The main lodge at Southall, set against wooded hills in late autumn
Franklin, Tennessee

Before You Go

The Southall Gathering with John Bevere

December 14 – 16

Welcome

At the Messenger Cup Underwriters dinner, a few of you asked John a bold question: what would it take to fully fund this mission? That conversation didn’t end at the table. It’s why we’re gathering again.

For two and a half days at Southall, we’re setting aside the usual pace for three things: time with John and Addison as they pour into you, real connection with the men around the table, and your voice on what comes next for Messenger, both how we say it and how we live it out.

This isn’t a fundraiser. You’ve already shown up for this mission in a big way. This time is simply about investing in you, because we believe what happens in you shapes what happens through all of us.

Below is everything you need to know before you arrive. We can’t wait to see you.

Getting There

Arrival & Departure

Plan to arrive Monday by 4:00pm and depart Wednesday at noon.

Arrive

Monday

14

December

4:00pm

Check-in and welcome. Your room will be ready, with something waiting for you.

Depart

Wednesday

16

December

12:00pm

Send-off and check-out after our closing session.

  • Where

    Southall
    2200 Osage Loop
    Franklin, Tennessee 37064

  • Flying In

    Nashville International Airport (BNA) is the closest airport, roughly 30 to 45 minutes away depending on traffic. We recommend booking flights that land by 2:00pm Monday and depart after 2:30pm Wednesday. Please plan to arrange your own transportation to and from Southall.

  • Questions

    Text or call Debra anytime at 719-955-5817.

Monday – Wednesday

The Schedule

We’ve kept it loose on purpose, with room for conversation to run long when it matters.

December 14

Monday

Arrive and settle in

  • 4:00pmCheck-in and welcome
  • 5:30pmWelcome dinner at Tulip Poplar. Long, unhurried, and made for good conversation.
  • After dinnerOptional Join John and Addison around the fire pits
December 15

Tuesday

The heart of our time together

  • 8:00amBreakfast
  • 9:00am – 12:00pmMorning session with John and Addison. Open discussion, ideas, and plenty of room for you to speak in.
  • 12:00pmLight lunch
  • 1:00 – 3:00pmVisit to the Messenger studio
  • 3:30pm to dinnerYour time. Call home, work out, rest, or join Addison for a hike on Southall’s trails.
  • 5:30pmDinner at Covered Bridge. A farm supper unlike the usual, with a few words along the way from John and Addison.
  • After dinnerAn extended evening of ministry, prayer, and connection. Come ready to stay a while.
December 16

Wednesday

Wrap and send-off

  • 8:30amBreakfast
  • MorningClosing session
  • 12:00pmSend-off and check-out
A gravel path lined with golden trees and a black farm fence at Southall
325 acres of orchards, trails, and rolling hills south of Nashville.
What to Wear

Elevated casual

Comfortable enough for long conversations, sharp enough for a beautiful dinner.

December in Franklin is cool and often damp, with a decent chance of rain. Evenings turn cold quickly.

Highs around

50°F

Nights in the

mid 30s

Sunset around

4:30pm

Southall is a working farm resort with a lake, trails, and fire pits. The feel is refined but relaxed, more country estate than city hotel.

  • Sessions & daytime

    Collared shirts, quarter-zips or sweaters, chinos or denim.

  • Dinners

    The same, stepped up a notch. A sport coat is welcome but never required. No tie needed.

  • Outdoors

    A warm jacket for the fire pits and walks between buildings, plus shoes that can handle wet grass.

  • Downtime

    Workout clothes, and trail shoes if you’d like to use the property’s hiking trails.

Packing List

What to Bring

Pack light. We’ll have what you need to write, think, and settle in.

  • Layers and a warm, water-resistant jacket
  • Comfortable shoes, plus trail shoes if you plan to hike
  • Workout clothes for your downtime
  • Your Bible
  • An open heart and a few honest questions you’re carrying
Pre-Event Survey

Help us make the most of our time together

Your answers help John, Addison, and our team shape our conversations around what you’re carrying into these few days, and take care of details like dietary needs and Tuesday’s hike. It takes about two minutes.

Take the Survey

Your answers go only to John, Addison, and our team.

