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<h2>About the Organization:</h2>
LegacyInternational.org was founded in August of 2015 in Scottsdale, Arizona after careful consideration and prayer about the needs of the world, and how they could be met by an organized effort of the world-wide church.

The organization exists to help churches expand their vision locally and globally and to help churches grow through sharing the Gospel from a position of strengthened credibility. As the church addresses social justice issues head on, it will have the ear of the current and next generation of seekers who want to see the impact of a Gospel that is lived out before them.

We are here to aid the church in growth in terms of training the leadership and facilitating the efforts of many convergent groups who should be joining together to achieve the same goals.

<strong>Current church and missions growth areas other than aquaponics:</strong>
<ul>
	<li>Theological and Biblical training</li>
	<li>Family Ministries (Children, Youth, Singles and Career, Engagement and Purity, Young Parents, Young Families, Older Families, and Seasoned life Mentoring)</li>
	<li>Worship Training</li>
	<li>Church Growth and replication</li>
	<li>Missions Guidance (Short Term and Long Term)</li>
</ul>
<h2>About the Organization (Mission, Vision, Purpose):</h2>
<strong>Organization Purpose Statement:
</strong>Re-focus the church to better be used by Go<a href="http://www.legacyinternational.org/donatesponsor/" rel="attachment wp-att-226"><img class="size-full wp-image-226 alignright" src="http://www.legacyinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Donate_scrn.jpg" alt="Donate_scrn" width="411" height="385" /></a>d as the vessel to deliver His blessings and message to the world.

<strong>Organization Central Verses:</strong>

<span class="text Matt-5-13"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup>“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty <i>again</i>? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.</span></span>

<span id="en-NASB-23249" class="text Matt-5-14"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;</span></span> <span id="en-NASB-23250" class="text Matt-5-15"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>nor does <i>anyone</i> light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.</span></span> <span id="en-NASB-23251" class="text Matt-5-16"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
<em>Matthew 5:13-16</em></span></span>

<strong>Organization Mission Statement:</strong>
We are here to help expand the effectiveness of churches around the world by facilitating highly trained short term missions teams and delivering highly focused ministry training.

<strong>Organization Vision:</strong>
<ul>
	<li>Love God/ Love Others</li>
	<li>Meeting peoples most basic needs; salvation and survival</li>
	<li>To create experiences that help people to express their faith, deepen their character, and grow in their relationships with others.</li>
	<li>Challenge the church to see the world’s needs and live out God’s love in physical, emotional and spiritual ways.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>About the Current Mission Focus - Aquaponics (Mission, Vision, Purpose):</h2>
<strong>Focus Purpose Statement:
</strong>Give them a fish. Teach them to fish. Help them become fishers of men.

<strong>Focus Central Verse:</strong>
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Mark 1:17

<strong>Focus Mission Statement:</strong>
We are here to solve basic human needs by training short term mission’s teams to bring the Gospel to the world. They will bring aquaponics to local churches and missionaries who serve the needy.
The teams will help build community sized systems (10-25 families). Once established and flourishing, the teams will focus on bringing home systems for the families in the community. Our teams will build, train and maintain food systems, share the gospel, perform tasks as directed by the church and aid in family ministries.

<strong>Focus Vision:</strong>
<ul>
	<li>Love God/ Love Others</li>
	<li>Meeting peoples most basic needs; salvation and survival</li>
	<li>To create experiences that help people to express their faith, deepen their character, and grow in their relationships with others.</li>
	<li>Challenge the church to see the world’s needs and live out God’s love in physical, emotional and spiritual ways.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Current Global Project: Aquaponics and the Gospel</h2>
<strong>We are currently focused on our first major global effort:
We are aiding the Church in feeding the hungry through unique aquaponics projects around the world.</strong>

Learn more about aquaponics on <a href="http://www.thisisourlegacy.com/projects/">the project page</a>.
<h2>About the Founders:</h2>
<strong>Mickey Smith, MDiv</strong>
Western Seminary Phoenix (Now Phoenix Seminary)

Mickey has been involved with youth ministry for 30 years and in leadership for 29, serving as director, volunteer, worship leader, discipler, and even founder of Club 56 locally at Scottsdale Bible. Most of his work has been at Scottsdale Bible Church in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mickey fell in love with the story of Paul in the Bible, and was compelled to become a tent-maker like Paul (a life dedicated to ministry, but money coming from a job outside the church). In this way, he was able to start ministries, move between ministries, and be very entrepreneurial in ministry as led by God.

He has been involved in missions for years and fell in love with short term missions through leading teams, and even found himself going on missions trips alone.

He is an avid researcher and is main driver behind the aquaponics project. He feels it is an answer to the world's hunger problem and if managed correctly, could be the first answer (of many) to the image problems the church is currently experiencing.

Mickey is married to co-founder Ruthie Smith since March 2, 1991. Together they have three boys, Trace (20), Joshua (18) and Isaiah (16). After spending a life in ministry at the local church and staying close to our family, we now see the opportunity for ministry expanding. As the boys get older we feel that we can add a big focus on global ministry as well.

Mickey's Life Verses:
<span class="text Rom-12-1">Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, <i>which is</i> your spiritual service of worship.</span> <span id="en-NASB-28248" class="text Rom-12-2"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.</span>
<em>Romans 12:1-2</em>

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<strong>Ruthie Smith, Bachelors
</strong>Arizona College of the Bible

Ruthie has always had a love for God, people and ministry. She has served in children's ministry since she was a child herself. She has been employed by Scottsdale Bible Church in some capacity since she was nineteen. Ruthie has been a coordinator for children's programs. She has written books to be used in her own teaching. She has designed her own curriculum for lessons. She has taught and led worship for large groups of children and youth. She has designed large amounts of Biblical crafts. She has participated in the leadership team of many Vacation Bible Schools. Ruthie has trained teachers and setup classrooms. She has coordinated large-scale Sunday morning classes. She has taught and encouraged young and older parents alike.

She has served in youth ministry since she graduated High School. Ruthie is a founder of Club 56 and a visionary for what ministries the church is capable of. She has a passion for telling people about Christ and loves making the Bible come alive especially for the students and children when she is teaching. Ruthie has been mentoring girls and training up disciples for decades. Her desire is for all of "her girls" to live as lights and shine brightly for Jesus.

Ruthie has been married to co-founder Mickey Smith since March 2, 1991. Together they have three boys, Trace (20), Joshua (18) and Isaiah (16).

Ruthie's Life Verse:
<span id="en-NASB-28248">Let all that you do be done in love.</span>
I Corinthians 16:14[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]