Bill & Bonnie Dripps

HQ Staff

In 1981, Bonnie and I had a thriving ministry with students at Penn State, and people wanted to support us financially. We wanted these donations to be tax-deductible, so we incorporated DiscipleMakers as a tax-exempt, charitable organization. I (Bill) hoped and prayed God would use us, but I didn't plan to start a new ministry. Initially, our ministry had no name, but the Lord gave us an influence out of proportion to our size.

When someone asked me about joining DiscipleMakers, I was surprised. I said, "Why would you want to do that? Don't you know it's just me?" Much to my surprise, over the first ten years of ministry, we grew to six missionaries. It seemed likely that more would join, so I began to ask why the Lord would do this. We discovered that although large universities have ministries, most smaller schools have no full-time missionaries. In the northeast United States alone, there are about 900 colleges and universities that lack full-time missionaries. That got my attention, and I knew why God was giving us missionaries to labor in this field.

Many times we had neither the resources nor the knowledge to continue, but God has provided what we need each time. Today, God has given us around 100 missionaries, and I recruit, train, send, and support the many more we need. Specifically, I focus on developing leaders.

Bonnie was discipled during her college years and has personal experience with the impact collegiate ministry can have as students become independent, formulate their beliefs, and make major life decisions. She has a passion for introducing women to Jesus through the Scriptures and helping them to know, love, and serve Him. Bonnie meets with female staff and students to study the Scriptures and encourage them in their walk with Christ. She also often teaches at conferences and seminars.

Over the years, God has given Bonnie and me the privilege of watching Him transform thousands of students' lives from countries all over the world. We are awed at God's desire to allow two such ordinary people to have a part in building His glorious Kingdom.

We still often feel we lack the resources and the knowledge we need, but God continues to provide. The greatest lesson He has taught and continues to teach me is the sufficiency of His grace. When you take all that I am and have, and you add everyone with DiscipleMakers and all that they have, it's just a few small loaves and fish. We put them on the altar knowing they are hopelessly inadequate. That's when He steps in and accomplishes His great work.