Biblical Discipleship Ministries (BDM) was founded in 1984 as a 501(c)3 non-profit by Jobe and Jenna Dee Martin. Their desire was to start a discipleship ministry with an emphasis on the fact that God’s Word should be the Believer’s “blueprint” for living (see BDM’s Mission Statement for more of the Scriptural foundations of BDM).
Jobe Martin, a native of Bloomsburg, PA, majored in biology and music at Bucknell University, and was a 1966 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Dental School. Jobe met Jenna Dee while they were both serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War—Jenna Dee as an R.N., and Jobe as a dentist for the 89th military airlift wing, which included the crews and pilots of the Presidential fleet of Air Force One (during the Johnson Administration). After their time in the Air Force, Jobe established a private dental practice at NASA in Houston. During that time, the Martins hosted Bible studies for high school students and served on the Board of Campus Crusade for Christ (Houston area). Their hearts for discipleship were growing.
After a few years in private practice, Jobe and Jenna Dee moved to Dallas (1971) where Jobe assumed a teaching position at Baylor University’s College of Dentistry. It was during this time that he started teaching Bible studies to dental students, and Jenna Dee would head up a hospitality ministry. As God continued to plant more of a heart for ministry in both of them, the decision was made for Jobe to retire from dentistry and enroll in the Th.M. program at Dallas Theological Seminary (1982). Jobe graduated in 1986 with a Masters of Theology in Systematic Theology. Soon after, he obtained an Associates Degree in Business from Eastfield Community College in Dallas. He also holds a D.Min. from The Institute for Creation Research’s School of Biblical Apologetics (SOBA).
After Jobe’s ordination, the Martin family was commissioned as missionaries to the USA, and in the 1980s they started traveling as a family to different ministry callings in Texas, ultimately branching out to travels which have taken them to all 50 States in the US. Ministry travels for the Martins have taken them to conference ministries, camping ministries, church events, home Bible studies, private and secular college and university campus ministries, Creation Science societies, Christian schools, and homeschool events. In time, their travels expanded to include some international speaking engagements as well, but their main focus is ministry within the United States.
BDM is considered a family ministry. Jenna Dee ministers to ladies’ groups, does counseling with women, as well as key secretarial and hospitality needs for the ministry. The Martins have two daughters, Taryn and Mirren. They were homeschooled 12 years which allowed them to be a part of the family’s travels. Both are graduates of Pensacola Christian College with degrees in Elementary Education and Secondary Education. They also received Ph.D.’s in history. Taryn and Mirren grew up loving working alongside their parents in ministry, but took time away from the ministry to pursue their degrees, and in 2009 came back to work full-time with their parents in BDM believing it was their calling. They conduct seminars for young ladies and do children’s programs, and, among other things, handle the resource and development aspects of the ministry, as well as have a large part in the production of the creation and discipleship films BDM produces. They do ministry event coordinating, music ministries, and partner with their parents in whatever needs are at hand.
After several years of ministry, Jobe was approached by a publisher to write a book about his testimony of going from an agnostic, evolutionist to a young earth creationist. The book, The Evolution of a Creationist: A Layman’s Guide to the Conflict Between the Bible and Evolutionary Theory, aided in expanding the creation science resource and teaching branch of BDM. Around that time, a film producer asked if he could create a film that would highlight Jobe’s research on creatures that “defy evolution.” That one video ultimately grew into a three-volume series titled, Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution, which has by God’s grace, reached around the world. Now BDM’s creation science films include the four-volume film series, Creation Proclaims, the three-volume film series, God’s Living Treasures: Amazing Animals of Alaska, and Jobe’s lecture series on creation vs. evolution titled the same as his book: The Evolution of a Creationist (5-parts).
One of the most fruitful resources of BDM—connected with the creation evangelism branch of the ministry—are the Incredible Creature Cards and Creation Proclaims Cards. Each of these tract sets include multiple animals from BDM’s creation science animal/creature film series. Each card has a picture of an incredible creature on the front, a science fact about the animal that points the reader toward that creature’s “irreducible complexity,” and then a point made that the creature needed a Designer/Creator and that the Creator is Jesus Christ and He also desires to be their Savior. The QR code on the front of the card will then take them directly to the Gospel on the BDM website. These creature card tract sets are now in English and Spanish.
BDM discipleship and family resources have grown over the years to include the BDM Discipleship Series which has eights films so far: “Seeking God in the Storms of Life,” “Don’t Lose Your Perspective: Lessons from Isaiah 40,” “The Indwelling Life of Christ,” “The Doctrine of the Body of Christ,” “Biblically Handling Conflict Resolution,” “What God Says . . .” (lessons on marriage and the family), “Teaching Your Children to Love Jesus,” and “Creation Evangelism.” Booklets produced by BDM include: Biblically Handling Technology and Social Media, and Biblically Handling Marriage, Divorce, and Re-Marriage.
The Martins also maintain an active ministry through the guest house adjacent to their home where they have hosted friends, ministers, missionaries and church groups from all over the world. They have an ongoing outreach to widows and single moms.
When they are not traveling in ministry, the Martin family resides in Rockwall, Texas. Their family verse is Colossians 1:10: That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.