We saw God move in so many ways during 2019!
Whether you supported a participant on a trip or went on one yourself, thank you for playing a part in helping to advance the Gospel around the world.
This year, we discipled thousands of young people, teaching them how to make Jesus Lord of their lives.
We planted hundreds of churches in India, where the church planting movement is on fire!
In Eswatini, we fed and cared for nearly 8,000 vulnerable children every day.
Across our ministry, teens, families, men, and women are bringing the relevant message of Jesus to the nations.
Each year, we compile a report to be accountable to you and celebrate with you. This year is special because we are celebrating 30 years of ministry. It seems like yesterday that we were getting started in my garage!
Below are some stories of what God did during 2019 and over the last three decades.
Thank you for your generosity. Your partnership with us makes a difference as we seek to mobilize and disciple those we send and the nations we serve.
Seth Barnes
Founder & Executive Director
Adventures in Missions
MILESTONES IN ADVENTURES’ HISTORY
1989 Adventures in Missions Launches
Adventures in Missions took youth from Wellington, Florida on a missions trip to Mexico for our very first trip. The first office was in the garage of founder Seth Barnes’ home, and his kids and wife remember answering the phone, “Adventures in Missions!” Family friends remember coming to an envelope stuffing party for the first support letters ever sent. And the first two employees, Heidi Neulander and Lisa Finney, are still on staff with us today!
1995 The First International Base in Matamoros, Mexico
We opened our first international missions base: The Gateway in Matamoros! Every summer, we hosted hundreds of youth from dozens of churches. The Finney Family and the Gonzalez Family were some of our first long-term missionaries in Matamoros. Both families serve on staff with Adventures in Missions today.
1996 Adventures Campus as we know it
Adventures moves to our current campus at 6000 Wellspring Trail in Gainesville, GA.
2004 First Trip to Swaziland ignites new Adventures ministries
Seth Barnes traveled to Swaziland (now Eswatini) with Bruce Wilkinson, founder of Walk Thru the Bible and Beat the Drum. That summer, Adventures in Missions mobilized hundreds of students to preach the gospel and teach on the value of abstinence. We taught in every secondary school in Swaziland, to fight the AIDS epidemic plaguing the country. While there, God spoke to Seth about the orphans and the widows. The dreams for starting our Beauty for Ashes Women’s ministry and Swaziland Care Points were born. In 2005, the Swaziland Long-Term Missions Base launched.
2006 The World Race is born
The first World Race launched and Training Camp was in Seth and Karen Barnes front yard. The squads raced from one country to the next, thus the name, “The World Race!” The first squad raced from Mexico to Guatemala. Along the way, they focused on the same World Race values we celebrate today like listening prayer, community, intimacy with God, and spreading the Kingdom around the world.
2012 Bases
We started formalizing long-term missions bases around the world. Bases have added sustainability to our ministry efforts and have strengthened relationships with partners on the ground. The short-term teams we send work alongside our bases to provide additional support to our long-term ministry efforts in that region.
2012 First CGA Class
18 World Race alumni became the first class of Center for Global Action (CGA) students. This first group represented the beginning of second year programs for World Racers journeying with Adventures. CGA is a leadership and discipleship program designed to mobilize our alumni to continue to live out their faith and recreate biblical community whether at home, professionally, or ministering overseas.
2013 First Parent Vision Trip
Our Parent Ministry, which launched in 2012, hosted the first Parent Vision Trip for World Race F and G squads in Kigali, Kenya. Since then over 3,400 parents have joined their Racers on the field for these trips. Parent Ministry continues to create new opportunities to engage parents in missions and God’s activation in this season of their lives.
2018 Launched Alumni Landing Zones and Missional Communities
We launched Landing Zones and Missional Communities to begin connecting alumni with opportunities to use what they learned on the World Race to continue to impact the world. Landing Zones were the beginning of the Global Kingdom Network which includes ministry, church p, and business partners, and even Kingdom Life Coaches—all seeking to empower alumni to continue living out a Kingdom way of life after their experience on an Adventures missions trip.
2019 Continued expansion of our international bases
Continuing the growth of our long term ministry base network, we launched our eighth base in Costa Rica. Our international bases continue to serve as both locations for discipleship and empowerment of the local communities as well as hubs for Adventures ministry teams to serve, and join-in with long-term efforts.
FUN FACTS
Total number of participants in 2019
2,333
Gallons of coffee consumed by GA staff in 2019
1,402 gallons of coffee
Country most served in 2019
#1 USA, #2 Thailand
Total number of participants EVER
131,476
Gallons of coffee consumed by GA staff EVER
20,908 gallons of coffee
Country most served EVER
#1 USA, #2 Mexico
STORIES
Costa Rica Skate Competition
In [Costa Rica] skateboarding is a hobby that is often looked down upon. Every week, the boys do skatepark ministry to build relationship and show the men that their passions are life-giving, bring community together, and are worth celebrating.
Guest Blog – Mom’s Perspective
As a Christian woman in my 50’s I know this beyond of shadow of a doubt, but sometimes it takes removing the familiar to see and feel His presence fresh and anew…
New Hope in Mbutu
I wanted to share this testimony from a church that has been partnering with us in Swaziland since 2014. These are the partnerships and stories that prove the fruit of short-term missions.
Product Photography in Ethiopia
We met this beautiful badass Gelila at a market bazaar. She embodied creativity, authenticity, humility and JESUS at first glance & I knew I wanted to join in whatever she was doing.
Like Heaven Is Here | Backyard Worship | Emma Davis ft. Kathryn Connell
Posted: Aug 1, 2019
Beauty For Ashes Testimonial
Judy | During a Beauty For Ashes women’s event we had, she helped me wash dishes and started telling me her testimony. She told me how she became born again a little over a year ago after a friend of hers invited her to church.
Seth Barnes – Planting 1000 Churches
Adventures in Missions has international bases in 7 countries, and our base in India has adopted the district of Nalgonda. It is home to over 3 million people of whom less than 1% are Christian.
Baptisms in Kenya
Today we as a ministry, as a team, as missionaries, as brothers and sisters in Christ got to throw a P•A•R•T•Y🎉! We welcomed 9 new brothers and sisters into the kingdom through baptism!
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