I want to thank you for your partnership in the ministry of Christian Service Brigade.
It has been my honor and privilege to serve CSB in a “dual leadership role” since November 2009, when I accepted the invitation to serve as president of CSB US while continuing as president of CSB Canada. At that time and throughout the past five years, both the US and Canadian Boards of Directors and I recognized the tremendous advantages of this model to empower greater collaboration and synergy between the North American ministries as well as providing strong stewardship gains. We also recognized this model might not be sustainable long term, while feeling strongly that God had led us to this for this chapter of our ministry.
Throughout this past summer and fall, I reached the difficult realization that it was time to step back from my added role in CSB US and focus exclusively on the ministry in Canada. I am pleased to announce that the CSB US Board of Directors has asked Scott Haima, our Director of Finance and Operations, to serve as Interim President while we seek to identify the right path for this next exciting chapter of Brigade’s ministry in the US. I am delighted that Scott will be providing strong, fiscally responsible leadership to the ministry while moving the ministry forward with continued momentum.
Please know that my passion for and commitment to the mission and ministry of Brigade has not diminished whatsoever. I am honored to continue being part of the CSB team in leading the organization in Canada. I pray that together, CSB will see tremendous growth and impact throughout North America.
You are part of making that happen, whether you serve as a leader in a Brigade unit at your church or support the ministry in prayer and financial gifts. I encourage you to continue your support of this vital ministry during this time of transition so we may move forward strongly together.
With sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve Christ with you,
John Launstein
Words don’t seem adequate enough to express how honored I am to be asked by the CSB Board of Directors to serve in the role of Interim President for CSB Ministries in the US. To serve in a role that some true CSB heavy weights have - such as Robert Walker, Kenneth Hansen, Joseph Bubar, and Sam Gray - I am truly humbled.
Each incoming CSB President for the past two decades has inherited a ministry which was seeing its impact declining in the North American church. I do not believe this is the present case! Under John Launstein’s dual role leadership - CSB celebrated its 75-year history with an International event in Wisconsin, new Stockade curriculum, and the move of the US national offices from Wheaton, IL to Hamburg, NY. I am very excited about the potential growth of this ministry, and the impact it will be making in churches and the lives of men, of all ages. This excitement is largely generated by the most important resource an organization can have - it’s staff. I’ve observed, one by one the staff assembled at the Hamburg offices, their passion growing for the mission of CSB. Weekly interactions with Joel Fiscus, the Director of Field Staff, has garnered this as well, and the increased awareness once again of CSB within national men’s ministries such as Man In The Mirror and Iron Sharpens Iron. The Field Staff have been reinvigorated by several initiatives CSB has undertaken, and projects underway.
As we move forward together, discussing and developing ways to reach the modern young and adult men, one thing we realize is timeless - iron sharpening iron. Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” CSB’s model of encouraging, equipping, then empowering men to disciple and mentor boys and young men will always remain at the ministry’s core.
Scott Haima
Interim President, CSB Ministries
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