Focus areas

By leading our cross-denominational clergy fellowship, I work to encourage and equip area pastors while defending the Gospel. Our recent meetings have been the most well-attended in years! Pastors are saying these times together have been deeply encouraging and affirming for their work.

We are building up the Body of Christ.

We work across denominations to build up the whole church of the Adirondacks and fulfill the vision of “Relationship-based communities of Christ-followers who love God, love others, and make disciples of Jesus across every corner of the Adirondack Mountain region.” Our objective is to strengthen area churches and ministries by strengthening their leaders –encouraging, equipping, and empowering pastors, leaders, and their families as they do their work of ministry.

We ENCOURAGE these area pastors and leaders—defined as “giving support, confidence, and hope”—by offering heart-to-heart friendship and a safe refuge with no strings attached. 

We also EQUIP them—defined as “supplying with necessary items for a specific purpose or task”—by providing resources, training, and practical help. 

We EMPOWER them—defined as “enabling someone to do what they are tasked with”—so they can be more effective in making disciples across every corner of the Adirondack Mountain region. 

We are bringing unity to the Body of Christ.

As we work with area leaders, we are also working to expand God’s rule and reign across this region by bringing together the whole church of the Adirondacks – to advance God’s Kingdom, together as one church united around a common mission. Our hope is to see religious barriers between believers fall as we work toward unity in the church across this region.

In John 17, Jesus asked the Father: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one…so they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” 

Working toward unity across the whole Bride of Christ in this region is no easy undertaking, but it’s worth it. And it’s a huge part of our ministry.

Part of Colin’s ministry with ADK Mission includes pastoring one of the local churches. And although it’s just one part of his overall ministry, the impact is eternal! People are drawing closer to Jesus and learning how to trust God’s light during these times. This also enables him to be in the trenches with area pastors. Read more information about the Tupper Lake United Community Church.

We love our small rural churches!

We are huge fans of small churches – supporting any groups that are pursuing a pure and simple devotion to Christ. As we understand it, a local church is a group of believers who are committed to the Lord and to one another, committed to obeying his Word, committed to a common vision, and accountable to the spiritual leadership of their elders. They are a group of believers meeting together regularly, caring for one another, watching out for one another, and corporately seeking to worship, serve God, and reach those who do not know Jesus. That is a local church, whatever its size, style, or building in which it meets.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2:42,46b-47a)

“When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:26)

In the New Testament, we see a natural flow of church as the early Christians shared their lives, meals, and needs together. Church was who they were, not a place where they attended. After all, church doesn’t exist for us. We are the church, and we exist for the world. This is also one of the most effective ways to live out the list of “one anothers” found throughout the New Testament.

At ADK Mission, we are focused on the spread of the Gospel here in the Adirondack Mountain region. We are honored to be a part of something larger than ourselves, as we work alongside other churches and organizations across our region to join in God’s mission. 

Part of building up the whole church across this area includes helping to fund specific initiatives in other churches and ministries that are working toward making disciples of Jesus Christ. Even from the very beginning, a significant percentage of our funding goes right back out for initiatives such as local outreach, domestic missions, and to partner with change agents who share our commitment to strengthen churches and ministries both here and around the world. 

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have been able to support churches that were impacted by the pandemic, strengthen ministries for local area youth, helped facilitate expansion projects in several churches, and so much more!

Colin and Lisa are both engaged in the broader community: shining the light of Jesus within secular organizations—for such a time as this—planting seeds for genuine life-on-life ministry.

We love the towns and people of this region, so you’ll see us all over, out serving our community. Both our children are enrolled in the local Saranac Lake School District, and Colin serves at the board level of two area non-profit organizations.

Everything we do at ADK Mission is shaped by the Godly GRIT® framework, developed through five years of research at Fuller Seminary. Beyond our own ministry, the curriculum and a supporting workbook can help Christian leaders around the world stay strong in the purpose God has for them. For more information, read about Godly GRIT.