I Am Not Getting Paid to Say This: An Interview with Jeff Goins

Jeff Goins

The Initial Attraction

There have been many people in this world who have influenced me. Some, like teachers, family members, and friends I have met. Some, like Jeff Goins, I have not had the privilege of meeting. Yet somehow, he has impacted me on many levels: some personal and some professional. 

(He even gets a "thank you" in my upcoming book The Purpose of Chosen: Discovering You Are Meant for More and a quote in the book as well. -More on that later!) 

It may be his lopsided grin, his honest blue eyes, and  ginger hair that grabbed my attention (having tons of gingers in my family I have a fondness for them) but it was his honest and bold writing style that kept my attention. 

Jeff's had an amazing rise in the blogger world and as a writer his work is gaining notice in more ways than one. Jeff's first books were self-published works about writing and following your dreams. Since then he has put a ton of work in, and seemed to instinctively know how to build a platform of readers, engage an audience, and build a following. 

So publishers came knocking. (This is unheard of!) 

These are skills people pay to learn, and Jeff seemed to become adept simply by trying. This, along with his unique and genuine personal world view has launched him into the bloggosphere as a bit of a guru, and I am not too proud to say I usually pour over anything the man writes with ferocious zeal. 

Yep. I Am a Fan

When I learned Jeff wrote a new book called Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into your Comfortable Life, I was intrigued. This is a bit of a departure from his previous books, but not a departure from who Jeff is. 

By night, Jeff is a Superwriter (of graphic-novel-proportions: able to leap over large word counts in a single bound), and a diaper changing, bottle warming, Instagram snapping, new dad to boot. 

By day he is Communications Director at Adventures in Missions in Nashville, Tennessee. His heart for making a difference is certainly something that shaped the penning of his most recent book and one I want to share with you today. 

I am not getting paid to say these great things, though, I should think about sending Jeff my resume when and if he ever needs a publicist. I did not even receive a free copy of his book. I had to by it the old fashioned way: Amazon. (that is an affiliate link) But it was worth it in the end.  As a matter of fact, when Jeff asked for applications for his launch team, I applied and then did not make it. So when I asked for an interview I was pleasantly surprised to say the least when he said yes. 

Now, months later, I get to share with you what I learned by interviewing Jeff, and introduce to you a book that will turn your world upside down and inside out if you let it. 

The Interview

Dayna:  Jeff, your life has gone through some amazing changes in the last few years. A successful blog, a couple of great eBooks, a new son, and now your other "baby": Wrecked. How are you handling the ride? 

Jeff:  Well, Dayna, as you well know (since I promised a reply to you months ago) that it's a bit overwhelming. It's frankly hard to keep up with everything. Much to my own regret, I've had to make some sacrifices just to stay healthy.

My two main priorities are my family and what I consider my "art" — writing content that I can be proud of. Somewhere in there, I also try to put food on the table, pay the bills, and interact with my "tribe" of readers, but if I do all that at the expense of the first two priorities, I've failed. And it won't be long before everything else fails, too.

For me, it's important to have that solid foundation.

Dayna:  If someone asked me this question I would hate them, but I have to ask anyway: What makes Wrecked so special? Why is it different? 

Jeff:  I wrote Wrecked, because I couldn't find a book like it out there already. I have lots of friends and colleagues who have had paradigm-shifting experiences that have left them confused or paralyzed.

I wanted to write a book about what to do after you feel like your world has been turned upside-down — why that's a good thing and where to go from there.

I think there are a good number of books about changing the world and living for others, but most seem to err on the side of commitment or adventure. 

That is, you either feel like you're not doing enough or that you're doing too much and need to focus on just one thing.Wrecked is not answering that struggle but learning to live in the tension. It's where we all need to live more of our lives.

Dayna:  In that moment when we are "wrecked" lying on our backs waiting for the worst like the tortoise on the front of your book, what is the most important thing to remember in that moment? 

Jeff: This isn't about you. It's not about you lying on your back. It's about the sky that you can now see. So look up.

Dayna: I love that. "So look up."  How have you been able to filter the events in your life and use them to propel you forward? 

Jeff: A wise man once told me that God can only bless or redeem. In other words, there are two filters for the things that happen in our lives:

1. "This was supposed to happen. Be grateful for it."

2. "This wasn't supposed to happen, but good will come of it."

Saying "everything happens for a reason" is a bit Pollyanna for me. The truth is sometimes bad, terrible things happen. But our response to them is what shapes our character.

Dayna: I write about purpose with a particular singularity. It is my thing. How important do you think finding your purpose in life is? 

Jeff: Essential. And plenty of people don't.

This is something you will have to fight for, and without it, life will seem meaningless and empty. Because without a clear understanding of your calling, it is meaningless and empty.

