As a result, iGo Jimmy get to come alongside our staff to help us with this part of the mission process. It is truly a working internship. These students spend long hours at the office, at Base Camps, on the recruiting trail, and at Costco.

And along the way we invest in them as leaders. It is not just work. We want to see them grow and develop as well. They meet outside of office hours with a couple that are shepherding them spiritually throughout the summer. We pour into them as they pour into all the iGo students.

Which reminds me that we started the Jimmy program long before we had enough work to justify having interns. We wanted to intentionally teach students about the necessity of mobilization in the process. We also wanted to develop leaders. The Jimmy strategy helps us do exactly that.

So pray for Jimmy this summer. They aren’t the ones that are getting on planes and flying to places you find hard to pronounce and spell. They are the behind the scenes servant leaders that help make it all possible. They struggle a little every time another team gets on a bus and heads to the airport. They are tempted to question the validity of their calling when they take a break from stuffing parent folders to run to the airport and witness another team arriving back home. Pray that they will understand and embrace the calling to mobilize (at least for a summer). And pray that they will learn, grow, and develop through every experience. And please pray that they will find true joy in the journey.

Check out a few candid shots of their first week on our Facebook page.

Basic Facts

Official Name - People’s Republic of iGosia

Climate - The climate is officially ridiculously hot during the tourist season (mid-May through the end of July). Occasionally the earlier parts of the tourist season can have a lot of rain. In those cases, you will need to stay on the porch.

Population - iGosia was recently recognized as the third fastest growing fictional country of all time. Several times a year new citizens are welcomed and celebrated into the One Tribe that iGosians claim to be. The population passed the 3000 mark in the summer of 2011 and continues to add several hundred annually.

Monetary Unit - iGo. The exchange rate for the iGo is easily the most volatile exchange rate of any nation’s currency. Typically, the iGo is worth more than the US Dollar. How much more is subject to the decision of the currency exchange vendors of the day. It sounds crazy, but it just works.

Language - iGosian. This language has no written form. Most iGosians have learned English over the years, but the iGosian accent consistently causes difficulty for tourists as they first arrive.

Economic Summary - #1 on the list when it comes to sustaining the economy of iGosia is Tourism. As a result, most iGosians are employed in either the tourist, travel, or security industry, although competition for jobs is non-existent due to cultural standards. You basically just have to volunteer for a job first and it is yours. Many have suggested that this lack of job competition has led to the problems with the iGosian Airways baggage handling department; however, no studies have confirmed these suggestions, and none have been conducted. #2 is Agriculture. iGosians grow cucumbers and tomatoes and serve them at practically every meal. A very small percentage of farmers grow rice. About 8% of the iGosian population is unemployed. Most of them resort to begging or in some cases thievery.

National Symbol - iGosia chooses a different national symbol each year. 2012 has been designated as the Year of the Elephant. Past national symbols include the armadillo, penguin, goat, giraffe, octopus (squid), moose, and owl for obvious reasons.

Government - iGosia is currently considered a mock Republic and they are ruled by a president and vice president. Not elected to office, both the president and VP took control in the early days of iGosia’s history and took their offices before anyone else could claim them. There is no end in sight for the rule and reign of these men, but fortunately for the people of iGosia, the President and VP are benevolent dictators.

Royalty -  Interestingly, iGosians insist that there is an iGosian line of royalty despite the complete lack of historical documents to back up these claims. Legend has it that the royal line is traced through a specific group of young college students known simply as Jimmy. Not even the ancient iGosian rhapsodoi had lore regarding this Jimmy. Even so, annually a new royal group are depicted on the face of iGo currency. Jimmy remains one of the great mysteries of iGosia, which is both how it should be and how it is.

And speaking of pseudo-royalty, the 2012 version of Jimmy arrived at the World Wide Headquarters of iGo Global today to begin their summer journey. All the signs are pointing to the opening of iGosian tourist season. Do you have your reservations secured? Some of you do, but some of you are still waiting to sign up as an iGosian for the summer. We need these wonderful volunteers at each Base Camp. If you can join us and show us your best iGosian accent at one of our three base camps in Denton or in Oklahoma or in Kansas, please let us know. You can find more info and sign up on our website. We hope to see you soon.

No doubt many of your memories of iGosia are specific to the experiences we have covered: Customs, Market, Games, Food, and your lost luggage. But a visit to iGosia is much more than just  an experience with a new culture. The people of iGosia leave marks on our lives like fresh dry erase markers on cheap whiteboards. iGosians never really fade away.

