The Great Commission Training Center update video!

We just had our 1st big student hang out day at the Ranch this weekend and it was a blast!!! The Ranch is now being used for ministry! The work continues so keep praying and check out the Great Commission Training Center update video below!

Septic Tanks!

I spent last week working at Three Trails Ranch (the Great Commission Training Center). We can't wait for it to be completed. Some ministry is beginning to take place and the work continues. The picture to the left is of me, yesterday, helping Brandon Akins with the plumbing (I've never done plumbing before). It was an interesting experience and, those of you who know I hate spiders will know, I conquered the fear of black widows under the bunkhouse (ha ha!). There actually weren't any at all down there. We also got the septic tank for the bunkhouse installed yesterday - that was an amazing thing to watch (the crane lifting a 23,000 lb concrete box into place - see the picture below). It has been interesting for me, someone who knows virtually nothing about construction to be helping out up there this week. As we've been working I can't help but have an eternal perspective about it all. The septic tank we put in, Lord willing, will be there, as people are being trained for ministry, long after we're all dead. Here's that picture:

As I consider the impacts this place will have for God's Kingdom, decades into the future, I am confident that every hour worked at the Ranch, every nail pounded, every ditch dug will have eternal fruit and with that confidence I am inspired to work as unto the Lord, not for men. 

You might not be an "out in front" leader and you might think God can't use your gifts but I am more convinced than ever that God can use whatever talents you have, which He gave you for a purpose, to advance His kingdom. I hope you get a chance to use your talents for Him this week, whatever they are! Check out more on that below and have a GREAT day!

Investing your talents: 

Faithful with little for the sake of the little:

Living with an eternal perspective:

Three Trails Ranch Open House BBQ!

Here's a picture of the MPM team (from Denver, Grand Junction and Durango) taken at Three Trails Ranch 2 months ago (for our staff retreat). Many of you have been a HUGE part of the ongoing miracle at the Ranch. We're finally doing ministry at the Ranch. It has been a long start and we're still working but ministry is beginning to happen. Click here to get the 18 month update on the Ranch and please come to the BBQ this Saturday, June 11, from 1-9pm (read more below). We really want you to visit to see all God has done. Here are a few updates Russ just sent out:

Three Trails Ranch – Update - June 2, 2011

Finally, the snow and mud are gone, so we are getting ready to begin digging to install electrical lines, a water system and the septic system. Since our last update Feb.3rd, the Main Lodge has received a permanent Certificate of Occupancy (CO), which allows us to open it for smaller groups to use for ministry starting sometime this fall. This is a major milestone for this large project. We used the Main Lodge for our MPM Staff Retreat with 15 adults and 9 kids, and everything worked great. This summer, two weddings will be taking place using this lodge. We also have three volunteer work groups coming from Arkansas, Louisiana and central Colorado.

Another big issue was to save the Hotel, a $750,000 building, which finally happened with the new pony walls and grouting of all the concrete block walls. Now the Hotel is on a firm foundation, leveled, with a new truss system and roof. The Hotel at this point is around 70% finished and ready for use.

We have been working on the Bunk House which is 85% finished on the sleeping part. The new attached bathrooms are around 50% done. Next week, the inside painting will begin, the showers stalls have also been installed. The Dining Hall kitchen is around 30% done. Our goal is to get all the infrastructure working so that we can use the Main Lodge, Bunk House and Dining Hall by this Fall.

Please do not forget that we are doing another great “come and see” potluck/barbecue at the ranch Saturday, June 11, from 1-9pm. MPM will bring the meat and drink for the barbecue. Please bring a side dish or dessert. This will be another good time of fellowship and looking at what God is doing to prepare a great ministry tool that will effect thousands of people for Christ. We will be doing tours and explaining the progress.

To get to the ranch, go to the Lemon Dam and then go to the large sign on the right that says, Sierra Verde Estates; then turn right and go up the mountain for 2 miles to the ranch driveway which says 2038. Cross the bridge and part in the large parking lot on the right.

We hope to see you at the barbecue. We are trusting God to continue to do great things here at Three Trails Ranch. And, please forward this update onto anyone else that you think is interested in the purposes of this ministry ranch.

Russ & Linda Akins

970-259-5768

Great Commission Training Center 18 Month Update!

So what's been happening at the Great Commission Training Center? A whole lot. We are in the middle of our 1st official ministry event at the "Ranch" - a week long apologetics and volunteer work week retreat. I'll be updating more pictures and video at the end of the week but for now, here are a few before and after pictures to give you a feel for where things are at. Note: the majority of what has been done has been "behind the scenes" - foundations being rebuilt, rafters being strengthened, an electrical system overhaul, a diversion dam, pond excavation, 5 new water cisterns buried, etc. These pictures just show the visible progress of the last 18 months of work at Three Trails Ranch.

Here is the front of the "headquarters" building 2 years ago.

Here it is now:

Here is the backside of the headquarters building 2 years ago:

Here it is now:

Here is a picture of the interior of the 3rd floor of the headquarters building. It was just studs 2 years ago. The headquarters building should be fully completed within 3 weeks!

Here is the Dorm "Bunkhouse" 2 years ago:

Here it is now (it has been extended 30% and bathrooms are being installed):

Here is the "hotel" 2 years ago:

Here it is last summer (I'll have newer pictures of this up by the end of the week):

Here is the dining hall and commercial kitchen 2 years ago:

Here it is last summer:

Those are the main buildings a lot of work has been done on. That's just a glimpse. Like I said, more will be up soon. Progress is being made and we can't wait for all God will do at the Great Commission Training Center. Thank you so much for all you've done to make this facility a reality!

Multiplying Spiritual Multipliers!

For years, every time Erin and I drove through town I would daydream about beginning an MPM training center. About 2 years ago, after a ton of prayer, God led us to set goals to raise $1,000,000 and begin a training and internship center. Within 3 weeks of setting those goals God opened the door for us to acquire the Three Trails Ranch property!!! After all the contractors got back with us and each of their totals were added up independently, the amount needed came to $1,000,000! God faithfully provided the $1,000,000 (listen to the story titled "God still provides" below this paragraph). It has been a year since this ministry closed on the property and a lot has been done but more work is needed and we are trusting God to complete the work of getting the property usable. We are hoping to begin the 1st MPM internship program there next fall.

Our desire is to equip the Body of Christ towards His Great Commission through cutting edge applicable training. We hope this will be a sort of technical school of ministry. There are tons of great schools of theology but far too few schools that will give people solid training in evangelism, discipleship and fulfilling the Great Commission. That is what we want to do. We love doing practical training! These are just a few recent examples of evangelism trainings (and we couple these with application): Evangelism reasons, bringing Christ into any conversation, using good tools, navigating through conversations, bearing 100 times more fruit for God, sharing your testimony and evangelism Q&A. We also love developing resources that will be great tools in multiplication. One great example is the MPM discipleship packet (also check out the updated student version). This is our passion.

Our hope is that Three Trails Ranch will become a place where multiplying spiritual multipliers will happen until Christ returns and we hope this place will outlive each of us. I wanted to post about the Ranch today because we are having a huge open house BBQ with tons of free food there this Saturday afternoon. I hope you'll join us. Come any time after 1 pm. Call me at 970-946-9045 for info and directions. If you live in the area I hope you'll join us. Either way, check out the video below (this is the video we put together when we were raising money for the project) and more on the Ranch here. Please pray God will do great things at this awesome facility. I hope you are having a great time sharing your faith and I hope you have an awesome weekend!