Husband and wife doctors learn together and teach leadership development and mentoring together in Asia Pacific.
One, two, three, smile. Snap. Flash. Ten-year-old Judy
pressed the button on her camera to capture some of her first memories of missionaries as she took photos of the Carlblom family, missionaries to Indonesia. As the daughter of Emil Balliet,
a missions minded pastor, Judy had the opportunity to meet many missionaries, including Lillian Trasher, missionary to Egypt. God began to direct my life toward missions,
said Judy. While God was directing Judy, He was redirecting her future husband.
At an Assemblies of God youth camp, God was changing the plans of 18-year-old Wayne Cagle. I surrendered my ambition to be a U.S. Navy pilot and committed myself to follow whatever
life goals God had in mind for me, said Wayne.
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" Our studies at AGTS coincided perfectly
with these new responsibilities."
Wayne Cagle
2002 AGTS Alum
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Wayne and Judy were both students at Southern California College (Vanguard University) when they met and were active in student government and extra-curricular activities together. After
their junior year they were both chosen to spend a summer on a mission field as interns. Wayne was sent to Jamaica and Judy to El Salvador. It was during that summer that we realized
God was preparing us for a lifetime of missions ministry, and we surrendered our lives for that goal, the Cagles said.
The Cagles were married in 1965, one year after graduating from college. They ministered in three different churches in Southern California before traveling overseas in 1969 to teach
at Calvary Bible Institute in the Marshall Islands. When AGTS opened its doors in 1973, Wayne was one of the first students to enter the M.A. degree program in Cross-Cultural Studies.
He graduated in 1979.
Over the last 33 years the Cagles have been A/G-appointed missionaries in Asia and the Pacific. Wayne serves as Pacific Oceania Area Director for A/G World Missions. He and Judy serve
55 missionaries. They also partner with national church leaders and pastors in 21 island nations and territories. According to the Cagles, Pacific Oceania covers Pacific islands in an
area of 30 million square miles of ocean that includes strong national churches as well as unreached and resistant areas. Through 17 Bible schools, ICI materials, radio/media, and literature
evangelism the Assemblies of God is endeavoring to reach, plant, train, and touch the Pacific islands.
After 30 years in ministry in Asia Pacific, we realized that with further education we could more effectively influence emerging and present leaders. After looking at several doctoral
programs we decided that the Doctor of Ministry program offered by AGTS would fit in best with our goals to encourage the national church leaders in Asia Pacific through leadership development
and mentoring.
Wayne and Judy both received their Doctor of Ministry degrees in May 2002. Judy was one of the first of two females to receive an AGTS Doctor of Ministry degree. I felt honored,
Judy said. I noticed very quickly in the program, however, that gender was not an issue. My cohort was a very congenial group of professionals with a wide variety of ministries.
Discussions were stimulating, and everyone was supportive and encouraging of one another from our professors and D.Min. staff to individual cohort members. I found the program extremely
challenging as well as practical.
We both enjoy studying and found it exciting to be attending classes together and mulling it over at home, Judy said.
We believe in one another. We have a respect for one another, and we desire that each of us will reach the potential that God has given to us. Neither of us is threatened by the
other and we endeavor to function in our strengths. We are both leaders and enjoy discussing issues together. We have a strong partnership. We balance each other, and we are focused on
the same goals and priorities.
Recently, Wayne was named director of the Asia Pacific Center for the Advancement of Leadership and Missions (APCALM) and the program director for the Leadership Development Program.
All the programs operate out of the seven-story APCALM center, which is located in Baguio, Philippines, at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary.
Our studies at AGTS coincided perfectly with these new responsibilities, Wayne said. He began using the results of his class work almost immediately in the form of Leadership
Development seminars beginning in several of the Pacific island countries. There was enthusiastic reception for this type of training, he said.
The first four-week Leadership Development Institute (LDI) was held in the fall 2001 with 37 participants from eight different countries in Asia Pacific and Northern Asia.
Wayne taught the first week on the Biblical Leader and included Judys
workshop on mentoring. Since that time a leadership seminar has been held on-site in
Myanmar with other seminars being planned. Mentoring will be an important part of the
workshops as ongoing cohorts will use the mentoring approach. In the fall 2002, they
will continue the second LDI Core 1 courses and include advanced courses.