Staff News

Becky Snyder will serve on the Susquehanna Valley Team!

image0.jpg

We are pleased to announce that Becky Snyder will serve on DM’s Susquehanna Valley Team when she reaches her ministry funding goal! (The Susquehanna Valley Team ministers at Bloomsburg University, Bucknell University, and Susquehanna University.)

“Through God’s kindness and grace, he has brought in over 50% of the funding I need to raise for DiscipleMakers in just five short weeks. It’s evident that despite my efforts or the state of the world, God’s Word is not bound, and investing in gospel ministry is the only sure thing to invest in. Now more than ever, all people, even college students, need to hear of the hope and saving work of Jesus Christ. I am compelled by this mission and the vision that the Susquehanna Valley Team has in doing this,” said Becky. 

Taylor Kauffman is mentoring Becky throughout her support-raising journey and was eager to learn of her placement. "I've been so encouraged at God's work in Becky's life during her support raising thus far,” she said. “I'm excited to see how God will use her and her giftings on the Susquehanna Valley Team!"

Her new team leader, Zack Gugenheim, is ecstatic. “In just one conversation, I could see why God would bring Becky onto our staff team. She is warm, encouraging, and full of faith in her God. And she is compelled by vision to reach the lost for Christ and build a beautiful community in our area. We look forward to laboring alongside her!”

Becky is progressing well in her fundraising so far, and is now over halfway toward her ministry funding goal! Please pray that the Lord will bring in Becky’s full funding for her ministry with DiscipleMakers by the fall semester.

Maggie Enestvedt will serve on our Mason Dixon Team!

Maggie portrait.jpg

We are pleased to announce that Maggie Enestvedt will serve on the Mason-Dixon team when she reaches her ministry funding goal! 

”I’m really excited to see just how the Lord has been at work and will be at work on those campuses! I am praising God for how He has so kindly provided in a really irregular season of life. He has brought in so much support through the humble generosity of His people in the midst of the pandemic,” said Maggie. 

Ali Hallman, Maggie’s support raising mentor, echoes Maggie’s sentiment. “As Maggie has diligently searched out the support that the Lord has raised up for her, He has proven that support raising during a pandemic is not too challenging for Him! By faith, Maggie continues to run full speed into His lavish grace and sovereign provision, and every week we stand in awe. We're so grateful for the body of Christ and their passionate hearts to join this mission!”

As Maggie continues to raise support, she requested prayer that God will provide her full funding by the upcoming fall semester. 

Her new team leader, Andy Cimbala, agrees. “We are thrilled that God has answered our prayers for more laborers (Matthew 9:37-38), by giving us Maggie, and much faster than we had anticipated! Now we’re praying boldly for God to quickly provide her funding goal before the start of the Fall semester. It’s a big ask, but we serve a big God!”

Maggie is progressing well in her fundraising so far, and is now just over halfway toward her ministry funding goal! Please pray for Maggie as she continues to raise support and prepares to transition to the Mason Dixon team.

Greg and Lacy Laplante have joined staff with DiscipleMakers!

Greg & Lacey Laplante With their sons Silas and Levi.

Greg & Lacey Laplante
With their sons Silas and Levi.

Join us in welcoming Greg and Lacy Laplante, who have joined DiscipleMakers and will serve with the ministry in State College! Greg will work on staff with DM’s International Student Group at Penn State, while Lacy will serve as a volunteer. 

Over the years, Greg and Lacy have developed a love for reaching all nations with the gospel by ministering on the college campus. “All ministry is strategic, of course, but we hold to the fact that when you reach the campus, you reach the world,” said Greg. “In general, we’ve seen an uptick in international students coming to the US to study. We’re excited to see students impacted for the kingdom of God.”

In September of 2018, Greg began working with DiscipleMakers as a ministry associate, leading Bible studies for international students at Penn State’s main campus as well as Penn State Altoona. During this time, Greg was mentored by two members of DiscipleMakers staff, Bill Dripps and Matt Geiger. “I wouldn’t be applying if it wasn’t for Bill and his perseverance and leadership, and Matt for taking me on and giving me a chance,” said Greg. 

