The Narrative of 2024

Walking into my friend’s house, I noticed a row of empty shoes lining the entryway. My memory was triggered to reflect on all of the places I have been over the past year–all of the places I have entered into and all of the things left behind. Now that I think about it, maybe that simple ritual planted the seed of an idea for my word of 2024, “Threshold.”

Threshold is a funny word. The root of it can be found in the idea that placing a plank at a doorway would keep the debris of the threshing floor out of the house, helping maintain a cleaner home. Wherever you are, most homes have some observable custom to accomplish this function. Some may remove their shoes, and others may wipe their feet on a rug outside the door, just inside the door, or both! The idea is to leave unnecessary clutter behind and enter into a new, clean space. It’s a good way to think about starting 2025.

Last year, we meditated on the idea of making room for Jesus. We addressed some of the complexities of leadership in our challenging realities. We heard stories of how leaders in our network are making sense and making progress. We also continued to remind ourselves that the Lord is with us, guiding and providing every step of the way. Each theme we covered will serve us well as we step into 2025. Let’s hold on to them and keep moving forward!

So what do we need to shed and leave behind? I have been evaluating my schedule and how I use my time. I have set some goals that will help me protect my margin to be ready for new and unexpected opportunities. I also want to spend more intentional time in prayer and thoughtful meditation. For this to happen, I need to leave some old scheduling rhythms behind. 

What lessons did you learn in 2024? I am sure this coming year will provide many opportunities for you to apply them. What are some habits and rhythms you need to leave behind? We are all standing at the threshold of a new year. God is doing a new thing through you as you use digital strategies to do your part in the Great Commission. 

As you go, please share your experiences in our WhatsApp group. We want to hear what God does as you trust him in new ways to make Jesus and His mission accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere they want to be a part of it! 

Together with you,

Cheryl

Great stories have an overarching narrative where the characters must overcome obstacles and change as a result. Think of Simba in The Lion King, who had to overcome guilt and the trauma of his father’s death to take responsibility for leading the kingdom.

As a leader, you regularly face challenges in your ministry and see leadership growth through addressing and adapting to these challenges. Last year, whether you noticed it or not, the Digital Download told an overarching content narrative that goes something like this:

God gives us a call to reach the world. But it isn’t easy…

Leaders shared about how they’re intentional about making room for God. “As we trust God for more fruitfulness and welcome more people into the throneroom of heaven, let’s not forget to make room for Jesus,” wrote our VP of Global Digital Strategies, Cheryl Boyd.

In responding to God’s call, it’s essential to keep the vision He gave you alive.  “The vision of DS can sometimes drift up into the stratosphere for me and become a lovely but nebulous hope,” wrote UK Digital Strategies Director Katie Thurston. “The best way I know to bring it back down to earth and keep it alive for me personally is to take a close look at the ‘somebodies’ right around me. How can our DS tools meet them where they are right now?”

Responding to that call also requires your team to have an audience-centered culture. To reach the people God has called you to reach, your team must know them and practice compassionate empathy together. “Compassionate empathy is about understanding a person’s predicament, feeling with them, and being spontaneously (by the Spirit) moved to help if needed. It is concerned with intellect, emotion, and action,” wrote Melissa Rike, Senior Digital Strategist for GDS. 

…We wrestle with the complexities of our world, understanding our audiences and organizational challenges…

We live in a complex and constantly changing world. That challenge is also a great opportunity if we leverage new approaches to make sense of our audiences and serve them well. “While past methods may have once proven effective, they now face challenges in the rapidly changing digital landscape. To remain relevant, we must embrace adaptation, innovation, and a shift in mindset,” wrote Siby, a national Digital Strategies leader in SESA. Cheryl shared about the Audience Map as a key tool to help you understand the people God has called you to love and reach.  

It can be challenging to lead well in these complex environments. Melody, the SESA Digital Strategies Leader, wrote about overcoming her struggles and self-doubt as a female leader in a male-centric region with more than 8,000 major languages. “What I find helpful in leading in a complex environment is to proactively connect with the leaders, keep the communications open, listen well, and be willing to understand every spoken and unspoken message they try to convey,” she wrote. 

Global Digital Strategies Chief of Staff Eric Coe wrote about the questions he asks that help him clarify how he can best contribute and lead amid complexity:

• What is my vision and mission?

• What are my priorities?

• What are the needs and priorities of those I am working with?

