Leader Biographies - First Year Missionary
Radical discipleship for college students wanting to follow Jesus' model

Bob and Marissa Waag's Bio: (Matamoros, Mexico Team Leaders)
If you're reading this right now, it's probably because you're looking for help with how to live your life with more of God in it. That was my same desire 15 years ago. At 23, I left the regular work week to go searching for that more-of-God at a Bible school in New York. He changed my life, and it's never been the same.

Once I left school, I started to realize that I'd gained a lot of head knowledge - principles and methods in how to do ministry - but still didn't know much about how to really live with God and walk with Him in daily life. I joined Adventures In Missions after college, and since have been learning from God about those things.

I've been with AIM for 12 years now, and in that time I’ve traveled to six countries, led over 75 short-term mission trips, and helped plant 25 churches. I also teach church planting, marriage and the family, and leadership at AIM's Missions Training Institute in Mexico. I met my wife Marisa here (she is from Matamoros), and we've been married 11 years. We have four children: Monica (10), Claudia (10), Andrew (9) and JT (8).

My desire is for people to know a real, living God in a very practical way, and to live their lives in the abundance and victory Jesus gave us. When I come alongside someone who wants to learn how to do this and how to effectively minister, we break it down into four areas that tend to build on each other: listening to God, meeting people's felt needs, building meaningful relationships, and sharing our faith. And we daily debrief what God's doing in these areas for them, and for us, too. This is how Jesus modeled His life in ministry.

My philosophy of discipleship is life on life. Not a Bible study, but sharing our lives with others in such a way that they can't do anything else but want to know God more. We don't want to just save souls, but see lives transformed. We don't want people to look for the gift, but to the Source from whom the gift comes. I love to move people from a faith of tips and principles to supernatural faith. It involves moving the word of God from our heads to our hearts.

The hair on my arms stands up when I see the lights go on, and someone newly understands what a life at 212 looks like (the temperature at which water boils)—when they discover they're longing to live a life of surrender. It's my joy to join God in showing a person like that how to do it.

I hope to see you here in Mexico, and get to share our lives together... and with the people of Matamoros!

Click here for more information on the Mexico First Year Missionary Program.

If you have any questions contact us by email or phone, 1-888-884-2461.