Setting Missionary Goals with God | A How I Lead Interview with Christian McOmber

Christian McOmber is the founder of Missionary Universe—a non-profit organization that empowers youth to learn missionary skills early so they can support their local communities and prepare for full-time missionary service. He works in advertising as a creative director. Christian’s writing has come to life in the form of Super Bowl commercials, experiential activations, and more, for brands like Pepsi, Lexus, Burger King, and NBA 2K. At church, he has served as a ward mission leader and with the youth. Christian currently resides with his family in Los Angeles, California, the City of Angels. Links MissionaryUniverse.com @MissionaryUniverse on YouTube @missionaryuniverse on Instagram Share your thoughts in the Leading Saints community Transcript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights Christian’s passion for missionary work shines through as he discusses his own experiences and the inception of Missionary Universe. He recounts his upbringing in Seattle, where his father’s enthusiasm for missionary work inspired him. After serving a mission in Brazil, he returned home with a strong desire to continue sharing the gospel, despite facing health challenges. Christian emphasizes the importance of setting ambitious goals and maintaining momentum in missionary efforts, sharing his experience of inviting 92 people to his homecoming talk, resulting in three baptisms. The conversation shifts to practical advice for church leaders on integrating returned missionaries into ward activities, highlighting the significance of keeping them engaged in missionary work. The episode delves into goal-setting strategies for wards, encouraging leaders to involve youth in the process. Christian shares a successful approach where he and the youth set a goal of baptizing 20 people, which they achieved through consistent outreach and support from the ward. He emphasizes the need to view goal-setting as a partnership with God, allowing for divine intervention in achieving these goals. The discussion also covers the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and learning from experiences, even if goals are not met within the initially set timeframe. As the episode progresses, Christian shares insights on organizing community outreach events, such as “Fishers of Men” activities, where youth and ward members visit less-active members to invite them back to church. He highlights the power of youth involvement in missionary work and the impact of their enthusiasm on the entire ward. The episode concludes with Christian discussing his ongoing projects, including “Preach My Gospel on Film,” aimed at equipping youth with the skills needed for effective missionary work. He encourages listeners to share this content with youth and leaders to inspire a new generation of missionaries, reinforcing the idea that the youth are the “battalion of the Lord” and can achieve remarkable things when empowered. 04:50 – Introduction to Missionary Universe 05:43 – Christian’s Passion for Missionary Work 07:53 – Transitioning from Mission to Home Life 10:11 – Setting Lifelong Missionary Goals 12:36 – The Importance of Consistency in Missionary Work 15:38 – Tips for Church Leaders on Engaging Returned Missionaries 18:15 – Setting Goals as a Ward 20:44 – Involving Youth in Missionary Goals 23:38 – The Role of Youth in Achieving Goals 25:41 – The Taggart Approach to Visiting Less Active Members 29:31 – Expanding the Definition of Success in Goals 32:08 – The Fishers of Men Activity 36:03 – The Journey of Setting and Achieving Goals 39:31 – Balancing Personal Life and Missionary Work 40:39 – Engaging with the Community through Missionary Universe 45:00 – Resources for Youth and Leaders in Missionary Work The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Kirby Heyborne, Taysom Hill Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.