Board of Directors
Chairman
Joey Garner
Water Mission (Boone, NC)
Board Member
Mark Harvey
Bell Road Church (Nashville, TN)
Board Member
Chuck Yungkurth
City For The Nations (Huntsville, AL)
Board Member
Matthew Hendley
NCF Giving (Brunswick, GA)
TEAM
Leadership Update: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Blazing Trees is pleased to announce an important leadership transition that marks an exciting new chapter in the life of our ministry.
Effective June 29, 2026, the Blazing Trees Board of Directors unanimously appointed Don Buege as Executive Director. Don brings decades of ministry experience, pastoral leadership, and a deep commitment to serving mission workers and advancing the Great Commission. We are grateful for his steady leadership and look forward with great anticipation to the season ahead.
This transition follows a period of sabbatical for our founder, James Harvey, who stepped away from ministry earlier this year to focus on rest, healing, and recovery after experiencing significant burnout. We are thankful to share that James has experienced meaningful healing and has been medically cleared to return to ministry.
Rather than returning to his previous executive responsibilities, James will transition into a new ministry role focused on encouraging mission workers, strengthening relationships with ministry partners and donors, and championing the global mission of the Church.
This new structure reflects our commitment to healthy, shared leadership and allows each member of our leadership team to serve according to their unique gifts and calling.
Throughout this season, God has demonstrated His faithfulness in extraordinary ways. Our staff, mission workers, ministry partners, Board of Directors, and faithful supporters have carried the ministry forward together, reminding us that Blazing Trees has always belonged to Christ and that He alone sustains His work.
Our mission remains unchanged.
Blazing Trees exists to strengthen indigenous mission workers and ministry leaders around the world through Christ-centered partnerships that advance the Gospel among the nations. As we begin this next chapter, we do so with renewed unity, healthier leadership, and greater confidence in God's continued guidance.
We’re excited to continue forward with the following core team of Blazing Trees staff: Don Buege (Executive Director), James Harvey (Founder & Community Shepherd), Kyle Frohock (Managing Director), and Sara Archer (Ministry Administrator). We invite you to pray for us and for the entire Blazing Trees family as we continue serving together in Christ's mission.
The future is bright—because our faithful God continues to lead His ministry.
— Don Buege, James Harvey, and the Blazing Trees Board of Directors
Executive Leadership
Don Buege, Executive Director
Don has a shepherd’s heart; he loves to encourage and disciple men. He coaches other missionaries out of his personal 35 years of Great Commission experience.
Don has led over 90 international mission trips, and he is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders who will rise into maturity and lead others as the Holy Spirit leads them. Don’s greatest passion is helping others experience the glory of God.
James Harvey, Founder & Community Shepherd
James founded Blazing Trees in December 2016. He was a missionary kid growing up in China & the Philippines. He was a house church planter focused on Nashville refugees and a strategy specialist for those serving in urban multicultural communities.
His vision for Blazing Trees is that we will be a trustworthy missions agency for support-raising missionaries where they can be free to be themselves and to be led by the Holy Spirit. His greatest passion in life is to pray with and encourage other missionaries as they follow Jesus.
Kyle Frohock, Managing Director
Kyle lives in Nashville, TN with his wife Tess and four daughters. He is an ordained pastor and elder with the Global Methodist Church. He is passionate about missional and multicultural ministry, reconciliation, unity, and prayer. Kyle serves as the Development Director for the Wesley Heritage Foundation, a ministry that resources Spanish-language pastors, teachers, and disciplemakers.
Sara Archer, Ministry Administrator
Sara lives in Franklin, TN with her husband Alan and two kids. She held various positions in the nonprofit world like Make-A-Wish Foundation and worked for several churches and the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Sara has a heart for missions and seeing the lost come to Christ. She served on several local and international mission trips including Guatemala and Moldova. When she is not working, she can be found spending time with her family, running/exercising, and baking (especially sourdough).
Howard Everett, Advocate for Massive Giving
Howard began his ministry in the army as a chaplain's assistant. While stationed in Germany, he accepted his calling to missions and planted churches in four states. While at his second church in San Diego, he became focused on reaching unreached people groups. He started two schools for missionary training in California & India.
Now, Howard travels the world with his beautiful wife Ynah and trains church planters how to be financially sustainable so they can focus on their ministry passions. Howard mentors leaders in how to invest generously & consistently in pioneer missions among unreached tribes. missionaryhub.org
Blazing Trees is a Tennessee 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by our CEO James Harvey in 2016. We manage support-raising missionary funds and provide prayer, encouragement, and resources to leaders scattered across the nations.
