Meet Our New Board of Directors

Welcome our new board of directors to JoeTran316 Ministries. They'll help govern and lead this ministry to fulfill the calling God has placed on us. But before I go into who our board members are, I want to thank all of you who requested to join. We had very gifted and experienced individuals interested in joining and it was quite a challenge to choose who would be a good fit. After much prayer and analyzing, I chose to move forward with the following individuals. I've included their responses to the questions I asked every candidate so you can see why I felt they would be a good fit. -Joe Tran

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." -Matthew 17:20

Colin Johnson

Why Do You Want To Help Lead This Ministry? As a pastor and someone who has a heart for people the message if sharing the gospel resonates so well. I want to see a million people in Indiana say yes to Jesus. I want to see 5 million in the Midwest and 100 million across the us. So the passion for that is my drive. I am operations driven and love to problem solve. Having planted a church during a pandemic, while also having God tell me to do it a little differently is forcing me to bring and look at new perspectives.

What Is Your Experience With Volunteering & Working With Non-Profits? Starting one with CHRCH we are fully 501c3. Outside of that just volunteer work during ministry.

What Do You Believe Is God's Purpose For Your Life? I kind of stated that in point one. My drive at my core is to help those who don’t know Jesus or who have been hurt by the church come to know what the real body of Christ is. So serving others helping them overcome and have a genuine relationship with God the father. Outside of the image that man makes God look like with all out mistakes. When we get there we become the body we find our identity and we then serve and care for those around us and in turn impacting the world.

Cristine Bakke

Why Do You Want To Help Lead This Ministry?

Most people would describe me as attentive to details, but I don’t think that accurately describes my perspective. I see and acknowledge details, but use them to form big picture ideas while still maintaining every facet of each minute particle. This is something I see as vitally important to non-profits. Because while the mission of a board needs to be focused on the people we reach, there are whole other worlds of ethics, liability, and legal responsibilities to consider. I believe I can help the board balance all these facets to make a healthy organization. I also have a unique background that doesn’t quite fit the mold of most US based non-profits. I have BA in intercultural studies (world missions), but one of the things my major really focused on was how to help others without causing any harm. In the mission field and in outreach it can be easy to focus on the details of a need and not see that sometimes how we fill that need actually causes more problems than it solves. I have been patiently waiting for God to lead me to a place where I can use this training in a real way and I’m hoping that this is an opportunity where I can employ some of it.

What Is Your Experience With Volunteering & Working With Non-Profits? I’ve been a volunteer Five Star Life since 2011, we focus on leading middle schoolers to their highest potential and encouraging their walk with God. Being a part of this organization for such a long time I have been able to see and sometimes be a part of the innerworkings of how a non-profit operates; helping decide what resources are allocated where, and how to best make use of time. Most of my work history has been for non-profits; I refuse to work for a place if their vision does not match my own. But my roles have usually been on the lower end of an organization’s hierarchy because I prefer to spend the bulk of my time directly with people. So this opportunity is something I’ve been wanting to be a part of for a while, the ability to take on more responsibilities while still maintaining a frontline relationship with the people we are serving.

What Do You Believe Is God's Purpose For Your Life?

I believe first and foremost my main purpose while on this earth is to worship God. We are beings created to first worship and honor our creator. I’ll try to be as specific as possible but I kind of take on a laissez faire position when it comes to “purpose”. I believe that God created me with a set of passions and qualities unique to me, and that His main desire is that I use them to honor Him and love His people. While God does call us to specific paths at times, and as obedient children we are to take those paths, I’m not sure that God has put a specific cause to devote my life’s work to, at least not yet. So until God calls me differently, I live my life by Micah 6:8, “what does the LORD require of us? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.” That being said though, this is why I decided to respond to your post. It’s not often that I get a strong sense from God to act upon something right away. But as soon as I read your post, the still small voice in my head said, “you should do that.” So here I am.

Chetachukwu "Joshua" Oliver

Why Do You Want To Help Lead This Ministry?

