Beth and William Sawyer started dating in eighth grade, married after high school, and have been married for 33 years. The couple live in a sparsely populated county in North Carolina, far from population centers and seemingly disconnected from the global church. But when asked about their experience with Zúme online training, Beth and William have stories from Canada to Ohio and South Asia… How?
Twelve years ago, the Sawyers attended Metacamp and heard about Zúme from Curtis Sergeant, but while William has used it since then, “it wasn’t until recently that we got on the bandwagon together,” says Beth. After William’s trip to India in ’07 and a few trips to Tunisia since, “he was in a mountaintop that I just didn’t think I could ever reach.” Beth wasn’t convinced until a bout with COVID last December led her to try out the program and see what would happen.
Having worked together in the same office and been together for 33 years, William says that Beth has “always been on mission with me,” and that Zúme “was just a natural fit.”
From their living room, in five to six hours a week of coaching, the Sawyers have connected with house churches in Ohio and a 75-year-old man in India who is ecstatic to use Zúme’s methods on the streets. They run a business, which they work at full time, watch their grandchildren twice a week, and look after Williams’ mother, but six hours a week of training is not so much that it overwhelms the couple.
“You’re not too busy,” encourages Beth. “What is your priority?” In reference to her former hesitation, she says, “First and foremost, you have to see that God can use us right where we are.” To any couples who want to enter Zúme training together, she says, “You got to be humble.” You both may not be in the same place at the same time, and that’s okay.
If you are considering starting Zúme training with your spouse, William says that you’ve just got to do it. The idea of becoming a coach may be “a little overwhelming,” Beth admits, “But if you have put into practice the tools they give you, it’s easy to teach, because you can explain it from experience.” And the experience enables you to be a greater part of the global church and spread the Kingdom in only a few hours a week—don’t skip out because of fear or busyness.
To hear more stories like the Sawyers’ of how Zúme is being used around the world, check out the Zúme Multiplying Disciples Podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. If you’re interested in joining them in the community, check out Zúme’s website to learn more stories and sign up!
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels
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