The Bemenderfers

Support Us thru MEI
  • Serving beneath the Cross

    Serving beneath the Cross

    Still "reaping and training reapers" wherever the Lord takes us

  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide

Our vision

To develop leaders in Christ's service anywhere in the world through foundational discipleship tools and sound Biblical teaching

With our years of experience in evangelism, discipleship, teaching and training, we plan to spend significant periods of time (1 to 3 months—or more!) with the many contacts we have made across the globe. We offer discipleship training both to enhance the ministry of those pastors, cross-cultural laborers and students we have met, and to build into the lives of those they are serving. We have opportunities to serve Christian schools and invitations to provide staff- and shepherd-development training. We also have a burden to encourage the Church in the US and abroad to get more "Great Commissional" in life and purpose. We want to serve wherever there is both need and hunger—and an open door!

Random Image

Our New Project

New Wineskins Training and Travel

Our new project is a discipleship training program that has two aspects: training and ministry trips to multiple countries. The name, New Wineskins, comes from Jesus' parable, a response to the Pharisees who questioned Jesus and His disciples' behavior (Luke 5:33-39). They didn't recognize Jesus and couldn't receive His teachings. We want to see Him in all His glory, and we want to be the kind of people who can receive all He teaches. As we are helped by Him to understand Him better, we want to help others also grow more in His likeness and ways—that's the training part of this project.  The travel begins in coming to Bosnia to learn with us, but goes beyond that as we explore places where we can put our learning into practice and strengthen the faith of others by walking in the archaeological remains of the Bible record.

If you'd like to learn more and see the opportunities we offer, visit New Wineskins Travel and Training. If you'd like to support students who can't cover their expenses, we invite you to give to the "New Wineskins Scholoarship Fund." Select it under "Project" on our donation page or write "RM4215 - Scholarship" on a note with your check.

A little about us

For more than 30 years, we have served the Lord in east Asia, the Dominican Republic and eastern Iowa.  Over the years, our ministry has focused on evangelism, establishing new believers, and discipling them as leaders in ministry.  It has expanded to preaching and pastoring.  We have always been about "reaping and training reapers."  We desire to serve a broader base, offering further training to friends and contacts in all parts of the world, including Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Recent News

#
View Article
New Wineskins
The school has officially closed. With our school duties completed, we are free to work on our next project: New Wineskins Training and Travel, a discipleship training program with both training and ministry trips.
#
View Article
Spring News 2026
Spring has sprung in Trebinje! Each popping white blossom on the cherry tree right outside our door reminds us of the marvelous new life that springs from knowing Jesus. Not to mention, all the “news” with our school, students, and family.
#
View Article
Exciting Changes!
Our school will be closing here in Bosnia at the end of this month, but reopening later in Uganda. Our Student Life team has decided not to follow, but rather to do something new.

Recent Messages

#
View Message
Easter Gifts
We have reviewed the suffering and death of Jesus in payment for our sins. Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. When…
#
View Message
Messiah is Coming
By Jesus’ day, the Israelites had been under foreign control for more than 600 years. They had a brief period of independence under the…
#
View Message
Treasure in Christ
We’re all here preparing to go to college or to help you prepare to go. College continues your investment in education, but education is a…

Recent Devotions

#
View Devotional Notes
May 10, 2026
Passage Read: Psalm 119   Meditation Verses: 119:99-100 Thought Meditation on and observation of God's Law is what makes a man truly…
#
View Devotional Notes
May 9, 2026
Passage Read: Psalm 115-118 Meditation Verses: 115:1-8 Thought The idols of the nations are nothing and can do nothing, and those who…
#
View Devotional Notes
May 8, 2026
Passage Read: Psalm 111-114 Meditation Verses: 111:7-8 Thought Everything God does is truth and justice, because everything He does is…

Random Posts

#
View Article
April 2, 2022
Passage Read: Psalm 75-78 Meditation Verses: 78:5-8 Thought God recorded all His words and works so that we would…
#
View Article
March 7, 2023
Passage Read: Job 21-24 Meditation Verse: 24:1 Thought Job is frustrated that wicked men seem to get along just…
#
View Article
December 13, 2024
Passage Read: Genesis 44-48 Meditation Verses: 45:5-8 Thought Joseph had already pieced together that he had been…