
No-transcript, and we were alljust so eager to teach and learn
(41:52):
, um, and so it was incredible,and so we're going in the right
direction.
Um, it's.
It is a lot to juggle sometimes,I think, because, jordan, this
is above and beyond what we dodaily, and so sometimes there
are texts where it's like you'regoing to be on the call, right,
okay, good Cause, I can't be,and vice versa.
And what I love about that isthat Jordan and I can trust each
(42:16):
other so much with that that wedo all of this planning, we do
the surveys, we do all of thatfor people, but there's still a
level of understanding where Irecognize he's a person and he
has his own job and all of that.
He does that with me and wejust always have each other's
back as we are entrusted withthese incredible people all over
.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
I just want to say thank you to both of you for
doing this, because of havingbeen in that space before,
knowing that the lack of that orthe need for that or whatever
is a game changer, is a gamechanger.
We have Virginia and Kansascoming together here to help
cultivate relationship with awhole lot of other people, to
help them to not only just stayin the game, so to speak, but to
(42:59):
be able to flourish in the game.
Jordan, before we end heretoday, there's going to be
people listening here, goingwhere's he from?
So we've established it's notWest Virginia.
We've established it isVirginia, but there's an accent.
Established it's not WestVirginia.
We've established it isVirginia, but there's an accent
that's not either West Virginiaor Virginia.
Could you give us a littlebackground about the Scottish
accent that you have?
Speaker 4 (43:19):
Barry, I don't know what you're talking about.
I'm from.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
West Virginia through and through.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
That's good.
I've been putting on an accentthis whole time, but it's doing
my head so definitely.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
You've been in Virginia for a while.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
That better not be, your Arkansas accent.
Speaker 4 (43:36):
I'm in the heart of West Virginia.
I tell you that's good.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Well, there was another accent we detected here.
But there's, a connection toeven Kansas in this.
So, for our listeners, catch usup this lineage that you have
here.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
Yeah, it's a funny story.
So originally I'm born inEngland, manchester.
England, is my hometown and theconnection here between Kansas
and my family is my mom isactually from Kansas and my
grandfather actually answeredthe call to be a missionary and
start a church in England, inManchester, and boldly went
(44:13):
across, honored and obeyed theLord and in this community where
there was not much God, notmuch church, started a church,
started a Bible study group,moved into a home and right
opposite that home was my dadand his family and so this
American couple moved in andthere was this Bible study and
my dad and his family were likethis American couple moved in
and there was this Bible study.
My dad and his family were like, what's this all about?
(44:34):
So they went over and, believeit or not.
My English side of the familycame to know the Lord through
this Bible study and through mygrandfather, who honored and
obeyed the Lord, to move fromKansas to Manchester not knowing
anything or understanding whyhe would place in there.
But this church grew.
They had a school bus thatwould go out and collect kids
(44:56):
and there's individuals thathave come to Christ through this
opportunity and through thischurch gathering, and my
families have been connected andmy mom and dad were connected,
started dating at an early age Ibelieve they were 12 and
holding hands at the back of thechurch.
Just a profound story, profoundimpact of how the Lord brings
these different culturestogether, families together, in
(45:18):
his timing, for his purpose.
And so now you have me.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
So God was doing some emerging leadership stuff a
long time ago.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Well, jordan, thank you for joining us and thank you
for what you're doing, you andLaManda, partnering with this,
this emerging leader.
It's very important.
Lamanda, I have some bad newsfor you.
You're getting close to agingout, I know.
So I'm going to start a groupcalled Emerging Old and
Forgotten Leader.
So, lamanda, I will consideryou being a part of that.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
You know, I, on a serious note, even though you're
just being a meanie I have beentelling them that I said just
so.
Y'all know, every year I'm likewhen we meet at the conference,
I'm like, and then I'm justreminding you all I'm about to
age out, or I'll say I'm aboutto get kicked out.
And a couple of them haveteased me and they're like oh no
, we're always going to keep youin.
You know, um, but I think thatis something that has been neat,
(46:16):
um, probably for me and Jordan,but particularly me because of
this position.
