Our Story

The Master’s Mission has been training and sending long term disciple makers to the field since 1980. The organization was established through a surprising friendship between two individuals and carried on by their families to this day.

The founders’ main motivation was to preserve biblically-grounded, long term missions amidst a paradigm shift to short term, relief and development work. Their robust Christian doctrine, long term, local church-centered support, and technical field experience are what sets The Master’s Mission apart from modern mission organizations. 

Bob Van Kampen and Paul Teasdale met at HoneyRock Camp in Wisconsin during the summer of ‘58. The two couldn’t have been more opposite, but they did share one commonality: their commitment to obey and serve the Lord.

Paul and his wife, Betty Lou were called to the mission field in Africa, while Bob Van Kampen and his wife, Judy remained stateside to pursue their own business venture. The two couples maintained friendship through frequent trips between two continents. It was during this time Bob recognized a paradigm shift in American evangelical missions. He watched as the local church became less and less involved in sending their own. Instead, churches allowed mission agencies to take over. In turn, long term missions turned into short term relief and development. While it is argued there may be a place for that, Bob and Paul noticed biblically-rooted missions had evolved into doctrinal minimalism. This doctrinal minimalism began to undermine the understanding that solid Christian doctrine was foundationally necessary to promote strong biblical teaching in the field. 

After 20 years, the Teasdales returned from Africa to take care of their aging parents—who had previously served as missionaries for over 50 years in Congo and Kenya. Bob and Paul desired to start a new organization dedicated to helping the American church train, send, and support long term disciple makers with a Biblical focus and ambitious goal: to prepare disciple makers with technical field expertise that would equip them to be productive living, serving, and adjusting to an austere, unfamiliar, and often unfriendly environment.

In 1979, the friends purchased The Master’s Mission property in Robbinsville, North Carolina. They began to clear the mountain for roads, homes, and even a lake. It was no small feat, but they watched as the Lord continued to provide. Eight years later, The Master’s Mission accepted its first missionary candidates for the 11 month pilot training program.

Since 1980, The Master’s Mission has trained and sent long term disciple makers to Saharan and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Mexico, South America, and Alaska. It is our prayer that God would continue to raise up men and women willing to leave the comforts of home and the security of the familiar for long term service as disciple makers.