Our Lord’s last words to His disciples were very clear.  Those who have been “graced” by the love of God, and transformed by the truth of God’s Word, are to go into the world and, “as they are going” – i.e., in their normal routine of life, they are to:

-Make Disciples – “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth!” (Acts 1:8)

-Mark Disciples – “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 18:19b)

-Mature Disciples – “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matthew 18:20a)

In the employment of all of the spiritual gifts, churches, as well as individuals will tend to focus on one or two of those processes and neglect the third. Mature Ministries was established in 1987, in response to the increasing desire among God’s people for a deeper understanding of His Word. Many had been saved by the hearing of the Word of God from a Pastor/Preacher, Sunday School Teacher, relative or friend, but they had stymied in the development of their faith, because they were not being challenged to grow spiritually.

  The purpose of Mature Ministries is to offer that challenge by providing materials, encouragement and accountability to those who sincerely want to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord – pursuing excellence in every facet of their faith, until they reach that mark of spiritual maturity, where they are – “no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” – but rather they have solidified their faith, and increased in their knowledge of the Son of God, “unto a mature (perfect) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (adaptation of Ephesians 4:12-14)

  Mature Ministries was started by Wayne and Linda Edwards. Both of them grew up in rural churches in Northeast Georgia where they were saved, baptized and began their spiritual journey, but without the encouragement or expectation of spiritual growth. After wandering away from the church for several years, in God’s sovereign plan, he put some people in their pathway that questioned their love for the Lord and challenged them to discipleship. Not long after this challenge, the Edwards began to disciple others in their home. In 1974 they left their home and family to pursue God’s clear call to the ministry. Wayne attended and graduated from Columbia International University, Columbia, SC, and for the next 30 years, he served in various staff positions, including the Senior Pastor of several Baptist Churches. In those 30-plus years, more than 500 youth and adults have participated in and benefited from the intense 13-26 week discipleship training ministry. The majority of those graduates are now “teaching others to observe whatsoever” the Lord taught them, and the process of discipleship continues.
  The heart-cry of the Edwards is to invest their lives in developing spiritual leaders who will do the same for others. They do this through their books and materials, including a quarterly newsletter, addressing the current issues facing Christianity today, as well as through their Spiritual Growth Conferences, Discipleship Seminars and Church Revival Meetings. In addition to their work through Mature Ministries, including their support of 12 pastors and/or churches in Nicaragua, Wayne now serves as Senior Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Perry, Georgia – a new church plant, dedicated to the proclamation and preservation of the historic doctrines of the Christian Faith.