Since 2015, our ministry has had a 10 year goal to reach 25 campuses by 2025. Back then, this felt incredibly ambitious as we were only on 11 campuses. However, DiscipleMakers had a deep trust in the Lord to answer our prayers for this growth as we sought to make disciples on the college campus.
Presence: Staff are regularly ministering on an expansion campus and have ongoing relationships with students there, but we haven't yet established a foundation to allow for prolonged healthy ministry.
Reached: When our ministry at a specific campus is adequately staffed by trained missionaries and is on a healthy trajectory of growth.
Now, with just 1 more school year left, we have been blown away by how God has worked to allow us to meet this goal. We are now officially at 23 campuses, with 3 more schools on the horizon! Watch the video below for more information about this goal, hosted by yours truly! :)
One of the key parts of reaching new campuses is having adequate staffing to support our efforts there. There are many ways we recruit new staff to join our ministry, but one way is through our summer internship where we invite our current students to join us at Penn State to lead our summer ministry on campus and in the Headquarters.
This summer, TJ had an intern working alongside him in the Systems department. Joe Wenger is a rising senior at Shippensburg University, studying Computer Engineering.
The main project he's been working on with TJ has been creating a computer app that will help our staff with managing their ministry funds. Currently, the method to do so requires submitting a request to the Headquarters, and then someone needing to manually review and process it. Joe's work will help automate this process, resulting in more time for our staff to do other important gospel work on the campus!
We asked Joe to share a bit about his experience with DiscipleMakers and the internship this summer:
Why did you want to do the internship? I like DiscipleMakers's mission to reach college students. At Fall Conference this past year, I was impressed by how I could use my degree to serve the Lord.
How did DiscipleMakers impact your life in college? If it weren’t for DiscipleMakers I probably wouldn’t still be in college. The community and the focus on Christ and the Bible are great and allowed for me to grow in my faith and understanding of the scriptures as well as actually make disciples.
What have you learned about the Lord this summer? I’ve learned more of the Lord's character and my need to dispose of my pride. I must give him glory and take the glory off myself.
How do you see yourself fulfilling the Great Commission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples…”? I have had the opportunity at Shippensburg to disciple other students, however at HQ it is a more indirect approach to fulfil The Great Commission. We are using our gifts to support those who are making disciples. Beyond college, I would want to continue discipling others and pointing them to the Lord as the opportunity presented itself.
Are you considering applying for DM? Why or why not? I am definitely considering applying to DM! I would really enjoy working for and serving with DM. I'm planning to talk with some other staff soon to learn more and consider more deeply what it would mean to serve the Lord here.
We are eager to see how the Lord continues to use Joe in his final year at Shippensburg and after college, wherever he is called to make disciples!
ICCM
Another opportunity TJ has had this summer was to attend ICCM - International Conference on Computing and Missions. He drove across the country to Hannibal, Missouri with Jason, his co-worker, and Joe!
This event is for Christian technologies (or "techies") to connect and refresh one another in their ministries. Attendees come from multiple countries to learn about new tech that can be useful for the missions field. It is an encouraging time as they can see what God is doing through technology across the globe for His kingdom!
This year, TJ taught one of the breakout sessions about rapid web app development. He presented an option that would hopefully make it easier to create apps for ministry. He has lots of experience with this as TJ has made many computer applications for DiscipleMakers that have streamlined our processes for more efficient administrative work, like the project Joe is working on this summer!
TJ also presented a Bible Study aid application he has developed, called Vatheos. This program allows you to select any Bible passage and include spaces for notes of various kinds as you do a deep study of the Scriptures. TJ regularly uses this for his personal study, and some of our co-workers also use it.
We pray that the information taught and learned would help the many ministry workers be more effective servants of Christ in the technological field of missions. We pray also that they would all be encouraged and refreshed as they continue serving across the world.
To get to Missouri, TJ, Jason, and Joe drove 14 hours each way. It's quite the road trip! There are some required rest stop along the way to find some treats we don't really have in Pennsylvania - including taking Joe to White Castle for the first time! TJ's favorite is getting custard from Culver's!
Prayers & Praises
Praise God for the 23 campuses we've reached thus fair. Pray for his continued grace and guidance to reach our goal of 25 campuses by 2025.
Pray for Joe Wenger as he considers how he will serve the Lord after graduation. Pray for wisdom and discernment, as well as peace with his decision.
Praise God for the opportunity to attend ICCM and the community of believers there. Pray that God would bless the efforts of these computer technicians as they serve Him behind the scenes to make the gospel known across the world.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are constantly in awe of God's work on the college campus and delight to share it with you. If there are any ways that we can pray for you, please let us know!
In Christ,
TJ & Kate Renninger
Outside the Office
We are so in love with little Asher and watching him grow so quickly!
Asher regularly comes into the office with us, and is a delight to all our coworkers. He's so sweet and content to just hang out while we work, giving us many cute, smiley faces for motivation!
We've also had the opportunity for some summer rest visiting friends and family, where Asher has experienced many new things - like swimming and boating!
Some of Asher's favorite things right now are chomping on anything, especially his fingers, snuggling mom, and giggling at dad!
