Tag: Mercy Multiplied

Expired Fruit: Why Past Faithfulness Doesn’t Excuse Present Dysfunction

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As discussed in my last post, there is a difference between honoring leadership and respecting image preservation.

While Scripture commands us to respect those who labor among us, it also refuses to place any leader beyond examination, correction, or accountability. Somehow, in many churches, ministries, and organizations, we’ve managed to preach the first half while burying the second, using “protect the anointing” phraseology as an umbrella where insecurity, favoritism, micromanagement, even misconduct are tolerated.

But it usually doesn’t start there.

Most toxic cultures don’t begin with self-serving intentions. They begin with leaders who once did tremendous good.

Perhaps they pioneered something meaningful. Maybe they sacrificed deeply. Maybe they built ministries, companies, schools, nonprofits, or movements that changed lives. Maybe they weathered storms that others never saw.

All of that can be true.

But yesterday’s faithfulness does not exempt today’s behavior from scrutiny.

Past fruit is not a lifetime immunity badge. No organization is above the law. No leader is above correction. No “good old days” testimony can serve indefinitely as a veil covering present dysfunction.

The danger emerges when the narrative becomes: “Look at all the good they’ve done.”

As though that somehow settles every concern. As though the people closest to the problems simply lack perspective. As though those asking questions are disloyal. As though silence is maturity.

It isn’t.

Because the moment preserving an image becomes more important than pursuing truth, the culture has already begun to drift.

Jethro Saw What Moses Couldn’t

One of the most overlooked leadership moments in Scripture comes in Exodus 18.

Moses loved God. Moses was called. Moses had demonstrated extraordinary faithfulness. Yet Jethro looked at him and essentially said: “What you’re doing isn’t working.”

“What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out.” (Exodus 18:17-18)

Imagine that.

Moses—the man through whom God parted the Red Sea—was told that his leadership structure was unsustainable. Jethro wasn’t dishonoring Moses. He was protecting both Moses and the people.

He recognized something leaders often miss when responsibility concentrates at the top: The people suffer.

Jethro’s solution wasn’t blind loyalty. It wasn’t, “Everyone just support Moses harder.” It wasn’t, “Stop questioning and trust the process.”

It was accountability through structure. Shared responsibility. Distributed leadership. Healthy support systems.

“Select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them…” (Exodus 18:21)

Notice the qualifications. Capable. God-fearing. Trustworthy. Hating dishonest gain. Not merely agreeable. Not merely loyal. Not merely protective of leadership’s reputation.

Their purpose wasn’t to become professional yes-men. Their role was to support both Moses and the people.

Middle Managers Aren’t Human Shields

Healthy organizations understand this instinctively.

Middle leadership exists to bridge. To advocate upward and downward. To communicate concerns from subordinates to executives. To translate vision into practical care. To equip teams. To identify problems before they become crises.

They do not exist to absorb dysfunction generated from above. Nor do they exist to suppress concerns to preserve appearances.

If every concern raised by frontline employees dies in middle management because someone fears upsetting the Executive Director, CEO, President, Senior Pastor, or founder, then leadership has ceased to function as stewardship and has become image management.

The lower half of an organization cannot continually compensate for the gaps left by the upper half. Subordinates cannot indefinitely provide the emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, humility, and accountability that senior leadership refuses to exercise.

People eventually run out of capacity. They burn out. They disengage. Or they leave.

“If You Don’t Like It, Leave”

Sometimes that’s exactly what happens.

And ironically, unhealthy leadership often interprets the exodus as validation.

  • “Good riddance.”
  • “The wrong people are leaving.”
  • “God is purging the disloyal.”
  • “They couldn’t handle authority.”

But what if the departures aren’t evidence of rebellion?

What if they’re evidence of unresolved problems? What if sensible people with both healthy minds and compassionate hearts simply recognize smoke when they smell fire? What if repeated turnover isn’t proof of purification? What if it’s proof of suffocation?

The irony is painful.

The tighter toxic leadership closes its fist to secure control, the more people slip through its fingers. The very thing they fear losing becomes the outcome their methods produce.

Because fear can force compliance for a season. It cannot cultivate trust. Manipulation can manufacture unity for a moment. It cannot sustain genuine loyalty.

Unity Is Not Uniformity

Biblical unity was never intended to mean unanimous agreement with leadership.