If a person doesn't find her purpose, she will fill that longing we all have with anything — even harmful substances — that offers some temporary satisfaction or gratification.

Dayna:  How can people buy your book? 

Jeff: However they want. They can find out more, including a list of places where it's for sale here http://wreckedthebook.com.

Dayna:  I have heard you are offering an incentive to purchase your book. What is that about? 

Jeff: That's actually no longer available but people can pick up a free study guide at wreckedthebook.com/guide/.

Dayna: If you had to sum up in one sentence your purpose in this life, what would it be? 

Jeff: Make a difference by making a ruckus.

Dayna: What is one moment that stands out that has helped shape your purpose in life? 

Jeff: The one time my dad told me he wasn't proud of me (and he had every right to not be). It made me realize how much honor and integrity really matter to me. I never forgot that moment and have tried to make him proud ever since.

Dayna: What role does faith play in those "wrecked" moments of life for you? 

Jeff: Faith is essential. It's the hope of things to come — not in a "I hope it doesn't rain today" wishy-washy way, but in a steady "this too shall pass" way. My faith is the lens through which I view all things, and without it, I'm lost.

Join the Conversation: 

Do you have a question for Jeff? Leave a comment below. (Oh, and I bet some well wishes and new-dad advice would be welcome too!) 

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Ministry Highlight: Builders International with Director Ryan Moore

Ryan and Laci Moore 

As a girl I wanted to be a missionary to Russia. That did not work out, but Russia is just behind the United States as the second largest readership of this blog.

My body may not be in Russia, but I have an impact there. Why? Because this is my mission field.

Missions have always been a part of God's plan for the redemption of man. Jesus told the disciples to Go! Go to all the world. This is the Great commission.

There are men and women all over the world who leave their homes, their loved ones, the comfort of their indoor plumbing and the luxury of a convenient store on every corner to carry out this commission every day.

But missionaries face obstacles. Governments, superstitions, lack of finances and even facilities. This is why I am so excited to introduce to you Builder's International (BI) and Ryan Moore, the director of BI.

I had the privilege of meeting Ryan and his family several months back and I am so glad to share you their heart for missions.

From time to time I highlight a ministry I believe in and Builder's International is just such a ministry. Like me, you may have had a heart for missions when you were younger. Perhaps you feel called to go, but feel like you have nothing to offer.

BI offers non-traditional ways to help serve in the missions field. Keep reading the interview with Ryan below to see how you can become a missionary if you know how to swing a hammer or run a construction crew.

Thanks from the Moore Family from Ryan Moore on Vimeo.

Dayna (D): What is your background in church? In Building?

Ryan (R): I am an Assemblies of God preachers kid. Raised in church my entire life. I have a B.S. in civil engineering from Lamar University, served in the U.S. Navy’s Civil Engineer Corp for 6 ½ years. Then became a missionary with Assemblies of God to serve with Builders International.

D: When did you feel called to the Missions Field?

R: (My) First inclination was during a missions trip as a kid to Guatemala. Then, 4 years after high school, feeling led into ministry, I registered at SAGU. A couple months before going there, we had a missionary at the church my dad pastored, during lunch after service the missionary shared his experience growing up on the mission field. One of the things he told us about was how challenging construction projects where for his parents. From that conversation, I felt lead into construction missions, dropped my registration at SAGU and applied for the C.E. program at Lamar.

D: What does BI do?

R: Short answer: Plan, promote, and implement construction project for Assemblies of God partner fellowships around the world.

D: Why is church building so important?

R: Think of church in the USA, now pretend that there is a pastor, a congregation, people being saved, and a community in need; but they have nowhere to meet. This is a huge hindrance in the churches ability to minister to the community. A facility is simply a vital tool to help a church fulfill it’s missions to reach it’s community.

We actually focus more on Bible schools, than churches. That is because these facilities are used to train pastors, which have an exponential effect in our efforts to reach the world with the Gospel. Within our fellowship, there is a church planted every 45 minutes, and a minister trained every 50 minutes. That means that we have a shortage of over 1,100 ministers per year to lead the churches and sustain this new growth.

D: What is your favorite thing about BI?

R: The gratification of helping people in need around the world, as well as meeting graduates of some of the schools around the world who are doing amazing work around the world.

D: What kind of results do you see when a new church is built?

R: I think the story of Global School of Theology North West in Rustenburg, South Africa tells the story perfect. What the video at: http://youtu.be/nV72KuvPbFM

When a school is built, it continues to create ministers that reach people in places that we may never go as the American church.

A good example of a church story would be in Haiti. After the earthquake, we helped rebuild a church in the community of Meilleur, Port-au-Prince. Their building was very small before the quake and was destroyed, we built a new 60’x80’ church for them. At the church dedication in February, there were over 500 people from the community there. This new building gave them a new presence in the community increasing their ability to minister.