In the early years of this country, just about every tourist remembered “Ernie Smith.” Ernie typified the desire of iGosians to relate to their visitors by embracing part of the American culture. Can you blame him for not quite getting HOF running back, Emmitt Smith’s name correct? At least he had the correct jersey.

And who could ever hope to forget The Whistler? Donning a sombrero picked up on the iGosian black market, he commanded the attention of iGosian tourists as he led them to the tour bus and helped them buy their breakfast. I Da Lou where he came from or where he went, but his impact on iGosia lives on.

The people of iGosia also stand out with their fashion. There are a couple popular sayings in iGosia: 1. “Don’t be a rude…get on the boat”. 2. “There is a lot of rain..stay on the porch.” Neither of these speak to fashion, but the general rule in iGosia is that anything goes. This is why you will see such bright colors clashing together, more variety in hats than at the Kentucky Derby, men wearing skirts with tuxedo t-shirts, and the occasional uncool yet somehow attractive V-neck.

Many tourists to iGosia try to ignore the fact that poverty is an issue in this country. Despite the amazing tour bus experiences, the food, and the scenery, many iGosians live with very little. Forced to beg for food and money for the baby, these iGosians in many ways seem omnipresent. Sadly, many of them are children. Some are happy and innocent, but occasionally some of these beautiful children, hardened by their lifestyles, turn surly and uncaring.

And this flashback to iGosia wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that occasionally even the amazing people of iGosia can go too far. Memorable? Yes definitely. Like the smell of vomit cleaning powder in an elementary school hallway, these memories unfortunately stay with you.

What about you? Which people of iGosia have left a permanent stamp upon your brain for good or bad? Tell us about it after you enjoy this stroll down iGosian Memory Lane.

At one time, all of the above were adopted as the official company slogan of iGosian Airways. Which should remind you that no customer-service business starts out with the goal of being lousy. It just happens over time as corners are cut, employee morale drops, and apathy takes over.

And that is where we find iGosian Airlines. Many complaints have been filed, negative reviews posted, and grievances aired on the twittersphere regarding the lack of customer service of iGosian Airways, specifically in the baggage handling department.

It is such a sad story, especially for the disgruntled. overworked, and underpaid employees. One employee, who wanted to be called Jimmy in order to protect his identity, said the following, “I get it. People want their bags when they arrive. But this ain’t easy, ya know? These groups arrive all at once, and the bags just keep piling up. You end up with a room full of luggage, and it gets overwhelming. What we do is typically just shut the door and try to take a good break. Can we help it if sometimes, or well maybe all the time, we forget to go back and deliver those bags? To be honest, a lot of times we forget which room we left them in. So sue us.”

Which is exactly what some iGosian visitors have threatened to do. Sue the company. However, iGosian Airways is strictly an iGosian company, only doing business in iGosia, and only providing service to iGosia. This makes it very difficult to pursue legal action.

And that only heightens the frustration. One might think that the people of iGosia would step in and intervene worried that this baggage handling incompetency would lead to a decline in tourism. However, iGosians seem to celebrate the failings of iGA. When a young Christina (Stone) Walker learned that her luggage had been lost, she was stunned. In disbelief she asked, “Seriously, where is my luggage?” And the iGosians, out of sheer concern for their reputation, turned that into a T-shirt.

This isn’t to say there haven’t been any bright spots along the way. One whole group of visitors to iGosia somehow located their own luggage one desperate night after iGA had exhausted all their possibilities. Unfortunately, this has never happened again.

And in typical iGosian custom, the executives of iGosian Airways have embraced their futility. After starting with such noble aspirations, they have finally settled on a new and timeless company slogan. In fact, you can find this moxie-filled motto on T-shirts at iGosian gift shops all over the island.

iGosian Airways. Losing Luggage Since 1998.

Sometimes it is best just to be accurate. Got a story? Complaint? Grievance? Hit that comment button and let us know. We promise to make sure your suggestions find their way to a trash can in the office of the iGA President.

But that doesn’t meant they will let just anyone in, either. Yes, iGosians love tourists, but one of the safeguards of this love is the security screening process by the iGosian Customs Unit (ICU). Over 3000 tourists have visited iGosia in the last 12 years alone, and it is likely that every single one of them would describe ICU with some if not all of these words.

Intimidating

ICU does not play games. Fail to take this seriously, and you may find yourself on the outside desperately trying to get in. It doesn’t take long to determine that the iGosians approach entry to their country with as much gravity, determination, and  intensity as this guy does his job. Everything in the ICU area lends to this atmosphere; whether it be the inconsistent lighting, the desultory air-conditioning, or the palpable seriousness in the building. You do not want to say the wrong thing, cross over the line, move too fast, or move too slow. The intimidation factor eliminates many problems at the very beginning, thus further enhancing healthy relationships between iGosians and the tourists.

