The foundation of Fishers of Men, Inc. began in the small rural community of Gladys, Virginia, in the welcoming home of Jerry and Mattie Adams, parents of founder Bonnie Adams. Jerry and Mattie modeled the spirit of Christian hospitality, opening their doors to neighbors, pastors, and friends, sharing meals from the bounty of the land the Lord had blessed them with, and creating a loving environment where God’s Word was taught, pondered, and rightly divided. Their love for community and deep respect for pastors made their home a place of refuge and encouragement, where Christian values were affirmed and faith in Jesus Christ was strengthened. This legacy of love left an indelible imprint on the hearts of Bonnie and her ten siblings, shaping a passion for missions that would one day reach the nations. Inspired by Matthew 4:19 – “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” -and gripped by the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19–20, Bonnie answered God’s call to take the Gospel to the unreached.

Fishers of Men, Inc. is a nonprofit missionary sending organization founded by Bonnie Adams, whose passion for missions soared after completing a transformational discipleship course, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. During this course, Bonnie was deeply moved by two startling truths: nearly one-third of the world’s population—over 2.5 billion people—have never heard the Gospel, and less than 1% of international missionaries are African American, even though more than 55,000 souls enter eternity each day without Christ. Stirred to action and obedience to God, Bonnie established Fishers of Men, Inc. to help reach those who have yet to hear the Good News.

Founding and Early Growth

The organization was incorporated on November 12, 2013, and received 501(c)(3) status on June 19, 2014. The inaugural meeting was held on April 27, 2014, with Bonnie Adams presiding. Founding members included Bonnie Adams, Jerry Adams, Beatrice Cox, Dr. Betty Howell Gray, Jacqueline Walker, Rev. Theresa Long, Gabriella Peguero, and Dr. Erma Driver, with Dr. Phillip Nelson serving as Board Advisor.

Vision and Mission

• Vision: To glorify God by helping to complete the work of His Great Commission—spreading the Gospel to unengaged, unreached people groups across the world.
• Mission: To facilitate an indigenous, self-replicating church-planting movement among unreached and unengaged people groups by providing financial, educational, and practical support to missionaries and mission agencies. (Revised and adopted September 8, 2015)

The Fishers of Men logo—a boat with men searching for and rescuing the lost—symbolizes the call to reach souls who do not yet know Jesus.

Leadership

Bonnie Adams served as Board President from the start and presided over meetings until 2015, when Dr. Erma Driver became the first Chairman of the Board. After Dr. Driver’s resignation in December 2017, Beatrice Cox was elected Chairman in January 2018, a role she continues to hold.

We give God the glory for the dedication of our former board members. Founders Gabriella Peguero (4/27/14 -7/13/16 and Jacqueline Walker (4/27/14 -7/17/16) resigned from the board in 2016, followed by Dr. Betty Howell Gray (4/27/14- 3/3/22) and Jerry Adams on (4/27/14 – 3/1/24). Donna Davis served from 6/21/16-8/15/24, and Elder Demietre Payne from (3/23/23-10/10/24).  God always provides. He blessed us with three new phenomenal board members: Rev. Dr. Carlton Jackson (1/4/2018), Robert Caldwell (4/4/ 2019) and Lisa Calloway (4/3/21). Currently, the board consists of six dedicated members (inclusive of three founding members). Truly, the harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few, and the Lord of the harvest is faithful to send workers into His field.

Current officers include:

• Beatrice Cox – Chairman of the Board
• Bonnie Adams – President
• Lisa Calloway – Vice President
• Rev. Theresa Long – Secretary
• Rev. Dr. Carlton Jackson – Chaplain / Acting Treasurer
• Robert Caldwell – Program Music Coordinator

Rev. Dr. Michelle Raven has served as Board Advisor since 2018. While several faithful board members have transitioned over the years, God continues to provide new leaders to carry the mission forward.

Missionary Support

Fishers of Men, Inc. equips missionaries to serve effectively by ensuring they are spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially supported. Since 2015, the organization has sponsored missionaries serving in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and beyond. Supported missionaries have included:

• Brenda Berchie (2015–2019): Served in undisclosed areas of the Middle East.
• Rev. Richard Coleman (2018–present): Serving in Ethiopia with his wife and five children, training university students for missionary work and preparing them to reach unreached areas across Africa.
• “Lily Field” (2019–present): Mobilizes and trains local missionaries in Haiti, Africa, and South Asia.
• Darron & Maggie Sampson (2020–present): Serving in Northern Asia.
• “Mena K.” (2021–2025): Served in Iraq before leaving the mission field to marry.
• Rayne Ellis (2024–2025): Served in South Asia (India) before stepping down due to health issues.

Fishers of Men has also supported short-term mission training trips to Uganda (2017) and Tijuana, Mexico (2022) and Clarkston, Georgia (June 2023).

Key Partnerships

In January 2020, Fishers of Men became a Bronze Covenant Partner with Shalom Outreach, Inc. of Woodbridge, Virginia, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Julian Dangerfield. This partnership supports a fourfold strategy:

1. Creating new avenues for mission trips
2. Teaching biblical principles
3. Equipping local pastors and congregations for spiritual growth
4. Providing educational and economic opportunities

As part of this partnership, Fishers of Men adopted the Sister2Sister Initiative – Women Touching the Hearts of Women, under the leadership of Lady Lisa Dangerfield, which provides handmade sanitary napkins and personal hygiene kits to school-aged girls in Africa. These kits enable girls to remain in school during their menstrual cycles, breaking the cycle of poverty and creating opportunities for education and faith.

Key milestones in this initiative include:

• 2019: 412 kits sent to Uganda; over 350 girls accepted Christ.
• 2021: 300 kits sent to Kenya; 254 girls accepted Christ.
• 2022: 200 kits sent to Uganda.
• February 2024: 330+ kits sent to Uganda, where 306 girls accepted Christ.
• 2025: A $500 donation was sent to Shalom Outreach, Inc. to purchase additional kits for distribution across Africa.

With this partnership Fishers of Men was able to send over 1,000 kits to be distributed in Uganda and Kenya, and nearly 1,000 girls have given their lives to Christ through this outreach.

We are grateful to Diamond Hill Baptist Church for space to use as a sewing room, and for the following community partners who helped to sew the sanitary napkins and carrying pouches, collected personal hygiene kit components (soap, washcloths, underwear and clothespins, Ziploc bags), provided fabric, and/or put together the personal hygiene kits:

• The Atkinson Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania
• Mt. Vernon Chapter of Quilters Unlimited in Fairfax Station, Virginia, 
• Lynchburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., 
• Sunnyside Women’s Ministry, Area E, Virginia Baptist Convention, and 
• New Jerusalem Ministries of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Fundraising and Outreach

Over the years, Fishers of Men has hosted creative fundraisers to support its mission, including:

• Glass logo mug sales (the first fundraiser)
• Stay-at-Home Tea
• Lydia’s Guild Christmas Sale
• Silent Auctions
• Rada Cutlery and Revonnae Tea sales
• The History of Black Music Concert
• Double Good Popcorn Sale
• Kroger Community Rewards
• Honey Sale
• Yard Sale

Our signature event is the annual Disciples on a Mission Tea & Luncheon, which brings supporters together to celebrate and advance the cause of global missions.

Digital Presence

The Fishers of Men website was launched in 2019, and a Facebook page was added in 2020 to expand outreach and engagement.

Fishers of Men, Inc. stands as a living testimony to Ephesians 3:20 – “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” From a single discipleship class to an international mission movement, Fishers of Men, Inc. continues to trust God’s provision as it works to fulfill the Great Commission—one soul, one missionary, and one nation at a time.