The Cru MPD Podcast

Ep. 39: MPD Highs and Lows with a Coach: Dan Lee

September 20, 2022 Katie Johnson & Michele Davis
The Cru MPD Podcast
Ep. 39: MPD Highs and Lows with a Coach: Dan Lee
Show Notes Transcript

Continuing our series, Highs and Lows with an MPD Coach: Dan Lee from the Campus Ministry shares how he joined staff, his struggles with MPD, and his joys of coaching and doing MPD.

Michele Davis:

Welcome to The Cru MPD Podcast with Katie Johnson and Michele Davis. We love that the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel to get their living by the gospel. We are driven to equip and inspire Christian workers to be Christ centered, fully funded, and financially faithful, so that missionary staff can come alongside all people to help them to know Jesus. This process is more widely known as ministry partner development for MPD for short.

Katie Johnson:

Hi, good morning. Today we have with us Dan Lee. Dan Lee is an MPD coach, a part of our team I've had the pleasure of working with Dan Lee, co leading workshops for NSO and getting to listen to all of his fun MPD songs which I hope he talks about a little bit on this podcast. If you don't know about Dan Lee songs, you should so there's a lot more to Dan than his songs. And so Dan, welcome. Welcome to our podcast. Thank you for joining us.

Dan Lee:

But it's good to be here.

Katie Johnson:

Yeah, we're excited. You're here. Could you just start by telling us a little bit more about you and your current life and your role and whatever you want to share about your background?

Dan Lee:

For sure. Well, I'm I'm an old guy. I've been with Cru my whole working career since 1981, which is I think about when some of y'all were born. And I've had a small detour to another ministry. But the story of how I got here to my current spot is really cool. So I I'd like to take a moment to tell you about that. Absolutely. So we were living in the Dallas, Texas area with another ministry that's the detour I was telling you about.This was five years ago, and we needed to make a change. Things were not good at this organization. And we had heard about the amazing things God was doing through the high school ministry here in Southern California. Now my wife is from SoCal. I'm from Northern Cal, and my first assignment was here in SoCal, so we're familiar with area. And my first many years on staff had been with high school ministry. So we thought it would be a great fit for us to maybe join the SoCal, the Los Angeles high school team, except that who can afford to live in Southern California. It's crazy, so expensive. At the same time, we were trying to figure out what to do with my recently widowed mother in law. My wife's dad had passed away and she needed a situation to live in. So long story short, one day, I sent an email to the team leader here in LA, saying, Hey, here's some different ways I could possibly help your team. Could you use someone like me? Later that same day my wife received a message from her sister, talking about her mom saying, Hey, mom did great on her investments. She's got money, she could buy a house. If you bought a house here in LA, would you want to come and live with her and take care of her?

Michele Davis:

Really?

Dan Lee:

So that was the same day?

Katie Johnson:

What

Dan Lee:

we were like, yes.

Michele Davis:

Yes, we would love a house in Southern California.

Dan Lee:

Two days later, we gave notice that our jobs two weeks later, we moved out of our house in Dallas. Two months later, we were on the road to Southern California. Now you may know this is a very large area and it could have been mom wants to live two hours away from where the ministry is but it turns out the sister we wanted to live near the sister so she could come and help and she does. And we live in Cerritos, California small little suburb in LA County, which is one community over from Lakewood, California, which is where my team leader and a bunch of our staff live. So it's super convenient. Everyone comes over here on Wednesday afternoons and hangs out in my living room for staff meeting. And it's really an ideal situation. So this was our pillar of cloud and pillar of fire moment with God and some monument really a big monument in our lives that we will never, ever forget.

Michele Davis:

So it's like he gave you a house and the ministry kind of a home base.

Dan Lee:

Yes, indeed. Yeah. Not only we meet here, but my house is also the storage unit for for.

Michele Davis:

So cool, Dan. Yes.

Dan Lee:

I love telling you that story. Yeah, so now I'm the Operations leader for the local team, as well as halftime being an MPD Coach.