Methodical

It has been said before that time seems to stand still when you are in the line for customs in iGosia. ICU agents have been known to take a break just when things get busiest, which can be maddening to some visitors. One tourist, wishing to remain anonymous, said, “I was next in line at one point after finally locating and  filling out the correct immigration form. Instead of calling for the next person, the lady just announced she was closed. She then turned to the lady next to her and started talking about a movie she wanted to see. No one came to help me. I had to find another line and start over. Who does that?” ICU does that. And while you may not want to believe it, Nathaniel, there is a method to all of the madness.

Confusing

iGosians have made a ton of concessions over the years in order to accommodate the number of tourists that visit each year. Some of their historic customs and traditions have been set aside in their efforts to be more hospitable. But they haven’t given up everything yet. They still expect visitors to learn their systems, eat their food, and observe some fundamental traditions. And ICU is no exception. Tourism is significant, but the majority of travelers through iGosia are iGosians returning home. They know what forms are necessary and where to stand. This is what you might call a High-Context culture. iGosians have a tremendous amount of history together. They know how things work and need very little written instructions. It may be confusing, but it will only help you learn as you proceed.

Spontaneously Joyful

After you are released from the ICU having filled out the proper paperwork and checking your luggage with iGosian Airways, you then get to experience a true iGosian welcoming party. iGosian vendors, greeters, children, beggars, etc. are all waiting just outside to welcome you to the beautiful land of iGosia. You can expect random hugs, songs, dances, and the occasional pickpocket. iGosians are known for their helpfulness, so you can always find someone willing to help you get a bus ticket, carry your bags, or assist you on your tour of iGosia. Just know that iGosians want to help even if they don’t know how. It is their culture.

So there you have it. Do any other words come to mind when you think of your experience with the iGosians Customs Unit? Any memories you want to share of mistakes made? How about that welcoming party? Please hit that comment button and let us know. You may even tell us something we didn’t know ourselves.

Friday evening our team leaders arrived for training. This group includes city leaders for the Paris teams, JSI team leaders, and XJ (Xtreme Journey) leaders. We spent the evening and most of the day on Saturday helping this group get ready for their leadership role this summer. We then dismissed most of them and welcomed the 2012 crop of JSI’s for the final segment of the retreat. JSI’s are students who were accepted into an overseas internship for this summer. They will serve alongside the field staff in leading the first time students throughout the summer. The Leader Retreat is a special time every year as we get to invest in some of our best students in an informal reunion type environment. Here are some of the highlights from the teaching.

The RWB (Rogers Worship Band) of John and Chassidy Rogers led worship for us all weekend and did an incredible job of preparing us to learn from God’s word.

Shu kicked things off on Friday night with the leaders by teaching from Joshua 1:1-9. Like Joshua taking over leadership for Moses, the time has come for this year’s leaders to step up. He reminded them that God had called them, and His challenge to Joshua to be strong and courageous was pertinent to them as well. Joshua’s strength and courage would come from his devotion to the Word of God as well as his deep-seated understanding that God would be with him.

In teaching how to lead, Ky reminded the team leaders that it is hard to know if you are saying the right things when you give your opinion. However, if you speak the Word and teach the Word, you can always be confident that what you say is helpful and correct. iGo alum and former team leader, LC was able to share from her past experiences a challenge to always be looking for teaching opportunities. The “as you go” teaching model works best on our teams.

Rowdy taught the leaders a message from John 15 on abiding in Christ. He challenged the group to remember that God had called them to a big task knowing that they could not do it without Him. We can’t do anything without Him, so we must abide in Him and depend upon Him to lead through us.

Brad encouraged the leaders to be true leaders and not just managers. One of the differences is that leaders multiply themselves, and Brad wanted to make sure that our hope and expectation for these team leaders is that they will model, assist, watch, and leave (MAWL) as they intentionally disciple their team members.

As we kicked off our time with the JSI’s on Saturday, we had the privilege of having one of our overseas workers share a message out of 2 Corinthians. DT taught us that God has chosen to put the invaluable treasure of His Gospel in jars of clay. Jars of clay are fragile (easily broken), expendable (easily replaced), and unimpressive. Why would God do this? B/c the reality that we as jars of clay carry such a treasure puts the gospel on display. The corrective truth that we are not cheap and worthless, but we are probably not as important as we think we are was painfully good to hear.