Here are some pictures (at the very bottom are a couple of pictures of their old facility)

D: Do you have 1 moment that stands out in your mind above all others (that you can share) which tells us about the needs of the people you serve?

R: One (of many that really stand out) is when I visited a temporary earthquake refugee camp in Haiti with a group of pastors from the United States. The majority of the people in the camp were kids, every one of them short on food and water, no public sewer and an awful place for a human to have to exist. As we walked out of the camp (after singing some songs with the kids and passing out candy), a couple of the pastors who had not been in a 3rd world country began to break down and weep. There are still people living there because they cannot afford to leave. Builders International has been in Haiti helping to rebuild grade schools and churches since the 2010 earthquake. Here is a video update on our work there.

D: I recently did a series of blog posts about priorities. How do you balance ministry with family and spouse?

R: This is easier to talk about than to practice, but here are my thoughts. When my mind gets going thinking about work to be done or an unfinished task, I get very wrapped up in it. Loving the work I am a part of at Builders International is a blessing, but I have had to create physical limits on my working to protect my time with my family. I go to every soccer practice and soccer game, leave the office NLT 5:00pm every day, limit annual international travel to 2 months per year and no longer than 2 weeks at a time.

D: If you had to list your top 5 priorities what would that look like? How often do those change?

R: 1. Relationship with God 2. Relationship with Wife 3. Raising Children 4. Church and church family 5. Living a life that builds others up

D: What are your short term (1 year) goals for BI?

R: We have detailed list of goals and targets that I am not sure how to share. I think this will be best….
Our short and long term goals revolve around finding the right staff, funding the work, involving more volunteer construction teams, locating field construction missionaries and finishing more projects that impact lives with the Gospel.

D: How can people help?

R: Giving, going, praying

D: What kinds of roles or jobs does BI need to fill?

R: BI operates on volunteer labor. We have intern positions available as well that include work abroad for engineers, architects, construction science majors as well as marketing/graphic arts. A priority position we are currently looking for is field construction foreman. This is someone who will live for a couple of years in a given location, with experience in construction internationally, to lead the work on site.

D: What skills are you looking for in someone who wants to go into the field to help?

R: A big part of our work is with short term volunteer construction teams. These trips are typically between 1 to 2 weeks. Construction experience and tradesman are a huge help on these teams, however, ANYONE with an able body and willing soul can take the adventure of a lifetime and come help us build.

For more on opportunities and how to get involved, contact Rob Kinney in the teams department at Builders International. rob@buildersintl.org

D: What does a typical commitment to a "job site" look like?

R: No two job sites are the same, we help with everything from simply a site visit/due diligence review to acting like a construction company and handling all of the work. In Haiti, we have construction equipment, a full time construction superintendent, a Haitian crew, and utilize many teams each year from the states to complete the work. In other places, like a project we are helping in Bangladesh where we must keep a lower profile, we help raise funds, apply for grants and promote the project, but do not oversee the actual work.

D: How do you apply to BI?

R: IT starts with a call to BI and then looking over the requirements for missions application at www.wideopenmissions.org

D: Is there a vetting process and if yes, how long does it take? (from application to field how long can an applicant expect to wait?)

R: Yes, the length of time depends on the type of volunteer. A career missions application/itineration cycle takes a good 2 years. However, a MAPS Associate only needs to fill out minimal paper work and can be cleared to work in the field in a matter of a few weeks. There are several other options that fall between these two.

D: If people cannot physically go to another country, are there other ways to help?

R: 1. Participation in “The Foundation” is a great way for those who believe in our work can help make projects happen all over the world. For details go to: http://buildersintl.org/donate/

2. Attending our annual Vision Casting fund raiser, this year in Branson, MO. For information and details to this by invitation event, contact Julie Zietlow,julie@buildersintl.org.

D: How can people donate to BI?

R: Click here for the link to give to BI securely.

D: My blog is about finding your purpose in Christ. What can you share about purpose and the journey to fulfill God's call on our lives?

R: According to Eph 2:10 we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works that He planned in advance for us to. Finding our purpose starts with full submission to God, until that happens, there is only work, eat, sleep, repeat. Once we submit to God and truly seek his will, one step at a time He will reveal it. It takes time. It may mean moving to Africa, it may mean keeping on doing what you are doing, but with purpose. From the time I felt a call to construction missions work till the day I made it to Builders International was over 10 years.

D: Do you have to raise a portion or all of your personal salary through offerings or fundraising?

R: Like all other Assemblies of God missionaries, we have to raise all of our missions budget. This budget covers our salary and all work expenses. This is accomplished by church and personal donors both on a monthly basis and with special offerings. Those interested in partnering with us personally on a monthly basis can do so HERE.


You can follow Ryan on Twitter or FaceBook.

Join the Conversation: Have you ever wanted to go on a missions trip? Leave your comment below!