Leading in change isn’t easy, especially when the change feels thrust on us. But Cheryl reminded us that “our circumstances will constantly change. God will not. He is faithful to every promise. And while He doesn’t change, He is always doing a new thing that leads us to greater fruit and a deeper intimacy with Him.” NAO Digital Strategies Leader Karl Udy wrote about responding to digital disruption. “The most important thing is to prepare for possible digital disruptions. We can do this by innovating with digital technology ourselves,” Karl wrote. “We can also do this by holding lightly to our current processes and technology.” 

Amid the professional and personal challenges you face, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. But no matter your circumstances, Jesus meets you where you are. “Even when the world and our work are chaotic and complex, when there are many barriers to success, Jesus is strong and unchanging,” Cheryl reminded us. Lena, the Europe Digital Strategies Leader, wrote about how her unexpected move to Portugal brought many changes and unknowns. “But, as it always happens, it is in our biggest struggles that we’re drawn to God and see Him in ways we may not have seen before,” she wrote. 

… but with God, we can lean into complexity and change. As we connect and collaborate with others, we see more fruit…

With an agile mindset, we can adapt to the complexities and changes and lead strategies that meet our audience in those complex circumstances. Senior Digital Strategist Simon Seow wrote about how the founders of Indigitous felt God prompting them toward a “holy pivot” away from the original plan. Jomer Gallana, Cru Philippines Digital Strategies Leader, shared learnings from a recent conference, including an acronym for having an agile mindset as a leader:

• Adaptability

• Growth mindset

• Innovation culture

• Lifelong learner

• Empathy for our audience

In today’s complex world, ministry is no longer face-to-face or digital. Leaders who embrace that hybrid world can “engage people where they are in the moment, answering their questions and helping them navigate the complexities of the world around them as we remind them of truth and resource them with verses and tools that will help them grow,” Cheryl wrote. Naftal Katumbo, National DS Leader and Jesus Film Rep for Life Ministry Kenya, shared how he uses WhatsApp conversation starters to go deeper with the people he meets. 

Leaders can sometimes get caught up in the action of the day-to-day tasks, but it’s essential to take time for sensemaking. The easiest way to understand this is the views you get from a balcony or a dancefloor. The dancefloor is where the action is, and it’s exciting, but it’s hard to see all that’s happening from there. You get a better perspective of everything by stepping onto the balcony. “From there, you can see more and identify needs and opportunities,” Cheryl wrote. “You can spend a lot of energy on the dance floor. While it might be hard to tear yourself away from the action, a good leader steps away from time to time to get perspective.”

Part of the clarity we need as leaders is how to turn audience insight into right-sized innovation. OneHope’s Director of Innovation, Liam Savage, shared a diagram that helps you decide how to spend your time more intentionally. “Innovation best happens at the intersection of what your ministry can do and what your audience needs,” Liam wrote. Katie Thurston wrote about her team’s strategy for reaching Welsh speakers, a distinct audience often ignored in the UK. “We are celebrating the opportunity to reach out to people with the Word of God in their heart language and caring for them by making something just for them,” she wrote. 

Leaders who take time for sensemaking and right-sizing innovation don’t just lead those who report to them, though. In our organization, to become a leader of influence, you must become a multidirectional leader. “Our organization values interdependence and collaboration,” Cheryl wrote. “I need to work with every Regional VP, Strategy VP, Capacity VP, and every other member of the Global Executive Team for us to be successful in our part in the Great Commission.” Cheryl then shared five things you can do to lead those around you, above you, under your leadership, and your peers:

• Build Trust

• Listen

• Identify Common Ground

• Be open to new solutions

• Start small

LAC Digital Strategies Leader Selegna Diaz wrote about using the S3 leadership model to organize tasks and lead with purpose and grace. “When I apply this model, it allows me to manage diverse roles—from influencing those who lead me to collaborating with peers, guiding others, and being helpful to those outside my direct circle. Servant, caring, and diligent leadership impacts the work, strengthens relationships, and advances the mission we pursue together,” she wrote.

… so that we can make Jesus and His mission available to anyone, anytime, anywhere they want to be a part of it.

As leaders, we saw a lot in 2024. We answered God’s call, wrestled with the complexities of our world, leaned into that complexity through connection and collaboration, and helped make Jesus and His mission available to our audiences. That was the overarching narrative of Global Digital Strategies. We look forward to seeing what God has for us this year.