Katie Johnson:

That's awesome. Okay, so I'm curious. What led you to coaching?

Michele Davis:

Yeah. How did the MPD coaching get added to your job?

Dan Lee:

Well, when I was coming back again, I had been with the high school ministry many years so I knew a lot of people and they knew me and Steve Huerd is the MPD leader for the high school ministry. So he got when I was coming back and you contact me, contacted me and said, Hey, would you want to consider being an MPD? Coach? Because there was a shortage of coaches for the high school ministry. So I thought, well, you know, I I like working with people. I have to give them encouragement. And so yeah, that would be seems like that would be a good fit for me. And so I said yes to that. And so I got trained as an MPD. Coach, while I was coming back on staff

Katie Johnson:

that's awesome I'm glad that Steve had recruited you for as an MPD coach. Because you're great at it and you're great at coaching and we're just really glad to have you in the coaching community. And so it sounds like you joined staff twice.

Dan Lee:

Yes.

Katie Johnson:

Okay. So I would love to hear back in the beginning how did you decide to join staff the first time?

Dan Lee:

Yes, yes, for sure. I was involved with the Ministry at my college, University of California Berkeley, Go Bears and I really had I grew up in a very, a church that didn't preach the gospel very well. And so when I got to college, and heard the guy get up front and teach from the word it was, as if I thought, This is what I've been waiting for all my life. And I was so hungry for the growth that I could get from coming to Cru. So I just continued on and crew and my staff leader like a good staff leader does challenged me to consider joining staff and I not only wanted to as the slogan needs to go back then to come help change the world. But I also wanted to continue surrounding myself with men and women who were on fire for Jesus, because I knew that I could graduate from college and get a job somewhere and be a mediocre Christian, but I wanted to say, stay strong in my walk with God by being continually challenged by people like that, and so I didn't know if it was going to be for two years or however long but by God's grace 41 years later, I'm still

Katie Johnson:

a bit longer than two years. Yeah. I love that. And so you since you've joined staff, two separate times, you've worked in MPD. Probably a bit over this 40 years in general to and your staff for life. What has been an MPD Hi, so you are welcome to mention multiple if narrowed down to one, but yeah, tell us some highs and MPD in your staff life.

Dan Lee:

Well, in 1997, my nine and a half year old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. And this was not a high this was personally obviously a big low for us. But the high was that we immediately because we were on staff and had a newsletter list. This was before the internet, pretty much so it was all by mail. But we had a large list of people who immediately were praying for us. They also rallied around us financially so that during the two and a half year period of my daughter's leukemia treatment, finances was one big thing. We did not have to worry about. By the way my daughter made it through she's 34 and has given us our cute little four year old granddaughter as well.

Katie Johnson:

Praise God. That's so cool. I know. I've heard you talk about your granddaughter. I've seen pictures, but I never knew that story about your daughter. And so that's really cool that God used your ministry partners in such a significant way. And it sounds like not just financially but also through prayer.

Dan Lee:

Yes, in fact, I visited some people recently and they reminded us they said our daughter every night said we need to make sure to pray for Katie she prayed for Katie every night during that time. It was very touching.

Katie Johnson:

So I'm sure on the other side of things, there's been some lows in MPD. And so could you share some maybe harder moments and your NPD journey as well?

Dan Lee:

Before I got married, I was honestly pretty bad at MPD I had a well, just to put it bluntly, I was lazy in many areas of life. So the woman I loved almost did not want to marry me because my support was was bad. Well she wanted me to care for her. So you know, I needed to have good support. And so she said, Well, when you get full support, then we can get married. And time went by and then she said well, when your account gets out of deficit, we can get married. And then more time went by and finally said forget it. So we got married anyway. And by God's grace, she actually had a very good network of believing friends. And we then raised support through her contacts and to this day, I'd say two thirds to three quarters of our ministry partner team are people that she knew. So that was a low was coming into marriage with bad support. But God was gracious another low even before that was I had there was a lady who, who had led me to Christ actually back as a high school student. And she wrote to me and said, Dan, I don't feel like I'm on your team because I never get a newsletter for you. So I'm so I'm dropping you. Oh my so that was a kind of a gut punch to be dropped by the person who led you to Christ. But I think that helped me to be more to start getting more serious about writing my newsletter more than once a quarter. I don't remember for sure. Some hard truth delivered in a hard way, but maybe resulted in good things. For sure. And of course, since getting married and being responsible for more than just myself. I've rarely missed now getting a letter out in the last 38 years.

