In January, as part of a strategic planning process, we asked you to complete an organization-wide survey. THANK YOU to all of you who took the time to provide helpful input and feedback. The overwhelming feedback was positive, indicating that you love and care about the mission and impact of CSB’s ministry to the next generation. We are still in the strategic planning process. However, based on your responses and the collaborative work of CSB’s Board and Advisory Committee, we identified four common focus areas that you indicated would help move the ministry forward.
- Organizational Identity, Value Proposition & Strategic Clarity
- Field Presence, Church Integration & Relational Support
- Leader Enablement, Training & Program Simplicity
- Trust-Based Communication, Donor Confidence & Transparency
This was personally affirming of my own initial evaluations, as a few of these areas we had already begun working on during my first six months as CSB President, July-December. I’ll highlight several of the steps already taken and the progress we are beginning to see.
IMPROVED COMMUNICATION
We have improved communication, both in method and substance. We’ve increased the frequency of our communication and introduced additional levels of communication (Unit Leaders, Alumni, etc.) to keep all levels of the organization informed, strengthen our connection as a ministry, and provide greater value to CSB leaders and participants. Donor communication has increased in specificity, with suggested donation amounts tied to actual ministry costs. Even this State-of-the-Ministry update is another step towards honoring the partnership between you and CSB’s staff and board.
INVESTMENT IN NEW TECHNOLOGY
We have recently invested in technology that will allow us to increase the resource development of programming material (Modules, Missions, and Trail Guides). The amount of time between material planning and implementation at Unit nights across the country will be a fraction of what it used to take. This also affords us the opportunity to make our material more robust, including through partnerships with other national leading ministries (more on that at a future date!). Additionally, we are now more dynamic in our resource development process with the ability to survey and respond to the needs and interests of kids and Unit Leaders.
TRAINING & SUPPORT
By investing in this technology, not only will we create more inspiring CSB material, we can redirect the efforts of our Field Representatives back to where you said, and we all agree, they are needed most: training and enabling Unit Leaders across America who are working on the frontlines to disciple the next generation. In addition to overseeing CSB Units in their respective areas of the country, our most seasoned Field Representatives will now take on the responsibility as National Office points of contact for each division of our ministry. A specific Field Rep with the most experience in Tree Climbers, or Stockade, etc. will now provide additional support and resourcing specific to the Unit Leaders’ needs. Consolidating support directly from our National Office allows us to maximize reach and impact. This includes increased communications to Unit Leaders with helpful tips and encouragement, as well as growing engagement in ‘Brigade Leader.’ ‘Brigade Leader’ has been developed as CSB’s exclusive online community and resource forum. This is an extremely helpful tool where Unit Leaders can manage Unit registration, easily access blogs, training, and resources, and collaborate with other CSB leaders to share stories, experiences, and tried and true practices that have worked across the country.
These steps have helped Units across the country implement the ‘Full Brigade Experience,’ increasing the ability to accomplish our mission! These resources have also been beneficial in helping churches in Pakistan start Brigade programs of their own.
ONBOARDING NEW FIELD REPRESENTATIVES
We recently began onboarding two new Field Representatives, and are actively searching for more. As we seek to mobilize more Field Reps, we are thankful for the many CSB Alum who have stepped up to be Unit Advocates. These individuals have adopted individual CSB units, many times in areas without a Field Rep, to be an additional resource to them. What a wonderful way for them to give back to a ministry that had an impact on their own life!
Donors who gave financially to the ministry of Christian Service Brigade during our Fall/Year-End Campaign will recall my promise to announce new initiatives meant to bring the life-changing ministry of CSB to additional groups that have not had the opportunity before…
Christian Service Brigade has chartered a committee of women who have been diligently exploring ways to meet the comprehensive discipleship needs of girls. This spring, we launched the piloting phase of a separate and distinctly female program called Wildflowers. Already, a dozen Module lesson plans have been specifically crafted with the interests and needs of girls in mind. This committee has also created easy-to-understand guides and instructions, and is ready to provide training, coaching, and support to women leaders. For more details visit csbministries.org/wildflowers.
Wildflowers will begin with a focus on girls the same age/grade levels as Stockade (ages 8-12, grades 3-6). Piloting will take place between Easter and Mother’s Day (after all, spring is the best time for wildflowers to grow!), with an official rollout coming this fall. This is exciting news! And a tremendous benefit to CSB partnering churches and prospective churches who have expressed lament that our ministry did not offer discipleship programming for both genders. I hope you are as encouraged and excited as I am by hearing the heart of the Wildflowers Committee Chairwoman, Heather Mattiuzzo (pictured with her daughter):
“Girls are uniquely different from boys. They are beautiful, created delicately in the Lord’s design, each one distinct and intentional. But like wildflowers, they are also resilient. The name Wildflowers captures both of those truths. Beauty and strength. Tenderness and courage. And that is what we want to cultivate in the next generation. It also leans into something I believe is incredibly powerful. There is something special about women mentoring girls, about older women walking closely with the next generation, modeling faith, strength, humility, and what it looks like to love the Lord in everyday life. That kind of same-gender, intergenerational discipleship matters. Wildflowers is designed to create space for those relationships to grow naturally and with purpose. Because if something is shaping generations so powerfully for good, we don’t limit it. We prayerfully expand it!” – Heather Mattiuzzo
We want you to rejoice with us and pray for this new initiative in same-gender intergenerational discipleship. And, we hope you will spread the news and take advantage of this new ministry resource for your own church.
MISSION AND VISION UPDATE
As I share these strategic initiatives and plans with you, I want it to be clear that this work is meant to increase the value, recognition, and effectiveness of Christian Service Brigade as a leading ministry in the discipleship of the next generation. We recently began work on a “Profile of a Brigadier” and a “Profile of a Wildflower,” providing better definition to our mission and to what is a godly man and woman. In addition, our board has reviewed and approved slight adjustments to our mission and vision statements:
MISSION – Building a Godly Generation for Tomorrow
VISION – To see each man and woman taking responsibility to lead, equip, and disciple each generation.
Together, these will guide everything we do. Honoring the core of what our founder, Joe Coughlin, set out to do, disciple the next generation so that they would, in turn, do something for the Lord and His Kingdom!
Because of faithful donors, our financial support grew by 40% for the first six months of our fiscal year (July 1st – Dec 31st). This has also helped reduce the needed support for the remainder of our fiscal year, ending June 31st, 2026, to just $120k. (As of April 10th, $70K needed) Your increased generosity speaks volumes! It tells me you are more confident and hopeful. It also aids my confidence and confirms what I’ve been sensing from the Lord regarding Christian Service Brigade’s role in expanding His Kingdom.
I would be remiss if I did not provide you with an opportunity, again or for the first time, to give financially towards the future of Christian Service Brigade. Can I count on you to pray, asking God how He would have you respond to this need, and then take action? After all, responding and taking action is what a brigade does!