I believe that I will be a valuable asset to the organization because unlike most people in similar position, I thrive to go above and beyond. I am confident that I will bring unique qualities to the organization and provide many opportunities for improvement. Growing up, I always had the ability to connect with people on a deeper level, listening to their complaints / concerns and offer solution when necessary. I stuck with that because I knew it would be an asset to me.

What Is Your Experience With Volunteering & Working With Non-Profits?

Being born and raised in Nigeria, I know what it is like to not have, to be helpless, when I came to the states, I made inquiries as to how I can help serve the community, I was introduced to the food and clothing ministry in the church, I quickly joined the committee and every Tuesday and Thursday we gave out food and clothes to as many that needs it, I did that through my high school and college career, which is about 7 years. Every break I had from school, I’d rush home to help because there’s always work to be done and it gives me joy to see people leaving the church with smile on their faces and with food in boxes as well as clothes. On special holidays we would go out into the community and feed the community, before school resumes, we would give out school supplies, hair cuts, clothes, food and share the word of God. And yes it’s a non profit organization, the joy and the feeling of knowing that someone won’t go to bed hungry and consumed in thoughts is just the best feeling and I have references on that if it’ll be required.

What Do You Believe Is God's Purpose For Your Life?

I believe the calling of God for my life is to touch as many lives as possible, whether it be by ministering unto them, or feeding them, or by clothing them. I believe the calling of God for my life is to impact another life, just as Christ paid it forward on the cross of Calvary, I believe his calling for me is to reach out to people and teach his word and pay it forward also.

The 3 Visions For JoeTran316 Ministries, Inc.

Good morning!

I sincerely appreciate all of you who have subscribed to this site. It is an honor to help lead you to be more like Jesus in your homes, schools, offices, workplaces, communities and wherever God may be leading you into the world.

This past week I filed the formation of JoeTran316 Ministries, Inc. with the IRS. This means this organization will become an official nonprofit organization very soon. Any donors who have financially contributed to this organization once the formation of this organization has been completed will be able to write their contributions as a tax write-off.

Estimated Delivery Dates For Formation Documents To Arrive from the State of Indiana & IRS

Sometimes, I wonder why God plants these visions into my mind but when I evaluate myself deeply I see there are certain attributes about myself which don't seem to make sense according to human standards. For example:

• I often feel my passion to take care of others far exceeds the size of my physical existence.

• I see the current world we live in from the perspective of larger-than-the-universe.

• Material objects don't fascinate me at all unless it is a scientific / engineering masterpiece or it is something which can serve people well.

These are just some of the things which makes me think, maybe it isn't me who wants these visions to come true but really God working through me. This has ultimately lead to the three main visions I have for this organization:

Vision 1. Continual Educational Material To Lead Others To Follow Jesus

The Transformed Life Podcast is now available to listen on every major podcast platform including Pandora & Audible.

I firmly believe following Jesus is truly an everyday journey and not a Sunday-morning pitstop. The first vision which I have for JoeTran316 Minisitries, Inc. is to provide biblical content in the form of blog posts, podcast episodes, worship music, video teachings, audio books / paperback books as well as social-media posts which will help positively develop you to have a stronger relationship with Jesus. We are simply the church and I believe we need continual renewing of our minds and hearts to live out the Great Commission into our parts of the world:

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission)

Vision 2. A Multilingual App To Enable The Global Church To Be The Hands & Feet Of Jesus

The initial cost to develop the YouServe app robust enough to handle all major languages will approximately be $60,000+

I've spent a tremendous amount of time serving within the church in multiple ministries and I've come to realize, the reason why most people don't serve is because they simply can't naturally picture in their mind what serving really is. Often times, they become too afraid to serve because they think it is much more daunting than what it really is.

At the same time, I've also seen the church at least here in America as a place where Christians go to listen to a thirty minute message about Jesus on Sunday morning. However, they don't serve at the church nor do they do anything else Jesus-related throughout the week. In my opinion, this is extremely dangerous spiritually and doesn't move the Kingdom forward here on Earth which is what God wants us to do.

