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TMM History 1987
“… because of the lack of preparation many missionaries
experience, we have undertaken in the power of God to equip His servants
for preaching the Gospel and making disciples throughout the world
…” -- so begins the mission statement
of a new
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Mission Ready
(1979 - 1986)
The Master's Mission
(1987 - present) |
ministry
incorporated in 1979, as Mission
Ready. The failure rate of new missionaries unable to cope
with the pressures of living in new cultures, of language acquisition, and
of spiritual opposition was the driving force to establish the new
training program. Mission Ready was designed to provide opportunities for
candidates to develop the skills necessary for living and serving
cross-culturally. Getting them ready meant equipping them in three
areas: in their family roles, in survival and living skills where there
is no infrastructure in place, and most importantly, in the truth of God’s
Word so they would be ready for every question that would come their way.
In the early years of development, in the rainy mountains of western
North Carolina, it was nicknamed “Mission Muddy,” an apt
description of the property under construction and the dirt tracked into
local church parking lots by the vehicles (and boots!) of staff and
trainees. It also proved to be a good reminder of the hard work involved
in doing ministry in a world soiled by sin. Water systems, roads,
buildings, and men’s and women’s curriculums were carved out as candidates
in the first several years were being made ready for effective missions
service.
In the mid 1980’s, our board members were involved with the development
of The Master's College and The Master’s Seminary in
California. Both of these institutions were also concerned about
preparing future leaders for society and the church. Like-minded in their
commitment to the sufficiency of Scripture as their authority, the leaders
of these ministries, while retaining the autonomy of their respective
ministries, pledged to share resources and work together in the cause of
missions and ministry. Our name was changed to
The Master’s Mission to
reflect the association. The missionaries serving under the Mission
Ready board approved the name change. It not only brought a
broader recognition of their commitment to Scripture with those familiar
with the ministries on the West coast, it also described two important
commitments of those serving with Mission Ready. Mission ministry
does not belong to the missionary – it is the Master’s work we seek to
accomplish. We are not building our kingdom, but seek to be workmen He
can use in building His church around the world. The new name also
reflects the desire to recover the Master’s method in doing ministry. His
Master Plan of Evangelism reflected in the Great Commission involves
missionaries who are able to live among the people as they share the whole
counsel of His Message. That usually takes a lifetime – the kind of
mission that necessarily costs much more than many kinds of contemporary
missions models – but it is the mission the Master has ordained! Names
say a lot. Thank you for understanding the differences and making it
possible through your faithful prayers and gifts!
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Year by Year Look Back
1979
Incorporated Mission Ready
in December;
North Carolina land found and purchased.
1980
January moved into rented
house in town; cleared road by hand; Jim and Barb Teasdale and
others arrived from college to help build first building; trading in
timber for lumber; Dan Teasdale rides motorcycle six miles to school
bus; October 8 first missionary couple sent to Kenya; first
single candidate.
1981
Easement secured and new road
began; bunk house constructed; Paul
Teasdale has accident in sawmill; Mission Ready board calls Jim
Teasdale back from college to cover for Paul while he recovers; Wheaton
College brings group to work on development of roads; four single
candidates including one from Australia and Germany.
1982
45 Wheaton College students
arrive in May to begin clearing for and constructing barn; six churches
spend a week at Mission Ready helping with work projects and
experiencing missions training; the lake site begins to be logged in
preparation of constructing a future dam; first missionary family
sent to Kenya as Mission Ready missionaries; first staff house
completed; two candidate families and one single candidate.
1983
Workshop / Training Center construction begins;
clearing
and site preparation for lake continues; three candidate families
and three single candidates including one family from Kenya.
1984
Workshop / Training Center dedicated in August;
all road development completed; Jim and
Barb Teasdale join Mission Ready staff as Administrative Director; one
candidate family.
1985
11 college and church groups
spend time at Mission Ready helping with development of training base
and learning about Biblical missions; four single candidates including
one from Kenya and Canada.
1986
Another family sent as
missionaries to Kenya; two more staff homes completed; two more staff
homes completed; acquired radio tower to begin broadcast WMBW Moody
Christian radio throughout the surrounding counties; two candidate
families.
1987
Mission Ready changes name
to The Master's Mission; two candidate cabins are completed;
Nigerian Youth Camp included as missionary project in Nigeria; one
single candidate.
1988
Two new families join TMM as
missionaries; the remainder of the twelve candidate cabins are
completed; one single candidate.
1989
TMM sends first missionary family to Zaire;
three families approved as missionaries
with TMM; one candidate family and three single candidates, including
two singles from Germany.
1990
The Bob Peaster family joins
staff; three new families accepted as TMM missionaries; three
candidate families including one from Israel.
1991
Three new families accepted as
TMM missionaries; third staff house completed; two candidate families
and four single candidates from Germany and Kenya.
1992
Dam fully completed by the fall;
six candidate families and two single
candidates, including one family from India, two families from Russia,
and one single from Germany.
1993
Lake completely filled by March;
David Blackney joins TMM staff as
Candidate Secretary; Marty Ritter and Dan Teasdale families join TMM
staff‑, TMM Germany established to send interested missionary families for
training; three candidate families.
1994
Two families accepted as TMM
missionaries; the Jeff Cole family joins TMM staff; two new buildings, the
Women's Technical Center/Laundry and the Guest House are completed;
two candidate families and one single, including one family and one single
from Germany.
1995
Four
candidate families and one single candidate including families from
Zaire, Kenya, and India and a single from Israel.
1996
One family added as missionary;
the David Olson family joins TMM staff‑, two candidate families and
two single candidates from Israel.
1997
Two families added as missionaries; TMM sends first missionary to
Kazakhstan; one candidate family and one single candidate.
1998
TMM sends first missionary family to Mexico;
two candidate families, including a
family from Romania, and one single candidate.
1999
TMM sends first missionary family to Romania;
two families added as TMM missionaries; 6
candidate families and one single candidate.
2000
Two families added as missionaries; two families and two singles
graduate from training program; HaChotam
Publishing is born in Israel under the direction of TMM missionary
Eitan Kashtan; Adam and Lyndy White
establish first TMM missionary station in Alaska; Sola Scriptura Romania,
a project of TMM, begun and mission station established in Romania.
2001
Three families added as missionaries; five families graduate from
training program
2002
Three families added as missionaries; four families graduate from
training program; Clarene Meyer family join the staff at TMM from Grace
Church of DuPage, IL; TMM missionary Scott Kamps,
becomes director of The Stable, a youth outreach ministry in
Robbinsville, NC;
2003
One missionary family added; two families and one single candidate
graduate from training program;
25th
ANNIVERSARY
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