Ky brought the last message of the weekend as he challenged the JSI’s from Matthew 7 where Jesus talked about the wise and foolish builders. He warned all of us to make sure we are not trusting in our own righteousness in any way by reminding us that we always drift in that direction. The message really hit home when he said, “If you think your disobedience causes you to lose God’s favor, that probably means you thought your obedience was earning it.”

One of the last sessions of the retreat was led by iGo alum and former journeyman, LJ. She challenged the JSI’s on the importance of spiritual disciplines. She recommended a great book on prayer. She also shared with them that spiritual disciplines do not give holiness. They are the path to holiness.

As usual, the L.A.W. (Ladies at Work) were on their A-game all weekend. From teaching lessons to keeping us on schedule to just plain getting stuff done, they were a highlight reel of their own. And finally, I promised to mention Aaron Clayton, who was not at our retreat this year due to the fact that he is now a big-time church planter down in Waxahachie. He did, however visit the office today and help us unload the trailer.

Those are the highlights according to my memory with assistance from the note-taking abilities of Lindsey Ledbetter (aka Homeschool Hipster, aka Drew, aka Nancy). What were your highlights? Hit that comment button and share them or share them on our Facebook page.

So long Camp Lake Lavon. We will miss you. We will miss your unique ability to simulate third world country living conditions complete with dilapidated buildings, faulty plumbing, and the need for mosquito nets in the hotel rooms. We will miss the exclusive smell you possess. After being away for months at a time, there is nothing that can compare to walking in to the chapel and breathing in deeply. If only we could bottle this and sell it as Musk de Lavonia, we could give a whole new meaning to the words, “Eau de Toilette.”

Hasta la vista Conference Center, used for adults only and the occasional non-stop quincieanera for “obvious reasons.” What will we do without your perfect temperature in the foyer while the main auditorium maintains at 85 throughout the summer? So many lives were ruined and T-shirts were sold in this building despite the carpet, baseboard molding, and overflowing toilets.  And goodbye Cafe. Your foundation was meant to be a skate park, or at least an illustration for Ky’s sermon from Matthew 7. And we will of course miss the food. Your culture meals were perfectly iGosian. The rest of your meals were great too, and a constant clue that your favorite color was yellow.

The memories we made with you are never ending. Our very own Jay Roberts first caught the eye of his future wife Erin by building a bonfire down by the shore. Speaking of burning, iGosian hallways will always echo with the words of an iGosian girl, “Um….our dorm is on fire?!?” It turns out that was not on the official Base Camp agenda even though wannabe arsonist AC was in charge. And who could forget the attack by Fart Sherman on the defenseless air conditioner in The Cottage? The air conditioner, to it’s credit, attempted to soil itself during the attack to discourage the assailant. Well played for sure.

We will never forget our beloved golf carts or the reaction by the CLL director when Justin Cofield did a donut in Old Red in front of the CLL office. His laughter led us to drive those carts (Old Red, The Limo, and Greenie) as if they could not be broken. I’m pretty sure it was Old Red that caused Ky to throw up that one iGosian summer night. We would apologize for how Jimmy drove the carts over the years, but we know it doesn’t matter, so we won’t.

We will surely miss staff swim nights, spider crickets, the roar of the lions, the fox with the rat, wasps, weed beds, and the looks of exultation on the faces of shuttle bus drivers when they actually arrived at the camp for airport departures. We don’t know what we will do without the handle-less “new” refrigerator in Hunt, skating in the Cave, the never ending heat, Cephas and the rest of his RV-living family, paneled walls, and the omni-present Skip (who knew a good thing when he found it in 82 and never left).

So for now, we move on to greener pastures. Well, maybe not greener pastures but at least ones that use weed eaters. Farewell Camp Lake Lavon. We are thankful for the memories.

Please hit that comment button and share with us your favorite memories from Camp Lake Lavon. We know we forgot to mention a bunch.

The iGo Team Leader retreat begins later today in iGosia (aka Camp Lake Lavon). Tomorrow this year’s crop of JSI’s show up to begin their training as well. It is always a special time of year for us as we get to really invest in leaders. At the core of iGo, we have a passion for developing leaders. Leadership is often defined as influence, and we want to do whatever we can to equip the next generation of influencers. This is part of the reason why our staff rarely leads teams. It is also why we strategically place 30+ students each summer as interns overseas through our JSI program. We want to see leaders develop.

And we get to see that time and time again. Students who first showed up for an iGo trip as confused and lost in iGosia as anyone (one of the best we know showed up at the wrong base camp the first time around) are now leading, serving, and influencing in all kinds of roles. Some iGo alums are church planters. Some are overseas. Some are accountants, office managers, teachers, salesmen, and even marine biologists. And so many of them were given their first real opportunity to lead, along with on the ground training, through iGo. It is humbling and just plain cool to see God use us like that.