My second vision with this organization is to develop an app which will notify all Christ-followers around the world of serving opportunities right around them in their communities. There will be different levels to serving to help lead the global church to serve in a way which continually stretches them to depend more on God. The different levels I currently have are below:

• Level 1 - Beginner Servant: Volunteers for tasks like cleaning or raking up leaves for a local church, maybe greeting at a local church.

• Level 2 - Intermediate Servant: Volunteers for more demanding tasks at a local church like worship musician, media and tech teams, social media and marketing.

• Level 3 - Advanced Servant: Volunteers for nonprofit organizations which fight trafficking, serves at an organization which feeds the homeless.

• Level 4 - Servant Leader: Volunteers to lead ministry teams like lead worship for the worship team, leads home groups or serves in a manner which is critical to the existence of a ministry.

• Level 5 - Disciple: Serves on mission trips to third-world countries for 12-18 months, volunteers as a pastor for a church, disciples the homeless.

Vision 3. An Airborne Ministry Flying To All Parts Of The World To Serve & Share Jesus

The above video is of the plane (Boeing C-17) I would like to either lease or purchase for the ultimate and final vision of JoeTran316 Ministries. This has been a vision on my mind for many years now and it plays every day in my head. However, I don't financially see this happening anytime soon since I can't connect the dots from where I am today to where this vision exists.

Essentially, the airborne ministry will consist of three planes. Below are the planes I have in mind and their purpose:

• Plane 1 (Name: Ark One) | The Hospital: This plane will serve as a hospital providing medical care to the communities we serve in.

• Plane 2 (Name: Ark Two) | The Food Bank: This plane will serve as a food bank and provide food and resources to the communities who are in need.

• Plane 3 (Name: Ark Three) | The School: This plane will serve as a school or at the very least provide battery-powered school systems which will educate children in rural communities who don't have electricity.

On Sundays, all of these planes will be opened up and chairs will be placed on the tarmac to be a church the local communities can come and participate and listen to the story of Jesus.

The Boeing C-17 Is One Of The Most Versatile Cargo Planes Worldwide

The total cost to purchase and put all of these planes into service as well as have all systems and people in place to have this ministry operate in full-effect will cost around $500,000,000.

Like I said before, I can't see how the dots will connect but I'm placing my faith in God that He will provide when the time is right. Please pray God's will prevails for this ministry. Once again I sincerely appreciate all of you for subscribing and following. It is humbling to see many who have followed my walk with Jesus over the years and has utilized my experiences to help you grow in Him. By the way, I just hit my ten year mark of following Jesus! I pray He gives me six more decades on this Earth.

"...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

-Matthew 17:20

Why I Chose To Follow Jesus & Start This Ministry

If you're reading this, thank you very much for checking us out and for reading my very first blog post.

My name is Joe Tran and I'm a father, a musician, the owner of a digital marketing agency in Mishawaka Indiana called Joe Tran Media Group and a follower of Jesus.

I grew up hearing about Jesus but never fully followed or gained serious interest in Him until the very beginning of 2011. I remember the day vividly (it was the first Sunday of the year). A friend of mine worked at a church in Oceanside, California and I asked her if I could go with her that evening.

The message was great but that was not why I chose to follow Jesus. The experience I had when I decided to give my life to Christ during that service was beyond the natural world. As the pastor asked the congregation to pray and invite Jesus into our hearts and to give our lives to Christ, I responded by wholeheartedly expressing that prayer to Jesus.

An incredible sensation which felt like a warm soothing blanket of pure warmth and love overcame me. I honestly thought for a second the air conditioner in the room started running but I was mistaken. It turned out the Holy Spirit covering me with Himself.

I felt every negative emotion, thought, sensation leave my body at that moment. I felt like I was momentarily the perfect version of myself God originally designed me to be. Arguably, I felt like sin actually left my body. From that moment, I decided to attend church every Sunday which to this day I have probably missed church less than six times or so.

It was been nearly ten years since that day. Since then, I have helped start a few churches, non-profits, served on many ministry teams, spoke about Jesus to people online as well as in person, experienced life and great memories with many other followers of Jesus and many more.

However, for the past five years or so, I felt God pushing me to help build and lead His church in a much larger way. Starting this ministry is my response to that calling.