Greg and Lacy are particularly encouraged by DiscipleMakers’ vision, which dovetails with ministering to international students. “We love seeing them come to know the Lord and then [be] able to take the gospel back home to their home country,” said Lacy.

Praise God for the heart He has given to Greg and Lacy to invest in international students! Please pray for them as they step into their roles with DiscipleMakers and continue to reach students with the gospel at Penn State!

Gene and Megan Williams have finished full-time support raising!

gene+%26+megan+Williams.jpg

By God’s grace, Gene and Megan Williams have finished full-time support raising! Since May of 2013, Gene has served in DiscipleMakers’ Finance Department. Now, Gene will serve full time with DiscipleMakers on the Penn State Main campus, while Megan will serve in DiscipleMakers’ Finance department! 

Since they began raising support in October, the couple has experienced an unexpected series of events that significantly increased their faith in God’s provision and strengthened their love for people. 

In early October, Megan, having just received her CPA license, found out she was pregnant. While celebrating this news, Gene and Megan discovered mold in their apartment and decided to relocate to Hershey, PA with Megan’s parents. “It did not seem wonderful at first, but once we moved, it was a wonderful plan that God had all along,” said Gene. Megan agreed: “As soon as the dust settled, it was like, oh wow—this is a much better way to go about this season. We didn’t have to pay rent or the money for gas to travel back and forth as often.” 

As they began raising support together in Hershey, the couple expected many people to be interested in supporting their ministry with DiscipleMakers, but it wasn’t until the holidays that prayer and financial support really started to pick up steam. “We had some surprising provision, and some surprising denials in the beginning,” said Gene. “Overall, God was really faithful. Even when it felt like he wasn’t working, he was working—a lot.” 

Perhaps the most evident way God worked in Gene and Megan was by cultivating within them a genuine love for people in what the couple described as several unexpected appointments. Gene shared that he learned to love and care for people, regardless of their giving decision. “The first time [I raised support], I kind of saw people as a means to prayer or giving. God is really gracious. He gave me a second try. I started to see people as people this time around. I learned to have an open hand.” 

Megan echoed a similar thought: “If I were on my own, I probably would’ve been task-focused. God used Gene to give me a love for people in our meetings. It was really worth it to be mutually encouraged in the faith and get to know people.” 

By January, support flooded in, and the couple reached their support goal the first week of February. “We had more connections than we really knew what to do with,” said Megan.

Now, Gene and Megan are eager to use what God has taught them in support raising on campus and in the headquarters. They know they will be able to care more deeply for students and donors in light of their three-month support raising journey. Megan is particularly excited to have a more routine schedule while assisting the Finance department, and Gene is especially excited for evangelism and Bible study on campus. 

As Gene and Megan step into their new roles, they requested prayer for their ministry with DiscipleMakers and their marriage. “God’s given us a lot of joy in working together, and I’m sure he’ll give us more joy, but in the meantime, we are wondering what that will be like,” said Megan. “It’s been a lot of fun working together, and we’re both going to miss it,” said Gene. 

Praise God for raising Gene and Megan’s support in His timing and in His ways, which are higher than our own. Pray for Gene and Megan as they transition into these new roles with DiscipleMakers! 

Tim Carroll has reached his fundraising goal!

Tim+Cropped.jpg

Tim Carroll has reached his fundraising goal and will serve full time in DiscipleMakers’ Finance department! 

Tim’s season of support raising was a reminder of how lavishly God displays His grace towards sinners, and he is profoundly thankful for the last seven months. “Support raising is such a practical time of the Lord working on you—almost like trial by fire. I am really thankful that support raising hasn’t been the easiest thing, and I’ve had to trust the Lord and work through it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” said Tim.

When Tim began full-time support raising last July, he witnessed a tremendous display of God’s grace in the amount of people who were excited about partnering with his ministry with DiscipleMakers. “Honestly, it was kind of an easy start—the people I was contacting, the appointments I had. Everything seemed to flow,” said Tim. As people began supporting his ministry with DiscipleMakers, he marveled at God’s sovereignty. “God put those people in my life years before I was on staff with DiscipleMakers. This has been his plan for all of time.”