That reminds me of the best leader I ever got to learn from. Joel Bratcher (now the BSM director in Aggieland) was one of the leaders that really invested in me. He saw leadership potential in me when very few people did. I don’t even think I did at the time. As a sophomore in college, Joel began to invest in me by pushing me into leadership roles. He recommended experiences that would stretch me and challenge me. And then he let me lead. Probably against his better judgment, but he did. He was always there to evaluate, encourage, and speak wisdom into my ideas, but he let me learn as I led. He let me make mistakes, and I learned even more through them.

As a leader, I want to be like Joel in so many ways. Do you? It doesn’t matter if you don’t know Joel. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t like Aggies. Do you look for leadership potential in others? It may not always be obvious, but the best leaders I know are able to find it in others. Do you push others into experiences and challenges that will stretch them? Do you step back and allow developing leaders to lead? In many ways, this is what the best leaders do. They spend much of their time developing other leaders. What are the things you are currently doing to help develop other leaders around you? Feel free to hit the comment button and share it with us all.

Our digital world is filled with constant tweets, updates, blogs, television, ipods, and more.  Pockets protect our hand held computers that keep track of our schedules, email, texts, and the occasional angry bird while also serving as our telephone device.  We live in a digital communication world where our fingers have learned to be our voice.

As you prepare to lead this summer, it’s important to remember why communication is a key aspect of leadership.  Sure, there will be times when sending a text or email will suffice, but when it comes to vision casting, details, discipline and so many other areas, the tone of your voice needs to be heard.  As a father, I’ve learned to use different tones to communicate directly with my kids.  They know, by the sound of my voice, if I’m serious, joking, angry or upset.  Your team needs to hear your voice and as a leader, you need to be ready to communicate effectively.

When the times comes to communicate the vision for your team, let them hear your passion.  When talking through details and plans, make sure they know you are serious.  As you discipline, make sure they hear love and forgiveness.  And remember, don’t get so wrapped up in all of your own details that you forget to encourage your team when they do well.

Footholds for Leadership by Brad Cardwell

Paul gave a young church leader named Timothy some great advice and caution in 1 Timothy 4:16. You are probably familiar with verse 12 “Let no one despise you for your youth…” but I think the most potent advice from Paul comes in verse 16…”Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

“Keep a close watch on yourself…”

Paul wouldn’t have told Timothy to keep a close watch on himself if he didn’t think that Timothy had the potential to be HIS OWN WORST ENEMY!  Throughout Scripture we see this phrase, “Guard your heart” or “watch yourself”. You can’t trust your feelings or your emotions. You CAN’T trust YOU. And the Bible tells us that the only way to guard your heart is with Scripture and with the people of God – the church and the details and particulars of the Gospel.

Let others hold you accountable, whether they are one of your team members or someone at your church. Ask other Godly voices in your life questions like:  “Do you think I am walking humbly with God?” (Micah 6:8),  “Am I thinking and seeking the kingdom before my own wants and desires?” (Matt. 6:33),  “Do I seek justice for those around me that are oppressed?” (James 1:27),  “Do you ever hear Scripture out of my mouth and do I seem to have an appetite for the Word and for others to know truth?” (1 Timothy 4:13).

“…and on the teaching.”

If you don’t “keep a close watch” on what you’ve been taught, you will forget it and drift from it, guaranteed.  Scripture provides us with many Gospel particulars.  Details.  Specifics. Principles. Otherwise known as doctrines.  These “particulars” help us hang on to the story of the Gospel like a foothold helps a rock climber.  The more footholds, the more secure the journey.   Just because you sat through the teaching times without falling asleep (well, at least most of you), doesn’t mean that it’s a part of your life. Pay attention to what you’ve been taught and work hard to understand it. Don’t be afraid of the word doctrine.  Don’t be afraid to learn and discuss the particulars of the Gospel story.  While they may seem insignificant and academic at times, they are what help us “hang on” in this journey of faith.

Keeping a close watch on yourself and what you’ve been taught, not only grows your faith in God and His Gospel, but it impacts those around you.  The more you pay attention to Gospel teaching and work hard to understand, the better equipped you will be AND those that follow, or listen, to you. Be careful to watch yourself. Be careful to remember what you’ve learned and cling to the particulars of the Gospel. The promise in this passage is that others will be kept in the Gospel when we, as leaders, are paying attention to our own walk and the doctrines of what we teach.  A good leader is not just concerned about his own faith, his own doctrine, or just being right.  A good leader is concerned about how his own walk and his own doctrine secures the faith of those that follow.