By Chris Moon
When Josh and Denise Beck came home from the mission field eight years ago, they were tired but motivated.
They’d served five years in South Sudan, striving to bring the gospel to one of the least developed nations in the world. The Becks were returning to Joplin, Mo., for the health of their four children.
Missions work was hard on the kids—not an uncommon story among missionary families.
At the time, the couple made an agreement: They always would be involved in missions. And, if possible, they would work together as they did so.
Today, Josh and Denise Beck lead two organizations that minister to Christian workers overseas.
Denise Beck is executive director of Velvet Ashes, a support organization for women in missions. Josh Beck in July took over as executive director of Barnabas International, a group that provides resources and encouragement to missionaries globally.
The missions of Josh and Denise Beck are almost identical—only for different organizations.
“It’s an amazing gift,” Denise Beck told Christian Standard.
Their lives are fully dedicated to helping build up missionaries serving in far-off lands—with the hope those global workers will have long-lasting and impactful ministries.
“At the end of the day, it’s about the mandate. It’s about the Great Commission,” Josh Beck said.
A MINISTRY TO SOUTH SUDAN
The Becks went to South Sudan in 2010.
At the time, Josh was halfway through a career as a firefighter with the city of Joplin. He and Denise long had served at their home church, College Heights Christian Church.
But the couple began to feel the call to missions.
College Heights has a tradition as a strong missionary sending church. The congregation at the time was partnering up to run a dental clinic and operate a small Bible school in South Sudan, which at that time still was part of the nation of Sudan.
The work also would entail church planting in surrounding villages.
After consultation with College Heights’ leadership, the Becks and their four children headed overseas—first to Uganda and then to South Sudan.
“I blame it all on College Heights,” Josh joked. “We wound up overseas because of the strong DNA that was planted inside of us by College Heights Christian Church.”
A CHALLENGE AND A BLESSING
Those were challenging years.
South Sudan overlooked the Ugandan border during a period of civil unrest in the African country.
The missionary family was well-acquainted with escape routes from their community. They sometimes could hear the sound of gunfire.
But the work was fruitful. Theirs was the only dental clinic in the region. People would walk for miles—even overnight—to reach it.
“They would just be asleep on the porch waiting to get care,” Denise said.
The stress took its toll on the couple’s children, however. The anxiety of living in South Sudan created some health concerns for their kids that forced the family to return to the United States.
“We were the recipients of incredible care and shepherding by the College Heights leadership and other people,” Josh said.
A NEW START
Upon arriving home in Joplin, the couple established “three pillars” for their lives.
First, they enjoyed doing ministry together and wanted to continue to do so. Second, they wanted to be involved in the world of missions in some way. Third, they wanted to be near to people who don’t know Jesus.
At the time, they didn’t know how they might live out those pillars.
Josh eventually was invited to join the staff at College Heights Christian Church as its discipleship minister and, later, its missions minister. He eventually added executive minister to his title.
Denise, meanwhile, began working for a local crisis pregnancy center, among other things.
The work was good, but the couple were being pulled in different directions. They weren’t doing ministry together as they had hoped.
“That was kind of pulling us apart,” Denise said.
ENCOURAGING WOMEN IN MISSIONS
But four years ago, Denise was asked to take over as executive director of Velvet Ashes. The group bills itself as “an online community of women serving overseas.”
The organization was created to help women who are serving in missions—women who must interact with the numerous challenges of their work, from isolation to learning about visa requirements to homeschooling kids.
Velvet Ashes has scores of writers and content creators who provide encouragement and ideas to women in missions. It also holds two virtual retreats and four webinars per year.
The group has nearly 400 active members and 4,000 women who engage with its content each year. Velvet Ashes now has an app that enables its members to safely communicate with one another.
“It’s totally populated with women who serve cross-culturally,” Denise said.
Denise first learned about the group after returning to the United States in 2015. She began working on a volunteer basis by speaking and producing content for Velvet Ashes. She also did some consulting work for the group.
She said 70 percent of missionaries are women.
“If we just do it for women, we’re going to make a dent,” she said.
A PASTOR TO MISSIONARIES
Meanwhile, Josh was approached by a mentor of his, Perry Bradford, about applying to become executive director of Barnabas International. Bradford was retiring after leading the group for 15 years.
Barnabas International attempts to provide pastoral care to missionaries and other ministry workers around the world. Its staff of more than 80 people include clinical counselors, psychiatrists, and pastoral caregivers to help with things like coaching, spiritual direction, conflict resolution, and team formation.
The staff travels to visit ministry teams around the globe. The goal is to pastor them.
“We’re unique in that we lean more toward the pastoral care of global workers,” Josh Beck said.
Barnabas International has a missionary care conference each year in North Carolina.
Josh said he wasn’t looking to leave his pastoral position at College Heights Christian Church. But one thing led to another as he began talking with the leadership at Barnabas International. In July, he became executive director.
“Honestly, we just said ‘yes’ along the way,” he said.
WORKING TOGETHER
Today, the couple have relocated from Joplin to Wisconsin, where Barnabas International is headquartered.
“We’re still very new to this,” Josh said.
As executive directors of separate organizations with similar missions, they have a lot in common. But not everything.
“It is a unique experience learning to answer to two different boards of directors,” Josh said.
Denise said she’s found she can do the work of Velvet Ashes anywhere she goes with her husband as he carries out his job with Barnabas International. Just about anywhere they travel, both can find people they serve.
And that includes within the United States.
Denise will be a keynote speaker in November at the International Conference on Missions in Oklahoma City. Josh will travel with her to represent Barnabas International.
“It really dovetails nicely,” Josh said.
‘AMAZING SERVANT COUPLE’
Donna Cole, global partners counselor at College Heights Christian Church, said the Becks are well-suited for what God has them doing now.
Cole said she first met the Becks 16 years ago, just after they’d decided to head to the mission field. She said the experience demonstrated the couple’s ability to step out in faith, leave Joplin, and experience the broader world of missions.
Cole, who also serves on the Barnabas International board of directors, said the Becks have developed a heart for the vulnerable and the suffering—starting at the local church level. She said she’s seen them house the homeless, care for children, and sit with the dying.
She calls them an “amazing servant couple.”
“They work side by side in similar missions with the same purpose,” Cole said. “That’s a high value for them in their marriage and their ministry.”
IMPORTANT WORK
Josh said the work of both Barnabas International and Velvet Ashes is crucial.
When he served as a firefighter, Josh recalled, his stress level might rachet up at times to a “6” on a 10-point scale. But when a missionary is living overseas, “you wake up at level 6 and that’s normal,” he said.
Mission efforts often don’t begin to bear true fruit until the seventh year of the work. But many missionaries don’t make it that long, for a variety of reasons.
“Denise and I came off the mission field in year five,” Josh said. “How do we get people to year nine? How do we get people to year 10?”
The answer is to help people run at a pace that will enable them to remain in place for the long haul. That means resourcing them to do just that.
When missionaries go overseas, Denise said, they leave behind people who are capable of knowing them well—without the cultural or language barriers that can hinder deep relationships. That makes her work important.
“We will commit to knowing you,” she said.
Chris Moon is a pastor and writer living in Redstone, Colorado.
0 Comments