This facility will multiply the effective ministry already happening here nationwide. We are passionate about seeing students WON to Christ, BUILT into strong disciples and SENT into the harvest. We don’t want this process of multiplication to end here on our 4 campuses (Fort Lewis College, Mesa State, Red Rocks Community College and Auraria in Denver, the largest campus in Colorado) but instead are trusting God to spread this awesome revival to other schools across this nation.
Our ministry is growing in every area and for quite some time we have needed a large headquarters facility where we can train and develop larger numbers of students to fulfill the Great Commission. Our goal is to train up to 1000 students each summer, with our Crush Fear projects, which are now being advertised to 58,000 students - this facility will make this goal possible. Due to current and expected staff needs we know this facility will enable us to multiply to campuses across this nation.
This new facility will expand our already existing lodge ministry which is booked for the next 2 years and allow us to serve many more churches with one of the most affordable lodge and retreat facilities in the nation (we can not sell our current lodge as it is located on Forest Service land).
It will multiply our thriving men’s ministry and annual Christian Hunting Conference and it will help us grow in other areas of ministry we're branching into (including marriage ministry and Great Commission workshops). We’ve recently had the opportunity to train a few pastors and church staff in evangelism and discipleship. Many more have been asking if we can do workshops for their churches as well. This larger facility will make these GC workshops possible. We hope this facility will also provide a place for pastors and Christian workers to get away to, reconnecting with God, being refreshed and encouraged in their marriages, families and ministries.
All that being said, this facility will enable us to train and equip the next generation of spiritual multipliers and will outlive each of us, multiplying spiritual multipliers until Christ returns.
Updates:
Overall update: Many of you have been asking about the Great Commission Training Center. So much has been happening that we wanted to focus the rest of this newsletter on updating you about the “Ranch.” The projct is coming along great. It has taken longer than we expected (we had to cancel our 2nd Crush Fear project there this summer because it wasn’t ready). The vision for the project has never been stronger and we are so excited that God is continuing to prepare this place to train the next generation to reach & influence the world for Jesus Christ. We are hoping to have everything ready for Crush Fear next summer and an internship center next fall. See updated pictures here!
The Internship House is very near completion and we are hoping to begin the Master Plan Internship at this location next fall. This internship would be done in such a way that 10 to 20 students each semester would learn the basics of running a college ministry. This location would also be a headquarters for new MPM staff as they raise support (we currently have 3 new staff raising support & expect more soon).
The “Hotel” So much has been done on this building you’d hardly recognize it from last summer. New foundation work, balconies, railings and God even turned a major disaster (a roof collapse last winter) into a blessing (insurance paid for a new roof)! This building will be the major housing location for conferences, workshops & events at the Ranch. This building is getting closer to being finished!!!
The Dorm bathrooms have been framed with all the interior walls & this week we hope to install the roof trusses, sheeting and get the roof dried in & ready for the metal roof. The electrician has begun the wiring on both floors. The “bunkhouse will soon be ready to be used for ministry. Pray everything goes well.
The Kitchen & Dining Hall trusses have been strengthened & we’ve begun wiring, organizing & finishing the plumbing in the kitchen. We are hoping to be done with this very soon as this will also be the primary meeting place on the Ranch for now.
Infrastructure: The pond, which is the Ranch water supply, has been cleaned of all the old muck & debris from the last 30-50 years which has doubled the water capacity. We’ve installed a large pre-filter concrete box which is the first of 3 filters. We expect to start filling the pond later this week. We are also installing a water weir that will measure our water rights. The new 800 amp electrical service was installed underground in June. Our next step is to lay new cable to all the buildings and install the large electrical panel which will be indoors. The large septic system was approved for construction by San Juan Health. We will begin that project as soon as possible.
Needs: Our next large construction goal is to finish the Main Lodge (Internship House), the Dorm “Bunkhouse” that sleeps 60 and the Dining Hall and commercial kitchen by Thanksgiving. We also hope to finish installing the new water treatment system, septic system and the new electrical system. When this happens, we can become operational. Our main needs at the Ranch right now are simple. We need qualified and committed labor. We have numerous contractors working at cost and a few are even working for free but we need more workers to get the project finished. Pray for this and also pray we’ll have no more setbacks or delays and that we would have through November before the snow comes. Pray we’re done by spring!!!
