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BEING BIARS
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​Our Ministry Experience

Okay, so Megan and I are great people, but are we really fit for this? That's an important question to ask. In fact, if I'm you, I want to know a couple things: 

  1. Have we demonstrated a passion for ministry?
    Ministry is unique, because all believers are called to be ministers (2 Cor. 5:11-21), yet only a few are paid for their services or called into a vocational role. It is my personal conviction, therefore, that someone should show a clear passion for and involvement in ministry on a volunteer basis before any form of compensation is in the picture. 
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    After all, most of us have probably received that phone call from our college-buddy-turned-insurance-agent and thought, 'Since when are you a money person?' We're skeptical because we can't tell if they're really apt for what they're doing or if they're just after a sale. That makes a big difference. Without genuine vision, no minister or missionary (or insurance rep) will succeed in the long run. ​

  2. Do we have a track-record of success in ministry?
    In the support-raising context, maybe you've known someone who is incredibly nice and well-meaning, but can't offer much tangible explanation on what work they've actually accomplished. As a result, you're left wondering if they care about their mission as much as you do!
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  3. How long have we been at it?
    Anyone can be good at something for a little while - or at least make it look that way on the outside. However, over time, it comes to the surface whether or not our role aligns with our strengths. 

These are all perfectly fair curiosities, and crucial to consider when it comes to your financial investments. And let me be clear: we would never ask you to support us if we weren't confident in our answers to these questions! Below, I'll do my best to address them, but if you'd rather take our word for, it the short answers are: yes, yes, and nine years total, three of which vocationally. I respond more thoroughly below, not with an intent to boast by any means, but simply to provide you with context that you may find helpful in determining whether or not to partner with us.  
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Highlights

Passion
Since high school, God has been the focus and passion of our lives. Beyond general church involvement, I was a leader in my youth group, chaplain in my orchestra, and Christian mentor for several peers and underclassmen at my high school. Added together, Megan and I have been on or led over two dozen mission trips in the past ten years. 

When we arrived in college, that passion continued to grow. For a while, it was literally every evening I'd be at some church service, Bible study, small group, or Christian organization meeting, and my free time was spent doing more of the same: growing in my faith and helping others grow in theirs, too. I remember one time my parents expressing concern that I was becoming, for lack of a better term, 'too Christian' - not a bad problem to have as a parent sending their kid off to college! :)

In our church, Megan and I both quickly became small group leaders, and soon after began leading and coaching other small group leaders as well. We always made ourselves available to those around us, and often shared the love of God with friends and classmates who didn't know Him. During Megan's year of grad school, we participated in a 9-month program at our church called the Antioch Discipleship School, because apparently we hadn't yet had our fill. :) The more that time goes on, the more convinced we become that God is worthy of our entire lives! 
Track Record & Longevity
Overall, we've been involved in ministry leadership for nine years now, and I have been on staff at Antioch for the most recent three. Within that near-decade, we've had a wide range of experiences.

We've led at the grass roots level, including everything from initiating conversations with strangers, starting small groups from scratch, and meeting with people individually to further develop and care for them. We've engaged in cross-cultural missions, spanning everywhere from the East Coast to the Middle East. We've also led from the top high level: coordinating large scale events, producing college services, facilitating trainings for our volunteer leaders, and strategizing about our direction as a ministry. 

As for the quality of our leadership, it's a little tricky to say exactly, because obviously any outcomes have to do with much more than just us. We've certainly made our fair share of mistakes, and we've encountered hurdles along the way, but by the grace of God, we've had positive experiences on the whole when leading in ministry. 

Consistently, the groups we've led have thrived, grown, and multiplied in number and depth, as have the individuals we've invested in. That includes not only groups that we were given to lead, but groups that we helped start from nothing - both locally and abroad. Thousands have been directly touched and involved. Countless have risen completely out of  sinful addictions, and into mighty leaders in the Kingdom of God. Dozens of healthy marriages have formed. The lost have been saved, and the saved have been empowered. What fun!! I could tell stories for hours for each of the past 9 years, so don't hesitate to ask if you'd like to hear more :)
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Thank you for taking the time to visit Being Biars! This website exists primarily as an outlet for us to communicate about our personal lives and ministry. The content you'll find here is written by us and given from our vantage point - we speak solely on our own behalf and thus our words should not be considered as representative of our entire church or network. As always, if you'd like to connect or talk more, don't hesitate to reach out!
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