Messenger Cup
History
the promise
July 8, 1980 — A vision was birthed in John when this prophetic word was spoken over him: “I am doing a mighty work… I am preparing an army of men and women to stand with you. I will send you to places that you know not of. You will be a nourishing tree and multitudes will draw strength from the fruit you bear. Nations and peoples will be drawn into the kingdom of God by My word on your lips…”
The prophecy foresaw a collection of men and women who would stand together to reach the nations—discipling everyone, everywhere. It was a glimpse into the future… a future that includes you.
messenger international
February 27, 1990 — Messenger International was founded by John and Lisa Bevere. The following year, God spoke to John: “Son, I want you to write.” At the time, John had no idea that his destiny—and the fulfillment of the 1980 prophecy—would be accomplished through writing.
a decade of destiny
By 2010, Messenger International had experienced significant growth. John and Lisa were now best-selling authors, speaking on influential platforms across the nation. And over 20,000 churches were using their studies.
But God wasn’t finished. A new chapter was about to begin—one that would require a new assignment and a new level of stewardship. It was time to go global.
the commission
May 31, 2010 — Upon arriving home after finishing a round of golf, John suddenly had an urge to read God’s Word. As he opened his Bible, he was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God and heard these words:
“Son, you’ve been faithful over the English-speaking realm. Now I want you to get these messages into the hands of every pastor and leader in the world.”
From that day on, John and Lisa realized they had a mandate to get discipleship resources into the hands of every pastor and leader, regardless of their location, language, or financial position.
a defining moment
April, 2011 — John and Rob, Messenger’s International Director, spent a week in Beirut, Lebanon, ministering to pastors and leaders from all over the Middle East. During their stay, Rob and John met privately with a passionate young pastor from Irbil, Iraq. The meeting was friendly and lighthearted until John learned that this pastor used his credit card to access our discipleship resources.
At that moment, John checked out. All he could think was, I’m looking at a pastor from the devastated, war-torn nation of Iraq, and he has to use his credit card to get our materials?
The frustration fueled John’s resolve and led him into an intense time of prayer. John shared, “Getting back to the hotel in Beirut, I didn’t go to my room and pray quietly; I just couldn’t. I was at my wits’ end, out of ideas, and I knew I’d been entrusted with the responsibility to resource these needy and hungry pastors. I don’t make a practice of yelling in hotel rooms, but honestly, that day, I didn’t care who heard me. It was a desperate cry to receive the strategy to multiply our effectiveness.”
Not long after, an idea emerged that would make the outreach exponentially more effective without much additional work or expense. The team began work on CloudLibrary.org, an inconspicuous website that could offer downloadable messages for free while going undetected in nations where the Gospel was forbidden.
cloudlibrary.org
June 16, 2012 — With the internet available to almost every country and nation all over the world, CloudLibrary.org went live. This one idea provided the potential to teach, train, and strengthen entire congregations or small groups—not just individual leaders. Entire churches, cities, and even nations began to use Cloud Library’s translated resources to harmonize discipleship efforts across denominational lines, overcoming many geographical challenges.
messenger cup
2010 — John and Lisa needed a plan to communicate the vision, and subsequently build a huge team of men and women who would sustain this massive endeavor. Shortly after John heard from God, the Lord once again gave him directions: “Son, you are well known for your love of golf. Use it to gather. I will draw the right men and women to come join the team and support the mission.”
Colorado Springs has one of the nicest hotels in the nation, The Broadmoor, which just so happened to have two championship golf courses. John, Lisa, and Addison jumped on this idea and committed themselves to it. In a matter of weeks, guests were invited, rooms were booked, and all the pieces were coming together.
In planning for the tournament, John and Lisa decided not to make this just a golf tournament, but a full-blown event—a memorable experience. They determined that everything would be done with excellence and purpose in order to make the experience truly special for everyone involved. Guests would also enjoy spectacular meals, fun experiences, leadership sessions, women’s gatherings, and high-quality gifts and prizes to convey gratitude for joining the team.
Messenger Cup quickly became the springboard to reaching the nations!
fast forward
2024 — Messenger International has now given over 60 million resources translated in 111 languages to pastors and leaders in over 220 nations and territories. In fact, over 95% of the people alive today speak a language that we have a resource available in.
The 1980 prophecy of reaching peoples and nations is becoming a reality. A global army of men and women have assembled alongside John and Lisa, and once again, God is inviting us to take another collective step of faith—one that will position us to reach everyone, everywhere.
“It doesn't matter if it takes ten years, twenty years, or however many years, we are going to reach and help every leader on the planet with these God-entrusted resources.”
John & Lisa Bevere
Messenger Cup