About Us
Our vision is to see EMPOWERED COLLABORATIVE MINISTRIES DEVELOPING CHRISTIAN LEADERS FOR GOSPEL-CENTERED IMPACT.
Who We Are
“See, I have done a new thing in the land.” These words from God’s word rang in our founders’ minds day after day as they pondered the requests to start a business as mission (BAM) project in Colorado Springs. Mike Contreras and Alan Feuerhaken followed the move of the Spirit and set out on a journey to start this non-profit, propelling marketplace profits toward international ministry training opportunities.
What has transpired has been nothing short of miraculous. God has allowed them to form an incredible team of directors, volunteers, and businessmen to make this vision a reality. The Lord Jesus be praised for His Spirit and His steady nudging, constantly guiding us to new avenues – giving us the ability to act in focused compassion. We hear His voice, and follow!
What Motivates Us
The question that started it all: “How do we keep our young ministers from leaving the field and never returning?”
MissionConnect is driven to respond to the call for long-term, sustainable, and generational funding for international ministry training. The ultimate goal is to see the training of our young leaders turn into sustainable ministry impact in the communities they serve.
OUR CORE VALUES
– We practice prayer as a life-giving source of connection to Jesus (John 15:6).
– We uphold professional business practices focused on integrity and workmanship (Titus 2:7-8).
– We are workers of God’s kingdom – called to proclaim His name unto the world (Mark 16:15).
How We Do This
MissionConnect raises funds through four streams:
1. Short-term real estate investments.
2. Home service projects with volunteer engagement.
3. Donor and partner acquisition.
4. Grant and foundation applications.
All of these create the necessary funding for building and outreach projects. We engage and empower local volunteers to help raise mission funding by sharing their serving gifts with us. We compassionately seek enduring partner relationships to drive Christian leader development!
Where Is Our Impact?
We are in various stages of partnership with training centers in four strategically-located regions. Our vision is that these ministries will be a base from which to reach their surrounding regions. MissionConnect carries out its mission aims through a partnership with Base Ministry. This training organization, based in Chicago, supplies our necessary ministry training and logistical processes – setting up the coordinating church partnerships and certification of national trainers to amplify discipleship. In addition to our international outreach, we have also trained in a number of domestic locations.
Our Ministry Partners
Our Story
IN OCTOBER OF 2018, I (Mike Contreras) was approached by Base Ministry president, Drew Hester, concerning my background in business-as-mission (BAM) models. The organization asked me to consider using BAM to help fund their international training goals, which had been threatened by unforeseen circumstances. My desire since joining Base Ministry was to train international pastors and ministry leaders, so I was overjoyed at the challenge.
Later, I was approached by Dr. Tom Basile, founder of the BAM Center in Puebla (Mexico), to consider carrying out a BAM project in Colorado Springs. After this surprise request, I remember thinking to myself, “Lord – am I up to this?” I knew this task could not be handled without extraordinary personnel to come alongside me.
Within a week I was seeking wisdom from a trusted friend, Alan Feuerhaken. What occurred was a five-year commitment from Alan! His wisdom and experience in ministry start-up have been more than amazing. Our leadership bears a cohesive focus on advancing God’s mission via business.
After collecting commitments from the founding board members, we set up the necessary 501(c)3 non-profit status, built organizational structure, and generated key ministry goals as well as the vision and mission statements.
MissionConnect was set up to utilize our collective construction experience to offer handyman services to the public, which provided the original funding for the first of many international ministry trainings with Youth Missions International (now Base Ministry). The long-term goal was to generate enough profit to sustain the international training programs as well as a generational giving model through a commercial BAM center to be built in Colorado Springs.
Over time, we were invited to buy houses to refurbish and sell at a profit. We found these short-term real estate investments (STRI) to be successful and now have expanded our organization to include these and other investments.
Through interactions with New Horizons Foundation, the idea of building a ministry training center in Burundi (Africa) was initiated. Within two weeks, we were talking with a second organization, and a day after that we had a donor commit to a large gift to get the building underway. The UMOJA Center in Bujumbura was founded in 2022 and is our largest project to date.
At MissionConnect, we have developed a mission philosophy of “Listen to the Field, Seek God, and Act.” This mantra has served us well over the past four years as we seek to remain true to our mission of cultivating gospel-centered ministries, at home and abroad.
Currently, I am being commissioned to raise organizational funding as well as sustain international training centers as we follow the clear leading of God. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, we have found much success building financial partnerships with individuals, churches, and businesses. While business profit will once again be our primary funding stream, we are overjoyed the Lord has blessed us with faithful supporters to continue the ministry. With over 650 leaders trained across 15 countries, we are well on our way to meeting our spiritual goals of empowering collaborative ministries and developing leaders for gospel-centered impact – all via funding through enduring partner relationships.