DI Partner Retreat - KENYA
by Bart Physioc
19 Partners and Spouses with DI Board Members and Staff - in person for the first time!
One body (one family) united in Christ
Disciplers International (DI) began in 2006 on a US Army installation, but it did not become “international” until five years later when a pastor from Malawi, Africa, discovered DI online at an internet café and requested training. 10 more years passed before a second pastor from Africa got involved. Then, something amazing happened in 2023 when DI launched a new presentation of its curriculum called the Step-by-Step Discipleship Process.
The stated mission of DI is “to provide discipleship training and resources for Believers in Christ to grow spiritually from Disciples of Christ to Disciplers for Christ, and then repeat the process” – this is exactly what’s been happening in ways that I never imagined. People, especially from Africa and Asia are registering on the DI website and asking to be discipled. In just three years, a disciple-making movement has unfolded with hundreds of Disciplers now training thousands of Disciples from over 30 countries. This is clearly a work of God and we are doing our best to manage the growth as the Lord opens doors and leads us on.
The stated vision of DI is “to fulfill the Great Commission by establishing Partnership Teams that effectively apply a Discipleship Strategy to reach indigenous people living on every continent worldwide.” Over the course of this past year, two Partnership Teams have been formed in Africa and Asia, which are directed by Executive, Coordination, Administration sub-teams of Ministry Partners and Associates. These well-trained, spiritually motivated men and women from 12 countries have become the leadership of DI in their respective countries and continents.
We dined three times a day at one long table - delicious food and sweet fellowship!
Until a month ago, all interactions have been via Zoom and WhatsApp. DI is immensely grateful for these platforms, because this ministry could not have happened otherwise. However, there’s nothing like meeting face-to-face; so we planned toward that end.
The photos displayed in this blog were taken during the long-anticipated DI Partner Retreat in Kenya, which happened just just two weeks ago. From 18-26 October, seven Ministry Partners with their spouses from six countries and six members of the DI Board and Staff from the U.S. gathered at Brackenhurst Conference and Retreat Center, located an hour from Nairobi. There were a lot of moving parts, but everything came together perfectly and the experience exceeded my expectations.
Friends are friends forever when the Lord is Lord of them
After three years of meeting online, the joy of meeting one another in person was surreal. For me, and I think all involved, it was a deeply meaningful family reunion of brothers and sisters in Christ. The hugs, tears, and rejoicing when we met continued through the week during times of prayer, fellowship, sharing stories, playing games, dining together, taking walks, studying God’s word, and planning for the future. Our week culminated with the appointment of new DI board and staff members, most of whom serve in Africa and Asia. https://www.disciplersinternational.com/our-board
I could not be more grateful to God for blessing us with such a beautiful, productive, and memorable time together. And I could not be more excited about the future with leadership indigenous to the countries DI serves and totally dedicated to our mission, which is God’s mission – the GREAT COMMISSION!