Katie Johnson:

That's awesome. So okay, going back to your story with your wife and her being like, You got to get your support, you know, to a place where it's sustainable and not in deficit. Um, was she on staff when you guys got married?

Dan Lee:

She was not she was working in, in an aerospace company, actually. Wow. And was making pretty good money for for the title, my support team, but we knew back then. Actually, that one of her hesitations of marrying me in first place was that she did not think that she wanted to be on staff with Campus Crusade.

Katie Johnson:

Back then you both had to be on staff.

Dan Lee:

There was no there was no staff on staff off option at that time she's a very shy introverted person and her image crusades that people were that they were all loud and extroverted and kind of crazy. She remembers being on her campus at Long Beach State University. She was with the Asian American Christian Fellowship, which being kind of Asian it was full of people who are more studious and quiet and they did their team Bible studies on campus. And then to see these crazy Campus Crusade people playing slow mo football or doing outrageous things on campus and she thought oh, those people are just too weird. So and then she met me and she actually she told a friend who had asked her Are you interested in Dan and he? She basically said, Well, he's all too weird for me. Campus Crusade was too weird. I was too weird. And so God obviously did a few changes in her heart to get her to say yes to not only marrying me but to join staff with campus per se.

Katie Johnson:

That's cool. And then he provided so much through her and she's still she still on staff.

Dan Lee:

She was on staff with me for many, many years. When we came back to crew five years ago, she became the full time caregiver from for her mom that we live with. So right now currently, she is not on staff. Yet although she approves the expense reports for our 15 person staff team, which is a huge load off my team leaders mind. Yeah, that's like the job no one wants to do.

Katie Johnson:

I'm sure everyone is so thankful she's willing and

Michele Davis:

could she do that for the people I'm supposed to. able It's just that I only have Katie. I know but it's so hard. He like I think that I literally think my brain just doesn't work like the way Concur reports work. I have different brain skills. I have different brain strengths, but I do what's asked of me.

Dan Lee:

Believe me, the people on our team they're on our team because they're good with people. They're not on our team because they're good with administration. So it's a real blessing. My wife Pat takes care of that. And yeah, they make the same mistakes. Every month and she just bites her lip or mistakes or if it's, if it's egregious enough, sends the whole thing back and says you need to fix this.

Katie Johnson:

Yes, yes. That's great. Okay, so let's move into your now an MPD. Coach, so you've been an MPD Coaches sounds like for five years since I'm sort of doing stuff. I'm sure you've seen a lot of different coaching situations. You've coached a lot of different staff over those five years. Could you tell us some highs and coaching from a coaching perspective and MPD?

Dan Lee:

Well, overall, building relationships with really great people. There's so many wonderful guys and gals that I've worked with and I just I love making new friends. I love building relationships. Seen the quality of people who come on staff is really, really encouraging. And because I've coached now, quite a number of people knowing that even on a day when I'm doing nothing, like right now when I'm on sabbatical, the Great Commission is being advanced around the world by people that I've helped ascend. Also, because of the pandemic, many of my relationships in the last two and a half years have been all virtual. So it was so great to go to Cru22 and meet people in person, literally that I've ever only known online. And they in turn, got to meet Dan in Real Life, which happens to be the name of a movie that came out. Yes. Dan in Real Life, they get to experience that.