Why? Because real unity makes room for truth. For questions. For dissent without retaliation. For hard conversations conducted with humility.

Paul publicly confronted Peter when Peter’s actions compromised the Gospel (Galatians 2:11-14). The early church gathered to reason together through conflict in Acts 15. Even Nathan confronted David.

Correction wasn’t viewed as betrayal. It was understood as love.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:6).

Yet some environments redefine unity to mean certain cooperation, even silence.

Don’t ask. Don’t challenge. Don’t notice patterns. Don’t connect dots. Just smile. Support. Protect the anointing.

At that point, unity becomes something entirely different. It becomes coercion wearing spiritual language.

Everyone Has a Voice

  • Will every complaint be valid? No.
  • Will every accusation prove true? No.
  • Will every frustrated employee be completely objective? Of course not.

But when concerns repeatedly surface from thoughtful people across different levels of an organization, dismissing every voice as bitterness eventually becomes its own form of deception.

Especially if those voices are consistently met with defensiveness rather than curiosity.

People can accept difficult answers.

What they struggle to accept is being unheard. A voice that perpetually falls on deaf ears eventually stops speaking. Not because it lacked merit. But because it learned the outcome had already been decided.

James instructs believers to be:

“Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19).

How often do organizations reverse that order?

Quick to defend. Quick to explain. Quick to protect. Slow to listen.

The Strongest Leaders Don’t Fear Accountability

The most secure leaders I’ve encountered don’t panic when questioned.

They don’t interpret feedback as mutiny. They don’t demand perpetual affirmation. They don’t surround  themselves exclusively with people who echo their opinions.

They understand something profoundly important:

  • Accountability doesn’t diminish authority. It legitimizes it.
  • Correction doesn’t weaken leadership. It strengthens it.
  • Transparency doesn’t destroy trust. It builds it.

And repentance—when necessary—is not evidence that anointing has departed. It’s evidence that humility remains.

Perhaps protecting the anointing has less to do with shielding leaders from scrutiny and more to do with protecting the integrity of what God entrusted to them in the first place.

Because God’s people deserve healthy leadership. Leaders deserve healthy support.

Middle managers deserve the freedom to advocate truthfully in both directions. And organizations deserve cultures where righteousness is valued more highly than reputation.

Christ-centered institutions should be the safest place in the world to tell the truth. Not because truth is painless. But because Christ Himself said:

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32).

Anything less may preserve appearances for a season.

But eventually, every veil wears thin. And when that happens, the question won’t be whether concerns existed. The question will be whether anyone had the courage to listen before people felt they had no choice but to leave.

Cover graphic creds: Pkfuel.com

When “Protecting the Anointing” Becomes Protecting the System

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There’s a difference between pursuing unity and using “anointing” language to pressure people into cooperation and silence.

In recent years and past assignments, I’ve heard phrases like:

“Don’t grieve the Spirit.”
“Protect the anointing.”
“Don’t bring division.”
“Stay aligned.”

Often those statements were sincere calls toward humility, peace, and healthy communication. But sometimes they became spiritualized tools to discourage honest conversations about dysfunction, leadership failures, lack of accountability, or unhealthy systems.

Either way, the impressions have sat with me over time.

Long story short: The Bible never teaches that truth-telling threatens God’s presence.

In fact, Scripture consistently shows that God honors repentance, integrity, humility, justice, and truth — not image management.

Real unity is not built on fear.
It’s not maintained by suppressing concerns.
It’s not preserved by protecting leaders from discomfort.

Biblical unity can withstand honest conversations.

Healthy leadership does not demand silence “for the sake of the mission.” It models accountability first, welcomes respectful feedback, and creates safety for people to speak truth in love without fear of spiritual labels being attached to them.

Frankly, the phrase “touch not the anointed” has silenced more hurting people than it has protected genuine ministry and work cultures.

If an organization only values honesty when it flows upward in praise — but not when it flows upward in concern — that’s not spiritual maturity. That’s control.

The fruit of the Spirit is not image preservation. It’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If faithfulness by holy definition requires courage, not silence, then it’s only fair to question any vehicle seeking to quench the very thing it allegedly stands for.

Time to wake up.

