At Highlands College, we are committed to raising workers for the harvest field to fulfill the Great Commission as a response to Jesus’ heart cry in Luke 10:2, that the ‚ “Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.’ We exist to educate, equip, and empower students to be leaders in ministry, to go out into the world, and reach the unreached. Our students and graduates each lead lives of eternal impact as they spread the good news of the Gospel to every nation, every people group, and every language to change the world.
Last month at Highlands College has been powerful as students have been learning from leaders who have passionately emplored our students to check their hearts and their why, reinforcing the vision and mission of Highlands College at its core – advancing the Gospel. Three of our most esteemed leaders, Pastor Rod Pummer, Pastor Larry Stockstill, and CEO Tanner Peake have shared their experiences and heart for international missions.
Pastor Rod Plummer from Lifehouse International Church hosting a session on international missions with our students.
Pastor Rod Plummer from Lifehouse International Church regularly visits Highlands College – all the way from Tokyo. Pastor Rod visits to teach and encourage our Outreach & Pastoral Leadership practicum as well as our Highlands College Evening program by sharing how God uses faithful and faith-filled people to fulfill his purposes. He inspires our students who feel called to be pastors or serve in international missions to first be involved right where they are. With opportunities to be a part of the Lifehouse International ministry through online mission trips, short-term missions, and internships in Japan, where they can make a difference and live out their calling.
Pastor Rod and his wife, Viv, left their home church in 2002 in Toowoomba, Australia, to plant Lifehouse International in Tokyo, Japan. They built their church on their passion to inspire, mentor, and equip hundreds of young Japanese and foreign leaders– in the greater Tokyo area, throughout Japan, Asia, and beyond.
Following Pastor Rod’s visit, we were also honored to learn from Larry Stockstill, D.D., Pastor, Author, and worldwide church planter, as he spoke at Highlands College Chapel. Pastor Larry is no guest; he is a part of the HC Family. Pastor Larry is our Chancellor Chris Hodges’s lifelong pastor and founding overseer of Church of the Highlands and Highlands College.
Pastor Larry Stockstill and his wife, Melanie, led a Q+A session with students about their experience in international missions.
Pastor Larry gave two empowering & commissioning messages on missions. In his first message on ‘The Mandate of Missions’, Pastor Larry contrasted the difference between what it means to have a conviction and a mandate,
“A conviction is something you’ll die to defend. A mandate is something you’ll die to achieve”
Pastor Larry Stockstill speaking at Highlands College Chapel.
We, as Christ-followers and our students at Highlands College, not only have a conviction but a mandate on our lives to share the Gospel. As Pastor Larry said, there are over 5.5 billion people who haven’t even heard the name of Jesus. It is our mission at Highlands College for every student to step into their God-given calling and see the lost saved in Jesus’ name. To watch the full message, Part I: The Mandate for Missions – click here.
Later that week, Pastor Larry continued his teaching and spoke to our students at Chapel about the provision for missions. His message taught that if God gives you a vision for missions, it’s His heart to bless the mission’s movement through financial abundance. He ended with a moment of commissioning our students to be financial conduits, now and for the rest of their lives, for the mobilization of missions. To watch the full message, Part II: Abundance for World Missions – click here.
To conclude the month on international missions, we were joined by the President & CEO of Every Home for Christ, Tanner Peake. Students were able to have a learning and Q+A session with him as he spoke about cross-cultural evangelism.
Tanner Peake, President & CEO of Every Home For Christ, continue the conversation in a student session about international missions.
Every Home for Christ exists to serve the local church by mobilizing believers to participate in sharing the truth and love of Jesus to reach everyone, everywhere – in this generation. To learn more about Every Home for Christ – click here.
After the session, students got to ask more questions and connect with Tanner Peake about cross-cultural evangelism.
We are so thankful to Pastors Rod Plummer, Pastor Larry Stockstill, and Tanner Peake for pouring into & fanning into flame the passion for international missions. Our heart is to see students step into their God-given purpose. Whether they are called to international missions, planting a church, being a pastor, or serving the Church in another capacity-we are committed to helping them navigate life in ministry after Highlands College.
Through our extensive network of connections, students can pursue careers with ministry teams worldwide upon graduation. We call this process the Placement Pathway. The Placement Team is with our students and graduates to support them every step of the way to fulfilling their ministry calling. Click to learn more about Ministry Training and Job Placement at Highlands College.
“He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'”
Luke 10:2
Until The End
Written By: Sydney Parker, Highlands College Student