In June, Marketplace and Development Enterprises (MDE) welcomed long-time friend and board member Ruth Hubbard to our staff. Ruth’s skills and experience in Communications offer practical ways for her to contribute to the ongoing growth of MDE. More importantly, her background in organizational leadership, first at Wycliffe Bible Translators and then with InterVarsity’s Urbana, gives her a unique perspective on the Western church’s participation in God’s global mission.
Ruth was raised in a pastor’s home, as her parents served churches in communities including rural North Dakota and the south side of Chicago. Their home frequently welcomed traveling missionaries, bringing beautiful stories of God at work. Throughout her life, she has been part of local church communities with deep commitments to making disciples.
In the early 1990s, following the fall of the Iron Curtain, mission agencies joined forces to reach the Soviet people, who were eager to hear the gospel. Ruth recalls hearing a returning worker suggest that this region could benefit from a special blend of gospel outreach and business. They needed trustworthy guides in order to navigate the new challenges of a free-market economy – thereby shaping the future of the region.
While living in Indianapolis, as members of the same church, Ruth quickly made friends with Mark and Charlene Canada, who founded MDE in 2014. She admired their willingness to look at a thing and say, “There might be a better way to do this.” She sees how MDE has grown out of that posture and is suited to serve well within the quickly changing landscape of Kingdom development.
Ruth began pursuing a Master of Arts in Global Leadership from Fuller Seminary while in her executive role with Wycliffe and completed it just months before Urbana 18, the first of two Urbana conferences under her leadership. She became a student of leadership development, generational trends, and global shifts in missions. In an era when the church in the non-Western world is expanding rapidly and a mission paradigm of the “west to the rest” is no longer the appropriate model of Kingdom expansion, Ruth sees a place for the Western church. For example, their contribution to business and mission can bring great value to the efforts of the global church.
She also sees ways that the woundedness and collaborativity of Generation Z make them uniquely equipped to tackle today’s challenges and opportunities in ways that are outside the boxes that no longer serve well. As they enter the realm of business and mission, they will need a support organization that can evolve to meet their needs while encouraging and empowering them to fulfill their callings. MDE has positioned itself as a strong partner by drawing resources from both business and mission sectors to support its members.
This is an exciting and opportune moment for Ruth to join MDE, as we prepare ourselves to serve the next generation of BAMers. Her insights and branding sensitivities will help position us for maximum effectiveness as we serve our members and volunteers in the years to come.
I am humbled by the ridiculous and generous grace of God who continues to invite me to join him on mission.
Ruth Hubbard