Cover graphic creds: ChatGPT

Key to Freedom: A Farewell to Mercy Multiplied

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My mind is racing as I behold a cherry blossom shower outside my office window. Heaven knows I will miss this visual as long as I have a career and a nameplate. With whom I’ve conversed with and to what I’ve learned within this space, I will always be grateful.

Still, the bell tolls for transition. There’s so much I wish I could say, so little time. But with wisdom in tow, often less is more. After all, this isn’t the same Cam who left his prior gig, who crashed out under the weight of burnout and bereavement grief. No, this is a new day fueled by fresh perspective and humble beginnings having aged well. With broadened scope, I proceed with gratitude, praising God for what He has done and how He has led.

Granted, this doesn’t mean I’m unruffled within the timing. After a decade in state government and four years at a private nonprofit accounting firm, I expected this season to last longer. Considering my vocational arc, an Accounting Manager opportunity in a ministry non-profit setting made sense. Yet, as I’ve sought the Lord, He has settled and focused my mind onto a critical concept – His use of the ‘lifeboat’ season.

What is a ‘lifeboat’ season? In short, it’s a relatively shorter stretch of time when God moves and matures us from and/or through chaos to sharpen our reliance. Like a bridge or connector between longer, more pronounced periods, a lifeboat season is more than a transient résumé stop but a recalibrating place where God purifies, rehabs, and in some cases, accelerates us to higher ground. If you’ve ever experienced a two-in-one type year with accelerant meeting the growth track, chances are you were in a lifeboat, a gifted opportunity to discover and recover.

In many ways, this is why I can smile when reflecting on my 28 months at Mercy Multiplied. Despite a decent amount of corporate transition during my tenure, the Lord proved faithful in connecting me to the right people at the right time. To the extent I endured, to that extent I sensed my contributions steadying the course during critical moments. The cross-departmental endeavors, the ability to improve systems, the capacity to learn from the past and on-the-go simultaneously, the privilege to mentor a younger associate, these are only a few of the perks I’ll miss moving forward.  

To Keli Haymes and Hanna Noel, thank you for not only bringing me on board but ushing me into a foreign culture with grace while helping me discover my voice. To Patrick Bates and Kathryne Coonce, thank you for the quality guidance and tag-teaming in helping me finish my first year strong. To Melanie Wise, Erin Gentry, Rachel Bedenbaugh, Lauren Hobar, Stephanie Levesque, Jessica Jackson, Julie Bowsher, Canaan Lucas, Caronda Williams, Wendy Nichols, Sharon Manuel, Shantray Smith, Cindi Hagen, Melody Morris, Brittany Porter, thank you for the ways you’ve encouraged me over the years while entertaining my budget/accounting inquiries. Jessica, to you especially, thank you for the patient partnering and bridge-building of late. Working together within God’s ministry of reconciliation, who knew how much adventure we’d find! To Meaghan Briggs, watching your leadership evolution has been a highlight the past year. I wish you nothing but the best as you continue co-captaining the ship!

To Danae Dalbey, Hayley Freels, Adelein Nichols, Ana Holland, Mikaela Moore, Pachion Moore, Katelyn Sehl, Sarah Vaughn, Whitney Robinson, Whitney Thomas, Kristen Mahy, Dawne Shew, Loryann Sanchez, Shakayla Hall, the CWC/KTF support staff, current home staff, as well as all California home alum, I salute you and your hustle in getting things done with professional efficiency! Your effort and the brightness through which it shines, both past and present tense, is worthy of applause.

To the few, the proud, the men of Mercy, Jim Melton, DJ Tidwell, Jonathan Myrick, Daniel Reed, I can’t thank you enough for the laughs, the lunches, and the camaraderie behind the scenes. No question, it was very much needed. Here’s to not being strangers as we voyage into the great beyond.

To Ashton Nawas, holy smokes, I could not have excelled without your ‘safety net’ presence. What a joy it was to work with you and the Inflammo team these past few years! Same shout-out to Blankenship, especially Tommy Wooten for carrying us through some grueling audits! No question, I learned a great deal from you and your teams in the realm of financial storytelling.

Circling back to Jonathan, words only go so far in conveying how proud I am of who you are and the character you’ve modeled since you joined the Mercy team. You can take it to the bank, I will greatly miss the collaboration, the troubleshooting, and serving alongside you in the trenches. Your loyalty and steadfastness tandem is off the charts and has been an inspiration to many. You’re in good hands with Danielle and I look forward to hearing how God uses you and Katy in the years ahead!

