Contenders Discipleship Initiative (CDI) is launched as a two-year program offered by Village Missions to equip Christians for ministry within their local church and to prepare those who are called for full-time ministry as missionary pastors.
Category: Timeline Stories
All timeline stories.
Escuela De Evangelistas Alberto Motessi Graduation
The Escuela de Evangelistas Alberto Motessi graduates its first class of 20 students in June of 2014. Graduates from this program have gone on to minister in Hispanic neighborhoods in California.
The Work Begins
The groundwork begins for the creation of CDI. Videography: Jeff Haugen; Project Manager, Web designer & Guidebook production: Cindy Kitts; and a host of volunteers.
Leavengood Estate Gift
Village Missions receives a generous estate gift, which proves an immense blessing to our ministry. Combined with Executive Director Brian Wechsler’s passionate vision and support to expand Contenders Bible School and make it accessible to people and churches across rural North America – and around the world! – this gift helps pave the way for […]
Servants Bible School Starts
Village Missionaries Russ Richardson and Rob Dore start Servants Bible School, which was modeled after Contenders Bible School.
Escuela De Evangelistas Alberto Motessi Begins
Village Missionary Raul Corona teaches a “Bibliology and How to Study the Bible” class using notes and PowerPoint Slides from Contenders that had been translated into Spanish. This marks the beginning of Escuela de Evangelistas Alberto Motessi.
McKenna Community Church begins CDI
Ron Sallee commutes to McKenna Community Church south of Tacoma, WA, and starts a Contenders Bible School there.
First Contenders Bible School Graduates Enter Ministry
First class of graduates begin serving as Village Missionaries in Tensed, ID.
Contenders Bible School Begins
Contenders Bible School begins at Machias Community Church. From this program, God calls people into full time ministry outside of Machias, many with Village Missions. This program eventually grows into today’s Contenders Discipleship Initiative (CDI).
Village Missionaries Ron & Marilyn Sallee Move to Machias, WA
They faithfully serve this field for 31 1/2 years.