The Shepherds Corral

Para-Christian Ministry

Ministry Purpose: We were incorporated as a religious organization to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Body of Christ in this specialty ministry of alcoholics, drug addicts and ex-offenders. It is our goal to train one member of your church to be an Ambassador to the Mission Gate so that we might pass on all that we know with all that we have to your fellowship as a resource to your church.

We pull together the participating churches because we can accomplish much more for the Lord together than we ever could independent of each other. That, I believe is what a para-church is. And that’s what we are. We sit under the authority of your Pastor as an asset to those in your fellowship that are in need of what we have to offer. There are currently over 140 area churches participating in our ministry to turn lives from crime to Christ!

Stillwaters Fishing Pond

Your Church

1. You can assemble a worship team and do services in prisons and jails throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois. We have 80 opportunities per month for you to help out in!
2. You can come to our Monday night meetings at the Central Christian School on N. Hanley and teach a class, lead a discussion group, do one-on-one counseling, preach, sing or just sit there and get blessed.
3. You can get a team together and have a day where you target one of our Guest Homes to clean-up, fix-up and paint-up. Landscaping our propterties in Cuba MO or south St. Louis is always a need.
4. You can get a Youth Group to come out to our Fort Good Shepherd Ranch for a weekend of fun, food and fellowship. We will trade off with a work project on the property and it will be a win-win situation.
5. You can plan now to help out with our Christmas Angel Mission where we bless thousands of children of Christian prisoners and ex-offenders with the Gospel, gifts and a church referral. It’s an experience you won’t soon foget!
6. You can help us financially with emergency needs or you can put us on your local missions budget and support us as we work to make your neighborhood a safer place to live. We can only do what your check will provide.
7. You can help with our television ministry in every way you can imagine. We are blessed to have an hour long program each week on the Charter Cable Network. Great way to learn the television craft from the ground up and have a lot of fun doing it!
8. You can have Rick Mathes, Trish Mathes or Crystal Goings come out to your service or meeting and give a presentation of what the Mission Gate Ministry is all about. They ofter bring an ex-offender with them with a testimony that will open your eyes to why we need to set the captives free.

Idlewild Lodge for Retreats

Adult Retreats

Mission Gate invites you and yours to have your retreat at our Fort Good Shepherd Ranch in Cuba Missouri. You can see further details in this Web Site under the same. All we ask is that you also plan a work project and we never reject a love offering to cover the utilities and housekeeping costs. It’s a first class ranch with our first class Jesus to welcome you!

Horseback Riding

Youth Group Weekend

We host youth groups at our ranch for a Friday night sleep over and Saturday night return. Many participating churches return each year and some twice! See the Fort Good Shepherd section in this Web Site for details.

Winter Cross at the Ranch