Meet David and Meg Robbins

If we want to effectively reach and support the coming generations of marriages and families, we need a leader who is committed to the authority of the Scriptures, and is uniquely connected to an understanding of the issues associated with those generations.

Barbara and I are fully confident that David and Meg embody the commitment, experience, passion and vision needed to lead FamilyLife into the future.

—Dennis Rainey

As 17-year veterans of Cru, David and Meg Robbins have served in a variety of capacities, beginning as field staff at their Alma Mater, the University of Mississippi. In 2003, they moved to Pisa, Italy, to serve as overseas team leaders for Cru. It was during that time they fell in love with finding ways to relate and communicate with a secular, pluralistic culture. They trained to serve overseas long-term until God surprisingly led them back to the U.S.

After a three-year stint as campus directors at the University of Georgia, they were asked to serve as national director of Campus Field Ministries, overseeing 175 field staff on 17 locations for campus ministries in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.

“Because of David’s extensive history providing leadership nationally and globally, he has tremendous capacity to leverage the global resources of Cru, enabling us to partner deeper and multiply our impact, says Steve Robinson, chairman of the board for FamilyLife.

David and Meg, married Nov. 16, 2001, currently live in Manhattan with their four children—Ford (10), Mim (9), Roe (7) and Mac (1)—and serve as a national facilitator for Cru’s Millennials Ministry, which they launched in 2012. The initiative targeting 20-somethings quickly grew to reach a network of 1,000 millennials in New York and spread nationwide, establishing teams in 15 other cities across the U.S.

“One of our core principles as a couple was to completely surrender to something that there was no way we could do on our own, but only because it was God’s movement, says Meg. “There is no doubt that has been the case with the Millennials Ministry.

The Robbinses’ passion and heart throughout ministry have always been reflected in Joshua 1:16, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. As the ministry to millennials grew, so did David and Meg’s personal ministry focusing on marriages and families, as this generation is entering marriage and having children. They experienced the unlocking power of what God can do through families who are open to Him.

“In an increasingly secular world, we often observe how marriage and parenting are two areas in which people actually are willing to listen to a biblical perspective and worldview, says David. “We love helping people experience Jesus in the most intimate places of their lives: marriages and families. Jesus is the only hope people have to experience real emotional, spiritual and physical intimacy in marriage, and to raise their kids in a culture and world that often seem like adversaries to families.

FamilyLife has been part of the Robbinses’ marriage since the beginning. After using Preparing for Marriage as part of their pre-marital counseling, David and Meg celebrated their first anniversary with a Weekend to Remember conference.

“I still remember that afternoon with my wife, after writing her a letter, sitting together and confessing my insecurities. It was a breakthrough that cultivated strength and unity, and shaped our marriage into what it is today, says David. Studying Stepping Up with a group of men was also instrumental in David’s life. It pushed him to really question who he was as a man and how God was calling him to lead his family.

The Robbinses are excited about the opportunity to humbly steward FamilyLife’s resources and strategically position them in a way that will reach current generations and beyond. They eagerly anticipate connecting people to life-changing relationships, and holistically integrating faith, work, family and mission.

“We love helping people experience Jesus in the deepest crevices of their souls, says David. “Many people are unwilling to step foot in a church, but they are willing to visit living rooms. FamilyLife’s resources are equipping godly couples to be mobilized in their spheres of influence.

“The way people think about families and how they communicate is drastically different than 10 years ago, says Scott Beck, former chairman of the board for FamilyLife. Scott believes David and Meg understand those challenges and can effectively lead the ministry to reach families in the next decades.

Greg Lillestrand, vice president of Cru’s City Ministry, has witnessed the Robbinses’ desire for the Gospel to pervade what people experience in their marriage and how they parent.

“The Robbinses don’t just attract people; they attract leaders, says Greg. “They have a proven track record of building teams of highly strategic leaders and empowering them to carry out their ministries.

Greg also observed that David enjoys a strong partnership with Meg, much like Dennis and Barbara Rainey’s relationship. Meg will bring a tremendous amount of strength to the team.

“I am excited about the energy and vision David and Meg bring to this role, says Steve Sellers, vice president of Cru and U.S. national director. “They will lead FamilyLife into greater effectiveness in broadening its audience in the United States and globally, and connecting the Gospel of Jesus to the needs of families.

As David steps into his role as the new president and CEO, the FamilyLife board views it as a passing of the baton, not a filling of shoes.

“No two leaders are alike. The board did not go into this trying to find another Dennis Rainey. We knew that was an impossibility,” says Steve. A successor can build upon the legacy of a founder by preserving and nurturing the culture and values of a ministry, while helping it grow, reach and serve like never before. We have found those qualities in David and Meg.