How Change Happens

If You Aren't Called To Youth Ministry, You Should Quit Immediately | Ben Graves | EP 014

Ben Graves didn’t just inherit a legacy; he had to find his own voice in the shadow of giants. As a third-generation pastor with a family history involving deep sacrifice in the jungles of Panama, Ben understands that true leadership isn't about status—it’s about your "yes." In this raw conversation, Ben breaks down the framework he used to scale a youth ministry from zero leaders to 700 students in a parking lot during the height of a global pandemic. We dive into the "whiteboard strategy" he used to recruit a team of 50 before he even had a single volunteer, the psychological "lids" that stop most leaders from ever growing, and the controversial reason why he believes most people in ministry should actually quit. In This Episode: ▫️The "Call or Quit" Mandate: If you are leading out of anything other than a direct calling, you are potentially harming the very people you are trying to reach. Passion in a generation isn't missing; it is often just waiting for a leader who is actually led. ▫️Recruit to Vision, Not Tasks: Ben grew his team by sliding job descriptions across coffee shop tables for positions that didn't exist yet. Don't ask people to "help out"; invite them to build an organization that can hold the future you see on your whiteboard. ▫️The "Lid" Theory of Growth: If a ministry or organization isn't growing, it isn't God's fault—it’s a leadership problem. Leaders must identify the "buckets" they’ve placed over their own progress, whether those are personal failures, hidden sins, or a refusal to dream beyond their current numbers. ▫️The Power of the First "Yes": Radical impact starts with a simple step of obedience, often without knowing the full plan. Ben’s journey from a small chapel in Washington to a movement in San Diego was paved by saying "yes" to God before the "how" was ever clear. ▫️Legacy as a Launchpad, Not a Crutch: Growing up in a ministry home provided a foundation, but every generation must experience their own "prophetic download" to truly own their mission. Your heritage can inform your work, but your conviction must be your own. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS: www.logos.com/thesend 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026: www.thesend.org/conference ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church: www.thesend.org/pastors 🔥Follow Ben Graves on Instagram: www.instagram.com/benagraves/ 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesend 🔗 Stay updated: www.thesend.org

Solving America's Hardest Problem, Ending The Foster Care To Prison Pipeline | Adrien Lewis | EP 013

Adrien Lewis didn't just want to help people; he wanted to fix a broken system. As the founder of CarePortal, Adrien has built a technology platform that connects the world’s most vulnerable families to a network of over 5,000 churches and community partners. In this episode, we discuss the "Foster Care to Prison Pipeline," why the government cannot solve social isolation, and how Adrien transitioned from a corporate career to mobilizing thousands of people to step into the gap for families in crisis. It’s an eye-opening look at how "radical proximity" can heal communities from the inside out. In This Episode: ▫️The Mission of CarePortal: The platform serves as a "connecting technology" that links child welfare workers, who identify needs, with local churches and community members who can meet them. ▫️The Proximity Principle: Adrien emphasizes that real change requires "radical proximity"—getting close enough to the problem to see the person behind the crisis. ▫️Government vs. Community: While the government can provide financial and physical resources, Adrien argues it is incapable of providing the "relational capital" or social connection that families truly need to thrive. ▫️The Scale of Impact: CarePortal has grown to include over 5,000 active churches across the United States, facilitating thousands of "connections" between those in need and those who can help. ▫️The "Pipeline" Problem: Adrien discusses the tragic correlation between foster care and the prison system, highlighting the urgent need for preventative care to keep families together. ▫️Relief vs. Development: A core philosophy discussed is the transition from just meeting a physical need (relief) to building a long-term relationship that empowers the family (development/restoration). 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS [www.logos.com/thesend] 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026 [www.thesend.org/conference] ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church [www.thesend.org/pastors] 🔥Follow CarePortal on Instagram [www.instagram.com/careportal/] 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram [www.instagram.com/thesend] 🔗 Stay updated [www.thesend.org]

Challenged To Preach In Every State By The Man Who Has Been To Every Country | Asher Byrd | EP 012