It's been neat to be the newkid under you and to learn it
and then to have and to learnhow to take on things.
But then, with this EmergingLeaders, I mean I love it, I'm
(46:39):
invested in it, the people areamazing and we have so much fun
and they're just authentic.
But I have been looking at thiswhole time going and I don't
know if it's the age limit thingor if it's just God changing me
as a leader, but we shouldalways be looking at who is
going to carry this on and it isa reminder, and Jordan and I
(47:04):
I've heard Jordan say this somany times and I love it and I
think it shows his, um, hishumbleness, and that's one of
the things I love it, and Ithink it shows his, his
humbleness and that's one of thethings I love about him too.
But we've both said this isn'tthe LaManda and Jordan show.
We just saw the need and sawpeople want it and were willing
to do it.
But at any time other peoplefeel like God's calling them to
(47:27):
lead it, we will step aside ifpeople have better ideas or they
feel like God is calling themto lead something or whatever.
We want to be obedient to thatand so I joke all the time that
I'm approaching the 40.
But on a serious note, it hasbeen neat to be the new kid
taking on things but then alsolooking at something that in my
(47:49):
opinion, is so precious, soimportant, so valuable, but to
know it's not about me or Jordanand that both of us are ready
to pivot at any time, to handthis over to someone else that
God sees fit for it.
We want to do that because wecare about the cause more than
our careers or our leadership inthis, more than our careers or
(48:10):
our leadership in this, and Ijust appreciate God's work.
You know personally on my ownheart to learn that skill, I
guess.
Speaker 4 (48:18):
So you're equipping emerging leaders, If I can just
add to that as well.
I mean, I would challenge alllisteners to this podcast.
Think about who those emergingleaders are, Think about the
next generation and maybechallenge yourself and ask
yourself are you investing inthem?
Are you investing your time howthe Lord's blessed you and used
(48:39):
you in your testimony?
Are you sharing that to others?
Are you allowing there to be atransition, a healthy transition
, in organizations and families?
All sorts of personal,professional ways?
But, there's so much power againin the older generation, if you
will talking to the youngergeneration and helping with that
transition.
So I challenge anyone listeningto this are you investing into
(49:02):
an emerging leader and are youassisting and supporting each
other?
It goes both directions.
Make sure that the Lord's workcontinues and he continues to be
glorified in all ways.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
Yeah, that's really well said.
Well, jordan, thank you forbeing kind of.
In our experimental, we'recrossing on our podcast, our
community, our mission to beable to talk with people around
the country, and so, and JoshTurley, thank you for studying.
I don't know how to do this.
I know, not everybody can dothis and making it work and
(49:35):
we're able to see Jordan righthere on a screen, and people on
podcasts don't see that normallyunless it's a video podcast,
but thank you for what you'redoing in Virginia.
If people would like moreinformation about the Percival
Tree of Life Ministries inVirginia Percival Virginia Tree
of Life Ministries they've got awebsite.
Can you tell us what that is?
Speaker 4 (49:51):
Of course, tolministriesorg and we'd be
happy to.
Of course, you can reach out tome anytime and be happy to
share more information or answerany questions.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
Yeah, you never know who's going to end up in
Virginia, like a kid of mine.
So.
I'm going to be talking to herabout this here real soon about
you guys, because she was raisedin rescue ministries as well.
To her about this here realsoon about you guys, because she
was raised in rescue ministriesas well.
So she loves them and so,anyway, well, we have Jordan
Smith, part of the CityGateNetwork emerging leaders from
Virginia, that's joined us todaywith Amanda Broyles of talking
(50:22):
about passing the baton, gettingpeople equipped to move forward
to really honor the Lord, meetthe needs of people right where
they are, all over this nationand, obviously, all over this
world.
Thank you for listening today.
If you'd like more informationabout the Topeka Rescue Mission,
you can go to trmonlineorg.
(50:42):
That's trmonlineorg, and thankyou for being a part of what's
happening here in Topeka, kansas, through being a part of a
community that's on a mission.
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