A National Transition

A New Calling

On June 1, Steve & Carleene Myer stepped down as the National Directors of Cru Military to pursue other opportunities that God was calling them to within the ministry. They have passed the mantel to Dave & Laurie Eatman, who now serve as the new National Directors of the Military Ministry of Cru.

We are grateful to the Myers for their faithful service as National Directors and look with great expectation as they transition to the local ministry team at Fort Bragg.

“Carleene and I look forward to the opportunity to return to the pointy end of the arrow in direct ministry at Fort Bragg. It is home to the US Army’s Airborne and Special Operations Forces of over 55,000 active-duty soldiers and 200,000 retirees and family members that make up the Fort Bragg community. We will be working with chaplains, soldiers and local churches to build a team that can bring the hope and healing of the Gospel to this high Operations Tempo and often deployed community.” – Steve Myer

 

In their five years of service as the National Directors, Steve and Carleene accomplished so much to help advance the Gospel within the military community.

• Developing a strategic plan
• Recruiting and developing the next generation of leaders
• Establishing Area of Operations Ministry Directors
• Initiating an updated discipleship curriculum with Spiritually Fit – Ready to Serve (SFRS)
• Moving into the virtual ministry with militarySFRS.org
• Starting women’s ministry to staff, active-duty women, and military spouses

Thank you, Steve and Carleene, for your godly wisdom and leadership over the past five years. Please join us in praying for them and their ministry at Fort Bragg.

Meet our new National Directors

Dave and Laurie joined the staff in 2014. They have served in our ministry at every level, including volunteer Ministry Team Members on the Parris Island Gateway team, Ministry Team Leaders for the Parris Island Gateway Ministry, Local Directors for the Beaufort/Savannah area, Southeast Area of Operations Director, and now National Directors.

“It is truly an honor and privilege to have been asked to serve as the next National Directors.”

 

 

 

 

 

Dave served a 4-year enlistment in the United States Marine Corps and 17 years in Corporate America before joining staff and currently serves as a Chaplain Candidate (LTJG) in the Navy Reserve. Before joining our team, Laurie spent 22 years as a hairstylist and proprietor of her own salon. Dave and Laurie have both experienced the negative impact that military life can have on the home. As a result, they have a passion for seeing service members and their families come to know Christ. And to see their military service and family life transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As National Directors, Dave and Laurie are responsible for leading staff and volunteer missionaries in the U.S. whose mission is to build multiplying disciples in the global military community.

A note from Dave and Laurie to you:

Friends,

It is truly an honor and a privilege to have been asked to serve as the next National Directors of the Military Ministry of Cru. Laurie and I are humbled by the opportunity and look forward to serving our US Staff and Ministry Team Members across the nation. We are truly blessed to stand on the sure foundation laid by those before us and are especially grateful for Steve and Carleene and their investment in our lives.

As we look prayerfully to the future, the Lord has initially given us three main objectives to be primary areas of focus.

First, we will continue to oversee the execution of our 5-year Strategic Plan across our four areas of operation, emphasizing people. Our dedicated staff and ministry teams are our number one asset in executing the Lord’s calling upon our ministry. And our number ministry focus is those who bravely don our nation’s cloth.

We will continue to focus on excellent staff care, leaning heavily into the mobilization of our contact relations system across the National Team. In addition, we will continue to work closely with our Leadership Development and Human Resource team to provide relevant input to establish world-class people processes.

Second, we will push forward to develop advances in how we minister to the military community virtually. The technological undercurrent of today’s generations and the challenges presented by COVID restrictions have brought the need for digital ministry solutions to the forefront. Our continued organizational focus on operationalizing MilitarySFRS.org will ensure we are rising to the challenge. While these solutions will never replace face-to-face ministry, they will augment our ability to minister to a widely dispersed and highly transient community.

Third, we will advance the great work of equipping our staff and developing how to serve the specific needs of women across the military community. Intentional equipping, specifically for women joining our team, and a focused effort on reaching military women and spouses will be central to this effort. We are excited to continue developing partnerships with others who have already been blazing a trail in this arena.

At the last supper, Jesus would tell his disciples, “…let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the one who serves” (Luke 22:26, ESV).

As we enter this new season of ministry, central to our hearts and minds is a desire to serve our US Staff and Ministry Teams with excellence. Please join us in prayer that we would follow the Lord with all wisdom and humility and do just that.

In His Service,

Dave & Laurie