Katie Johnson:

I love that. I I feel like there's been numbers of times as a coach where I'd meet people for the first time in person and I'm like, Wow, you're so much taller than I thought you would be or they're like you're so much shorter than we ever thought. And so it's always fun to like see people face to face after years of not. I'm glad you got to make those connections. Have you experienced any coaching lows, what have been some difficult parts of coaching or things you've seen your coaches walk through an MPD

Dan Lee:

I think every coach probably gets someone now and then who for whatever reason, is unmotivated and does not really want to work on MPD and sometimes I wonder, you know, how did how did these people even get approved? But so I've had a few people like that and after time has gone by and after I had emptied my bag of spiritual and motivational methods. I was going to call them tricks but that sounds kind of tacky. They still were not really going for it an MPD and so I did not look forward to these appointments with these people because I felt like it was going to be a session of trying to drag them along. And that's just that's just life though. And I've said to my associates before that. If this job was easy, then then anybody could do it. Right. So so that's that's, that's a low. Another thing is and this is not a huge low but I helped my local team. People when they join our team to come on staff and many of them are people that we've actually worked with here in the Long Beach area, and a lot of inner city type people, and so they come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. And if they're smart, they asked me to join their team. And many of them do, and I've said yes to most of them, but I cannot say yes to every single person that asked me to join their team. So I hate saying no. That it's a real bummer. I wish I was just a zillionaire and I'd say you get 100 A month you get 100 A month 500 A month, but I'm not Oprah and

Michele Davis:

thanks for clarifying that, Dan. Yes. I feel that tension to like I love supporting other staff. I really do. And, and I wanted to say out there like Yeah, feel free to ask because it's encouraging to be asked and it's encouraging and pray and I'll go before the Lord. Just like everybody has to and see about giving. But yeah, it's everyone has finite finite resources. When I think that's where we can go back to right that at the end of the day, God knows who's going to be on your team when you're raising support like and so even if you ask someone on staff, whoever that might be, and they say no, it's not a personal No, right. It's a there's someone else God has for you.

Katie Johnson:

And I think like having people step out in faith and ask others is never a bad thing. Right. And so I love that. I love coming alongside other staff to write but you're right, like we can't all just like anyone outside of staff. Right? No one can. No one can give to everyone. But that's why we all have our own ministry teams and that's why we all get to different things. Because God does provide for everyone but sometimes through different avenues and different people. And so yeah, I I also just want to say that I know like there's, there's moments where I feel I'm motivated to do MPD right like and so in you loving those staff in those moments. It definitely it's it's huge for them, like you're loving them so well and that and so. I just want to encourage you then like in those moments where you see staff that are unmotivated, like I think we've all been there, where we're like, I just don't want to do it right now. Um, and maybe there's a few people out there that really love MPD we had some of those on the podcasts in the spring and I wish I could, you know, have their motivation and energy towards MPD all the time, but I just don't. And so having a coach step in and love you and encourage you even though it might feel like you're not doing much in those moments. It's just so helpful. It's so helpful when staffer I'm motivated are having a hard time because MPD is draining, it's emotionally draining and it's hard.

Michele Davis:

Yeah, I think something that comes to mind with you saying all of that Katie is how I think that is that is just how humans are wired right and that's why God has He's made us this way and that's why like in when we read the word it talks about where the body of Christ and we have different gifts and we need one another you know that? That that's not just an instruction for the organization of a church. It's an instruction for all of our human relationships. Like we just need other people to come alongside us in relationship and encouragement. And yeah, teamwork makes the dream work kind of for my whole life.

Katie Johnson:

For everyone listening, that is the second time Michele said that on our call before we dive

Michele Davis:

I've thinking about it so much, Katie, you could edit one of them out

Dan Lee:

before we started the first one wasn't recorded Michele it's okay

Michele Davis:

just I guess it's something I've been thinking about a lot this week in a personal situation just how much I how much I need other people you know and like, but I but also that the world kind of sets me up to me do my own and fit I'm a failure in our staff sometimes have received that message from somewhere in MPD. You know, like, on or it's like, isolated, but I know this is on my heart and Katie's heart. And one of the reasons we do this podcast is because we want staff to know that we don't expect you to be alone. You don't have to be alone, and that we in the coaching community are specifically here to to help care for our staff.

