GOD HAS BLESSED ME ABUNDANTLY
God has blessed me to be born in a country where I was free to learn about him, where I am free to serve him, where I'm free to pursue any vocation or ministry I choose.
God gave me a mom and a dad who are Christians and who provided a God fearing home, took us to a godly church and tried to live a life pleasing to God.
God gave me the chance to grow up in rural America and see the wonder of his creation all around me every day. I lived near our family farm and saw how things work when we follow the patterns that God implemented in nature.
God gave me good Christian men who prayed for me and showed me what it means to be a man.
God gave me a good wife that loves me and complements my ministry, sharing my burdens and who has a servants heart.
Pastor Mitchel DeYoung & Mrs. Lauri DeYoung
God has given me two wonderful boys who are on their own journey, who I try to disciple as they make their way in this world.
Pastor Mitchel DeYoung
Studied at The Masters University, Kankakee Community College, Computertraining.net, The Institute For Nouthetic Counseling, and the Christian Leaders Institute.
Ordained to the Pastorate by The Christian Leadership Institute.
An IT Professional by trade, and former assistant pastor at The Gift of God Street Church. I feel that there is more we can do to help equip people who want to be taught in how to live life as God intended, to break the cycle of generational poverty and homelessness, to see how our Lord Jesus Christ want's us to walk every day, to break addictions, and see broken lives renewed.
Mrs. Lauri DeYoung
Proud graduate of Faith Baptist Bible College in Ainkeny IA with her Batchelors of Teaching.
Lauri has been teaching at Grace Christian Academy of Kankakee for over 17 years in their Junior High Bible, Mathematics, and History as well as High School Home Economics classes.
In addition to being a teacher, Lauri is also an accomplished seamstress and a craft artisan.
WITH ALL THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME,
HOW COULD I NOT GIVE SOMETHING BACK?
I know that there are many people that never had the privileges of all the things that God has blessed me with.
I think about people who have been stuck in the cities where trees grow in big flower pots, grass is made out of plastic, the sky is obstructed by buildings and smog, and God's creation is blotted out by concrete, brick, steel and the ugliness of man.
I think about little boys and girls who don't go to Sunday school each week, who are told in school that they came from an amoeba in some far off lake and they are no better than a fish or a monkey. Some of these children don't have both parents, or who have to live under the abuses of an alcoholic or drug abusing parent or live in boyfriend.
I think about people who wander up and down the streets of my town who were told that they will never amount to anything, and never shown what it takes to thrive in the greatest nation in the world.
I think about people who could walk into any bookstore and get a Bible, or could walk into any church and probably find the gospel, and yet they've never heard that Jesus knows their name, and that He thought enough about them to die for their sins.
I think about this and I weep, and it's for these people that my wife and I have decided to say no to our own retirement plans and dedicate the rest of our life to bringing Jesus to people through the simple everyday things that we take for granted.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED
THE DISCIPLESHIP CENTER
I want people who are hurting, who are lost, who have no sense of direction, I want these people to have a taste of what I've been blessed with. I want them to meet the real Jesus who cares about their every day lives, the every day ordinary people, the Jesus who has paid our ransom so we can have peace.
The Discipleship Center will be a place to break the chains of addictions, rebuild broken lives and give direction to the lost. How many times have I wished for a place like this to reboot my own life. So with all this in mind, I cannot with a clear conscience leave the people who need a hand up in life to fend for themselves when I could easily lend them some support and guidance and to move them along towards where they should be.
For this purpose our mission will be, Until Jesus returns for us or calls us home, we will continually strive to fulfill The Great Commandment, one life at a time.