At just 16 years old, Asher Byrd received a challenge that would alter the trajectory of his life: preach in every single U.S. state before the age of 21. In this episode, Asher reveals the raw reality of carrying a massive vision while still in high school. We dive deep into the psychology of "mission" and how having a clear purpose provides the maturity and seriousness needed to avoid the traps of modern boredom. If you’ve ever felt like your life lacks direction, Asher’s journey from a "dying seed" of a dream to a 50-state reality is a must-watch. In This Episode: ▫️The Power of a Timeline: Asher explains how his dream felt ambiguous until he heard the specific instruction to go in 2024, proving that urgency and a deadline can catalyze action. ▫️The "Dead Seed" Principle: Every major vision often goes through a phase where it appears to be dying; Asher recounts the moment he almost gave up before the vision was revived with fresh urgency. ▫️Purpose as a Maturity Tool: Having a mission provides a "grid" for growth; Asher notes that a big vision forces a young person to step up and develop the seriousness required to accomplish it. ▫️Detaching the Ego from the Calling: Using the film Jesus Revolution as a catalyst, Asher realized the "50 State Tour" was not about him, and that true leadership requires acknowledging that God’s work continues with or without you. ▫️The Necessity of Global Perspective: Despite his focus on America, Asher spent six months in South Africa and Central Asia to gain a global lens, which allowed him to bring "fresh perspective" back to his home context. ▫️The Role of Stewardship: Vision isn't always about immediate action; sometimes it’s about "stewarding" the word through prayer and processing for years before a team is ever built. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS [www.logos.com/thesend] 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026 [www.thesend.org/conference] ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church [www.thesend.org/pastors] 🔥Follow Asher Byrd on Instagram [www.instagram.com/asher.byrd/] 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram [www.instagram.com/thesend] 🔗 Stay updated [www.thesend.org]

"I Was A Stoner On Probation": How One Trip To Cambodia Changed Everything | Uriah Lyford | EP 011

Uriah Lyford's story is the ultimate case study in "missional living". After 22 years in Cambodia, Uriah reflects on his journey from a small-town kid in Washington to becoming a staple of the Cambodian community. He shares the unfiltered truth about his early days—sneaking cigarettes during Bible school and nearly quitting before he ever reached his destination. This conversation isn't just about religion; it's about the psychological shift that happens when you replace personal addiction with a global mission and the power of "radical obedience". In This Episode: ▫️The Outreach Pivot: Why a leader’s belief in Uriah—despite his mistakes—was the catalyst for him staying the course. ▫️A New Perspective: The moment Uriah realized that the Cambodian children's hunger for learning was more addictive than his pack-a-day habit. ▫️The Legacy of YWAM: How a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) training school became the bridge between a troubled past and a purposeful future. ▫️Inspiring a Generation: Uriah’s advice for young people today who want to use their skills to impact "unreached" people groups. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS [www.logos.com/thesend] 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026 [www.thesend.org/conference] ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church [www.thesend.org/pastors] 🔥Follow Uriah Lyford on Instagram [www.instagram.com/you_ry_khmer/] 🔥Follow Uriah Lyford on TikTok [www.tiktok.com/@uriahlyford] 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram [www.instagram.com/thesend] 🔗 Stay updated [www.thesend.org]

The Missionary Who Chose Nashville Over Nepal | Daniel MacLeod | EP 010

Daniel MacLeod, leader of Fireplace Nashville and Wilco United, discusses the radical shift from wanting to be a missionary in the Himalayas to being called back to his own "Jerusalem". Daniel shares the unconventional strategies his team uses to reach thousands, from Friday night evangelism on the Nashville strip to using "business propositions" to earn the right to preach the Gospel at secular raves. In This Episode: ▫️The Jerusalem Principle: Why stewarding the city you are currently in is the prerequisite for having spiritual authority elsewhere. ▫️The Power of Testimony: How sharing raw stories of the miraculous—like a man flyflyingng in from the North to confirm he was healed of terminal blood cancer—is what actually stirs a generation's faith. ▫️Becoming the Peer Pressure: The psychological shift from resisting external influence to becoming the primary influence in your environment. ▫️The "Zero Expectations" Growth: Why the most sustainable movements are built on simple obedience and consistency rather than an obsession with numbers. ▫️Partnering with the Secular: How to use professional leverage, such as high-end venues, to bring the Gospel into spaces where it is normally unwelcome. 📚 ⁠Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS⁠ [www.logos.com/thesend] 🌐 ⁠Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026⁠ [www.thesend.org/conference] ⛪️ ⁠Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church⁠ [www.thesend.org/pastors] 🔥⁠Follow Daniel MacLeod on Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/danieldmacleod/] 🔔 Follow Jesus Mission Global on Instagram [www.instagram.com/jesusmissionglobal/⁠] 🔔 ⁠Follow Fireplace on Instagram [⁠www.instagram.com/fireplace.global/⁠] 🔔 ⁠Follow The Merge Nashville on Instagram [www.instagram.com/themergenashville/⁠] 🔔 Follow Wilco United on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wilco.united/] 💻 Jesus Mission Global Website [www.jesusmission.global/] 💻 Fireplace Website [www.fireplacenashville.com] 💻 The Merge Nashville Website [www.themergenashville.com] 💻 Wilco United Website [www.wilcounited.com] 📲 ⁠Follow The Send on Instagram⁠ [www.instagram.com/thesend] 🔗 ⁠Stay updated [www.thesend.org]