2019- A Year of Discipleship Investment

December 29, 2019

From the beginning of the first Journey Group in 2001 to the formation of Influencers Global Ministries in 2004, a few things are still crystal clear.  This is God's ministry!  It is ALL about helping believers find that intimate, abiding relationship which Jesus taught about in John 15, helping us understand that this relationship is available for all who come to Him.  This is what The Church is longing for!  As we go about His work to make disciples, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28, we have a faith and confidence that He will show us where to go.  And He has!  He has invited us into new cities and ministry opportunities that we never could have or would have constructed.

We think about all the new cities that have come on the radar in the past year, most recently witnessed as Rocky and I traveled to Costa Rica, and we marvel at God's work.  We also continue to see that this message of abiding in Christ is NOT limited to Americans or men or those in the marketplace.  It transcends all people groups, ages, races, gender, demographics.  It is THE Universal need of all mankind.  It is helping men, women, couples, teenagers, prisoners, Americans, all Denominations, Democrats, Republicans, Africans, Costa Ricans, Colombians, Brazilians, Egyptians, Canadians...even Californians.  Ha!

We will continue to follow the Holy Spirit where He wants to take this ministry.  As a matter of fact, 2020 is going to be a year of Prayer so that we might gain God's perfect vision for the future.  We are forming a Global Prayer Team, comprised of Prayer leaders from every Region and new Affiliate city to make sure we are protected and in sync with God's Will.

We are using technology to spread our vision and mission as well.   We are doing more and more Virtual Journey Groups, using Zoom videoconference technology, which is allowing us to reach more new, hungry people in cities where we don't yet have Influencers.  We completed the first pilot group in May of this year, and now, there are 20 Influencers with Zoom licenses, using this technology to expand the reach of their Journey groups.  We send out a daily Abide email to over 8000 people via email and social media and many of these messages are forwarded many times over.  We produce Podcasts which are reaching people as they get to hear wisdom from our Founder, Rocky Fleming, along with testimonies from Influencers from all over the country.  We also have been posting devotionals on the YouVersion Bible App- over 300,000 people have subscribed to our Reading plans.

Thank you to all of you who are a part of this ministry with your time, leadership, gifts, financial investment.  We are grateful to God that He has given us favor and provision.  Recently, we compiled a list of the places we were able to invest resources in making disciples and the resulting fruit.  We hope it encourages you and blesses you to see our ministry's impact.

Influencers 2019 Investment in Making Disciples

Nearly $400,000 ($396,789)

 

  • Invested $46,640 in our Leaders by providing Free Manuals and Leader’s Guides of new Revision

the Fruit

More Journey Groups are starting now than ever before…at least 1000 people are going through The Journey RIGHT NOW, which means transformed lives, families, churches, communities and more Disciples who will Make Disciples.

  • Invested $24,649 in Curriculum Discounts to support Churches, Ministries and our Regional offices

the Fruit

Churches all over the country are beginning to embrace The Journey as the preferred tool to use in helping their people become Disciples. And our Regions are healthy financially and growing.

  • Invested over $6000 in participants of Souly Business Conferences with free Journey books

…the Fruit

The Souly Business ministry, based out of Atlanta, GA, is beginning to see The Journey as the viable “next step” for men and women who attend their conferences all over the U.S.  We are actually leading a Virtual Journey Group of Souly Business leaders to help them understand the process.

  • Invested over $7500 in free Journey Curriculum for Prison and Jail ministry

…the Fruit

The Journey is growing in acceptance by Chaplains and Wardens and local Sheriffs around the country as they are seeing a major impact on inmates who go through our process.  This has also created a desire for law enforcement officers to go through The Journey.

  • Invested over $10,000 in free Digital Downloads of Curriculum to Costa Rica, Colombia, and Africa

 ...the Fruit

 God keeps inviting us to other countries and raising up Champions to lead the charge.  Men and Women in other countries are starving for Discipleship and they love The Journey process.  They have never seen anything like The Journey to set people free because of an abiding relationship with Christ.

 

  • Invested over $5000 in free Zoom videoconference licenses for Virtual Journey Groups and for Regional Director use

…the Fruit

We started with one trial Virtual Journey Group last year and this season, we have 11 going.  This means technology is helping us reach over 100 people in NEW CITIES that we would not be able to reach otherwise.

  • Invested $30,000 in our National Summit to equip our leaders from all over the world

the Fruit

300 men gathered to worship God and Go Vertical together.  The Holy Spirit infused the DNA of The Journey into our men over a 3 Day period.  Men were set free and empowered and impassioned to go Make Disciples like never before.  63 men were from new cities where Influencers is now getting established.

  • Invested over $5000 in supporting our Regional Directors and Training their leaders

…the Fruit

Our Regional Directors are strong and healthy and their marriages are doing well.  Their regions are growing and new leaders are being raised up every year.  They have strong, spiritual Boards and well-trained Guides, which means stronger Journey groups.

  • Invested $6000 per year in The Abiding Network of pastors

…the Fruit

Nate Sweeney is doing a fabulous job of helping pastors learn how to create disciple-making churches.  He is a great spokesperson for Influencers and helps to disarm any objections about our organization, our objectives or our process.

  • Invested $6000 per year in Influencers Memphis to help them get off the ground

…the Fruit

Jay and Nicole Thompson have been affirmed and validated for ministry and their Board is taking hold of the mantle of leadership and the responsibility to help tell their story and invite Memphis Influencers to participate financially.  Our support has been a great encouragement to them.

  • Invested over $60,000 in Curriculum printing and re-stocking

…the Fruit

Whereas a few years ago, we only shipped orders for Journey curriculum in the early fall and January, today, we ship orders nearly every day.  Every Journey order represents a potential changed life forever!  This caused us to need more office space to store our curriculum and have a shipping area and bookstore.  This space was donated to the ministry (Praise God!) and now Influencers has an even greater presence in NWA.

  • Invested $200,000 in Leadership, Vision-Casting, Mentoring, Operation Support, Marketing, Writing Curriculum and Devotionals, Teaching, Inspiration, Blog Creation, Podcast Production, Coaching, Graphic Design, Bookkeeping, Shipping, Social Media, Messaging, Church Support, Pastor Support, Leadership Development

…the Fruit

Our small, dedicated staff has the impact of a mega-church, reaching thousands of people, on a fairly small budget.  Nearly 300,000 people have subscribed to our YouVersion Devotionals, over 8000 people read our daily scriptures and are exposed to our Blogs and Podcasts, and people in new cities inquire about The Journey nearly every day.  We are blessed and honored to do what we do, being obedient to God’s call to Make Disciples!