And so, there you have it. With a full heart and misty eyes, I sign off on this assignment. I’ve fought the good fight, I’ve finished the race, and I’ve kept the faith. No regrets, no hard feelings. Just love and simply Jesus. Time to flip the page and let the Master Author pen a new chapter.

For the last time on this ground, I toast in triumph…

Lord, have Mercy.

Autside Looking In: 3 Ways to Support Spectrum People at Work

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I’m blessed to serve where I work in this season. As my employer‘s name suggests, the extension of opportunity and grace has proven effective in recent years, a corporate Godsend in the sense I’ve discovered what I can offer within a healthy environment. 

That said, I’m also blessed to have worked in places where support and psychological safety were absent. Granted, those shortages came during a period when people weren’t as woke on the subject of neurodiversity as they are today.

Still, given the uptick of autism awareness in recent years, I want to examine ways employers can assist employees who are on the spectrum or struggling beyond their emotional or mental capacity. Too often, businesses will take reactive approaches to painful situations instead of proactively collaborating in humility. For what is working and what isn’t, consider this breakdown an attempt from experience to bridge the divide.

Let’s dive in… 

  1. Make Space, Show Grace

As one who is high functioning autistic, I can attest to the profound challenges—and lost potential—that come from working in environments where neurodiversity is misunderstood or undervalued. According to the Word, our individual design is not separate from our corporate identity given we are diverse in function and co-equal in value (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27). If we want to see our organizations thrive, we must understand this extends beyond job responsibilities to the very ways we perceive and process information.

For example, in previous roles, I was occasionally criticized for requesting additional technology, explicit communication, and extra time to process information—needs that stem from how I best contribute. At the time, I was embarrassed in the face of pushback; however, in hindsight, I recognize how advocating for these supports is not a weakness, but a strength that benefits the masses. Embracing neurodiversity requires courage from both sides. Leaders and managers have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to create inclusive environments where neurodivergent team members can excel. In turn, spectrum workers can extend patience and understanding to those who may not immediately relate. By fostering mutual respect and open dialogue, organizations can unlock innovation, loyalty, and a deeper sense of belonging for all.

  1. Withhold Premature Character Judgments 

When we examine an autistic colleague, there are certain factors to consider. For starters, many on the spectrum have heightened awareness not only to sensory stimuli but also rejection, exclusion, or just being misunderstood. Conversely, they can display diminished or skewed responses to social cues and nonverbal forms of communication, such as body language, facial expressions, even social media tact. In certain instances, an acute reaction may result when an autistic worker struggles to find words, senses a lack of psychological safety, and/or discerns discrimination. To the allistic eye, an autistic co-worker may be considered immature, irrational, emotional, or even complicated; however, in reality and within our behavior assessment, the truth is often beneath the surface of perception.

Regardless of our role, we must be slow to judge, if at all. While some mannerisms can seem confusing, the best move in general is to merge authority and/or care with curiosity before delegating constructive criticism. Rather than rebuke an accommodation, seek to understand its necessity. Don’t chastise an essential need when it might contradict your desire for conformity. Instead, assess workplace practices that can be unique and specific to each team member. In doing this, you’ll enhance a sense of security within your organization and decrease the odds of false labeling, treatment imbalances, and premature character judgments. 

  1. Nurture Their Strengths

Whatever you make of the spectrum, one thing is for sure: It is significantly broader and more complex than we think. As new information emerges, more people are discovering their place on neurodivergent planes. For those like me who didn’t discover their autism until adulthood, this can be quite the wake-up call. Yet, when we consider the big picture, we can find peace knowing once a diagnosis is confirmed and accepted, one can better understand how the difference between allistic and autistic is not to be compartmentalized but utilized!

For instance, most agree that autistic people tend to exhibit unconventional ways of perceiving instruction and execution. Some take directives down to the letter; others allot for creative interpretation. While understanding the behaviors, patterns, and preferences of autistic workers may be challenging at times, we must remember there’s value in not only acknowledging strengths and accommodations but nurturing them! For those in leadership, know your profiles, validate special needs, and as needed, receive and calibrate them to company policy without bias. Even though your supporting autistic colleague may talk differently and process more visually, you can still reel in their thoughts and fine-tune their priorities with precision. Be empowered, not discouraged in those moments.