For a period of five weeks last fall, however, the funds stopped coming in, and Tim encountered a slower period of support raising. During this time, he struggled to contact people, fearful of what they would think of him. “I held onto the truth that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So the Lord saw me in all my flaws and brokenness, and he still loved me enough to send Jesus. I am a redeemed son of the Lord. The Lord’s opinion is the only one that matters,” said Tim. 

As Tim continually reminded himself of his identity in Christ and faithfully increased donor communications, God once again provided an abundance of fulfilled support in the new year. 

God used support raising to affirm Tim’s calling into ministry with DiscipleMakers, not only by providing prayer and financial support, but also by giving Tim an increased excitement to care for staff and donors behind the scenes. “My main passion is serving God in the DiscipleMakers Headquarters, but I’m also excited for what he’s doing on campus. What does ministry look like after 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.? I’m excited to find out.”

Praise God for reminding Tim of his grace towards sinners! Pray that as Tim transitions to DiscipleMakers Finance department, he will remember his identity in Christ and serve faithfully.

Welcome Jasmin Medina to our staff team!

Jasmin Medina has joined DiscipleMakers! Jasmin has served as a student leader in our ministry at East Stroudsburg University (ESU). She also served as a summer intern with DM in 2019.

“The Lord used DiscipleMakers’ ministry to share his transforming gospel with me and I'm excited to see others impacted in the same way!” Jasmin said.

Praise God for raising up Jasmin to serve on our staff team! She expects to graduate from ESU in May, after which she will embark upon the journey of raising support for her ministry with DM.

Josh Herring has joined our staff team!

Josh Herring has joined DiscipleMakers! He has been serving as a student leader in our ministry at Lebanon Valley College (LVC) for the past few years. He also served as a summer intern with DM in 2018.

“Through my time as a student at LVC, I have seen the Lord transform so many lives through the power of the gospel,” Josh said. “I eagerly look forward to serving Him full-time and seeing His glory manifest in others' lives, as well!”

Praise God for raising up Josh to serve on our staff team, and pray for him as he finishes up his time at LVC in May, 2020. Also pray for him as he’ll begin raising support full–time this summer for his ministry with DM.

 

Tim and Holly Howden have joined our staff team!

Tim & Holly Howden have joined DiscipleMakers! While in college at Kutztown University they served as student leaders in our fellowship there. Since then they have been serving faithfully in their church. They have both also served as summer interns with DM.

“We are very grateful and excited to labor for God’s Kingdom with DiscipleMakers! He is mighty to save sinners like us, so we are eager to spend our lives sharing the good news of Jesus with others!” Tim and Holly said.

Praise God for raising up Tim and Holly to serve on our staff team, and pray for them as they begin the journey of raising support for their ministry with DM.

 

Welcome Becky Snyder to our staff team!

Becky Snyder has joined DiscipleMakers! Becky has served as a student leader in the DiscipleMakers Christian Fellowship at Kutztown University. She also served as a summer intern with DM in 2018.

“The call to be an ambassador for Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation, can be done many places after college.
I’m excited to be doing this on staff with DiscipleMakers, to share the eternal hope and joy I have, with college students!” Becky said.

Praise God for raising up Becky to serve on our staff team! She expects to graduate from Kutztown in May, after which she will embark upon the journey of raising support for her ministry with DM.

Maggie Enestvedt has joined our staff team!

Maggie Enestvedt has joined DiscipleMakers! She has been serving as a student leader in our ministry at Muhlenberg College for the past few years. Maggie also served as a summer intern with DM in 2019.

“I'm so honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve the Lord in this next stage of my life with the ministry that he has used in so many ways throughout my own college years!” Maggie said.

Praise God for raising up Maggie to serve on our staff team, and pray for her as she finishes up her time at Muhlenberg this December. Also pray for her as she begins the journey of raising support full–time for her ministry with DM.