Growing Through Complexity
When I think about the complexities of leading our organization at the national level, I immediately remember a particular season when I was leading a national campus ministry. Our country was in the midst of constant leadership transition. Within about five years, we had four different national campus leaders. The government was hostile to our presence and work. Resources were meager. We had to consolidate our staff in order to create healthier teams, which meant asking staff to move and reducing the number of cities we were in by about half. While we were seeing some students trust Christ and grow in their faith, most students would not agree to a second meeting with us.
It was in this season that a well-meaning leader above us asked us to share how many campuses in our country we had not yet reached and what our plan was for reaching them. I was not mentally or emotionally prepared to answer this reasonable question. It already felt like I was trying to climb a steep mountain in roller skates. That question made the mountain seem taller and suddenly covered with ice!
I am sure you have been there. As leaders, we lead through complexity. I asked AI to help me identify key complex factors for national DS leaders. Here are the results:
1. Navigating Organizational Complexity
You must engage with layers of organizational structure—local, national, regional, and global—while also collaborating across strategy and capacity. This requires relational and intercultural intelligence, clarity of communication, and the ability to lead through ambiguity and change.
2. Growing Digital Maturity While Lacking Capacity
Many national ministries are still developing digital maturity. You often face limitations in staff, funding, infrastructure, and training. Cultivating strong DS teams, instilling digital culture, integrating tools, and aligning with governance expectations adds pressure, especially in lower-resourced contexts.
3. Engaging a Rapidly Shifting Digital Audience
You are tasked with reaching a wide variety of persona—from "Hostile" to "Growing"—as defined in the Audience Map. Each segment requires contextualized content, tone, and channels. The constant change in digital behaviors adds to the challenge of staying relevant and effective.
4. Strategic Planning in VUCA Conditions
You are expected to lead spiritual movements in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments. Economic, political, and cultural instability complicate long-term planning, local sustainability, and implementation of global strategies.
5. Balancing Innovation with Governance
Innovation is necessary for missional growth, especially in digital spaces and unreached audiences. Yet DS leaders must also follow governance standards, protect data security, and coordinate with broader Campus Crusade for Christ International frameworks. This tension between flexibility and control is a persistent complexity.
6. Communicating the Value of DS Internally
A recurring challenge is helping other leaders understand the value-add of Digital Strategies. Without clear communication and integration into national goals, DS leaders may feel siloed or undervalued, making strategic engagement harder.
Do those things sound familiar to your situation? Don’t hyperventilate. Take a few deep breaths. Remember your spiritual breathing. This is God’s mission. He has called you to lead for such a time as this. He is with you.
God Meets You in the Complexity
If I could go back and coach myself through that stressful and discouraging season, I would remind myself of the same things. Breathe. Remember I Thessalonians 5:24: “The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” You cannot control the complexity, but God has given you everything you need to lead through it. Surrendering to Him and abiding with Him minute by minute will lead to fruitfulness.