Of course, in all this, taking the time to know the person you’re pouring into is key. On some days, you’ll find a ‘hands off’ approach is best; on other days, you’ll note a direct angle into constructive moments is more ideal. Regardless of the situation, bear in mind an autistic person benefits from stimuli conducive to their focus and security. Why not use your voice and support to be part of what they need to find safety and success in their role?

Now, I turn the podium over to you. What do you think about this topic? What other points would you add to this list? Do you have experience on either end of the spectrum? If so, I encourage you to share your thoughts. In the spirit of building one another up (Ephesians 4:11-16), Lys and I are here as always if you need us. 

God speed and as I always say in closing…

Cover graphic creds: Substack

Master Plan: How to Discover God’s Will for Your Life

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Rooted in the heart of every person there is a question:  What’s the purpose of my life? Perhaps you are reading this blog right now because you are searching for an answer to that question. Or maybe you are wondering if your life is some cosmic mistake. You are not alone. Many of us wrestle with our identity or place in this world at one point or another.  
 
If you follow Christ, or have ever considered following God, this search for purpose and meaning points us to Him – the divine creator that knows our purpose. But maybe you have looked to God or His word to discover your purpose and still feel lost.  
 
No matter how desperate we are to discover our purpose, if we are seeking our own will and not God’s we are destined to struggle. As we crave fulfillment and pine for intimacy and influence with those around us, are we inviting God into our brokenness, our needs, and our search for His will?

Or maybe you really want to discover God’s will for your life but don’t know how to find it. If so, I want to encourage you through a phrase you’ve likely heard before: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. 
 
In this context, I’m not talking about our free will; I’m talking about God’s will, His guide for our lives and a pathway for us to follow.  
 
Micah 6:8 (NIV) says: “…what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” 
 
To me, this verse offers profound peace. No matter what we’re going through, no matter the void we’re eager to fill, we can reference these three instructions and reset our inquiry. Read through this prayer and consider praying it for yourself: 
 
Lord, in this moment, I confess I need You more than anything else. Though I’m anxious to know the next step for my life, I ask first that Your Kingdom come, and that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Purify my heart to be more like Yours, to know the truth of who You are, so even when I’m lost or confused, I can rest knowing I’m loved and made in Your image.  I want your love and your purpose for me to be the lens through which I see myself and the world around me. 
 
Dallán Forgaill captures this in the words of the well-known hymn, ‘Be Thou My Vision’. Here are three verses from that old hymn: 

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; 

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art; 

Thou my best thought, by day or by night; 

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. 
 
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise; 

Thou mine inheritance, now and always; 

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart; 

O King of glory, my treasure Thou art. 
 
O King of glory, my victory won; 

Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done; 

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall; 

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all. 

In the poem, Forgaill asks God to make Himself known. He does not ask for answers or next steps; simply Jesus. As much as we want to discern the will of God, we must first arrive at a point of complete surrender and total reliance.  
 
And we see this theme of surrender and reliance echo throughout scripture: 
 
“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” ~ Psalm 62:5-8 (NIV) 
 
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” ~ Matthew 16:24 (NIV) 
 
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) 
 
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” ~ James 4:7 (NIV) 
 
In doing the things listed in these verses, we can commit our ways to God and abandon unhealthy entitlement, idolatry, lust, and pride. We can even release to God our longing to know His plan! 
 
In summary, if you want to know God’s will for your life, pursue the heart of God, and the plan will come. 
 
 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” ~ Matthew 6:33  
 
God will help you discover His next best step in His perfect timing. No matter what is happening in your life, when in doubt, simply “pour out” a simple prayer. Here’s one example: 
 
God, I’m too hurt or lost to move in this moment; however, in faith, I cast my fear and anxiety upon you. In this posture of trust, I anchor my hope in you, counting the journey as joy as I wait upon you. Until then, I will say ‘yes’ to your Word in showing justice, kindness, and humility to the world around me. Amen. 
 
Mercy Multiplied offers programs and resources to help people find freedom in Christ and discover the seeds of destiny God has planted in them. Click here for more information about the Keys to Freedom discipleship study.