Dan Lee:

Yes, indeed. Yeah. And one of the great slogans I've heard is that, Friends don't let friends do MPD alone.

Katie Johnson:

It's true. It's so true. Okay, so kind of related to all of that, Dan, what keeps you motivated? What keeps you motivated to stay on staff at MPD?

Dan Lee:

Well, ladies, the Great Commission has not changed. There's still a ton of people who need to hear the good news of Jesus, even right here in Southern California. By God's grace, I have got a wonderful ministry partner team and knowing that they're behind me, and that they believe in me, really motivates me to keep going. This sounds really super corny, but they really are the wind beneath my wings. And no, I'm not going to break into song right now. They're, they're so encouraging and inspiring to me, and they often tell me when I've talked to them, oh, you know you I could not do what you do, but I'm so glad to be to give so that you can do what you do. And even though I don't often always feel like I'm such a special person, special talents. I'm willing to do do the work of the gospel. And they're willing to have the department with me. And so, you know, I'm actually nearing retirement age and people ask me every so often Well, are you going to retire pretty soon? And my typical answer is I'll retire when I feel like or when God can't use me anymore, but I'm certainly not going to just stop at age 65 Because that's retirement age is an artificial construct.

Katie Johnson:

Those are great reminders that you we do have a team behind us as we're going forward. So what and there's moments when you have lows as a coach, or you have harder moments, what keeps you motivated to keep coaching?

Dan Lee:

Well, another truth that is as true today, as it was when I started is that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. So spending my time and energy helping to raise up those laborers is so worthwhile. I get to spend my time fulfilling my my life verse, which is Hebrews 10:24. And that says, and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, I think to be a professional stirrer and a professional encourager. What better way to spend my time

Katie Johnson:

that's so good. I love that you have a life verse wait! Michele, do you have a life first?

Michele Davis:

I'm not nearly a consistent e ough person to have chosen such a big thing for all time, but I respect the person who can I love.

Dan Lee:

Just to clarify it hasn't been my life first my whole life but it's just something in the moment that I think about a lot and when I'm about to meet people, meet with people and pray my opening prayer I almost always pray that that we will stir up one another so that we could works.

Michele Davis:

Such a good Reminder. I mean, that's basically teamwork makes the dream work.

Dan Lee:

In the message in the Message version, I think that's the

Katie Johnson:

Michele is putting it in there somewhere so Well, Dan, this has been great. Thank you so much for joining us. Again, I feel like you are such a blessing to the coaching community to those that you've coach and and even the other you know, this is just part of your job. And so I know that your team is blessed by you as well in your ministry locally and so we're just thankful that you came back the staff and we're thankful that you got recruited in the coaching community. For a lot of reasons you are sending laborers right to the field and but also I just don't I love your songs. You guys for real if you have not, or do we have any of these posts?

Michele Davis:

We posted one on our Instagram on the Cru MPD podcast Instagram last Christmas. It was our Christmas present to you in your Instagram feed to live. So that's a good motivation to find us on Instagram under The Cru MPD podcast. You know how to scroll.

Dan Lee:

I actually was going to do one of my short little ditties for you but I was turning my guitar and then the string busted on me so

Katie Johnson:

NO! spiritual warfare!

Dan Lee:

So maybe I'll just if you want to send a send it in later and just stick it in.

Katie Johnson:

Yes What a gift Dan Lee will be singing one of his songs for us. That's amazing. Well, Dan, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for sharing your experiences on staff within MPD and as a coach, we appreciate you and we appreciate you being on

Dan Lee:

Thanks, Katie. Thanks, Michele. This is really really fun.

Michele Davis:

Thanks for listening to The Cru MPD podcast. Please help others find our show by liking, sharing and rating us on Apple iTunes and wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find us on social media by searching for The Cru MPD podcast. Check out the show notes for more information including the various resources we mentioned in this episode. Until next time, we encourage you to be faithful and full of faith in all things, especially in MPD.