Southall

2200 Osage Loop · Franklin, Tennessee 37064
Messenger International

Dr. Joseph Serwadda's Story

Over the past decade, numerous pastors and leaders from all over the world have been crying out (and even begging us) for discipleship resources in their language. This may sound extreme, but in America we have an abundance of books and resources that are available to us that are often taken for granted. In many ways, we have access to excess.

In some developing nations, people have never seen a book in their language. When leaders from these nations are given a book, they treat it as sacred gift! They even hand-write books and Bibles word for word so that they can spread this message of hope to others in their sphere of influence.

Dr. Joseph Serwadda, a leader from Uganda who oversees a group of churches that number approximately 27,000, echoes this need among pastors and leaders all over the world: “Our biggest need is not money or bigger buildings, but solid teaching. We lack literature for people to read and study on their own. The more people we have in church who are less instructed in the Word of God, the less solidity we have. Come and help us preserve the harvest. This is a Macedonian call!”

Pastor Yassir's Story

Over the years, Cubans have long suffered under the oppression of a single message: communism. Despite this challenge, Yassir is committed to sharing a new message with his people, a message of transformation that can lead to national revival.

Cubans, in general, have been conditioned toward communistic consumption. That’s why Yassir wants his people to embrace a new identity: a life defined by what they can give. This shift requires growth and maturity that can only come through a new perspective.

He explained, “The Cuban church is strong and filled with passion. But I believe it’s important that we shift our mentality. We need to see how the Gospel goes beyond our own needs. Ultimately, we need to take responsibility for ourselves and our nation, and not just wait for outside intervention.”

There aren’t many Christian resources in Cuba. So, Pastor Yassir’s church, along with many other churches throughout Cuba, have been profoundly impacted by the resources Messenger International has provided for them in their own language.

In our conversations with Pastor Yassir, he often cited an ancient proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you’ve fed him for a lifetime. He sees MessengerX as a tool both to feed his people and teach them to fish.

It’s become evident that after many years in our ministry, the most effective way to transform a village or town is not to construct a church building. This just keeps the local leadership dependent on us.

We are much more effective if we give the indigenous leaders such as Pastor Yassir spiritual knowledge that will empower them to influence their village, town, or city. Such knowledge helps produce the faith needed to grow and sustain the work, which, if necessary, will include buildings and other resources.

Stories like Pastor Yassir’s fuel our mission, because we believe that everyone deserves to know life-transforming truth!

Nura's Story

Before Nura became a follower of Christ, her life was a living hell.
After the death of her husband—from whom she endured many years of abuse and suffering—she became a widow with four children. In search of peace and inner healing, she sought solace in religious places and practices, which only led her deeper into depression and financial debt.


Her last resort was Jesus.


“I came to the Christian church and begged for help! I accepted Christ after I heard of the promise of peace and healing that is found in Him,” Nura wrote. “I slowly began to recover, but there was one thing hindering my healing—unforgiveness.”
Filled with regrets, Nura struggled to forgive her husband. But the grip of offense began to weaken when her pastor handed her a copy of The Bait of Satan.


“I forgave my husband after I learned how much I, too, needed forgiveness,” shared Nura. “Now I am healed, and I have peace for the first time in my life. Some even say I look ten years younger!”

 

Pastor Raphael's Story

Pastor Raphael was raised in Kenya, immersed in a culture of darkness. As a child, he lacked affection because his father believed that strong men don’t show love. He continually witnessed his father beat and belittle his mother. Everywhere he looked, insidious behavior was practiced toward women and infants—families were being destroyed and lives were ending before they had a chance to begin.

This was the destiny Raphael was headed toward.

But everything changed when truth entered the scene. The first area to be transformed was Raphael’s heart—which, in turn, transformed his marriage and his family. And with a strong and healthy family, his whole outlook toward life has changed.

“Through the resources of Messenger International, a relentless passion was ignited in me to see the people of my country free from lies,” shared Raphael. “I discovered my purpose to train up others and bring God’s transforming truth to remote villages.”

Raphael has trekked miles through mud and rain to reach people, often rising early and returning late. He would travel over 50 miles a day with his bicycle—but through the generosity of the MessengerX community, he was given a motorcycle, which has enabled him to double his efforts while easily transporting the resources and supplies he needs to facilitate his classes. Raphael has seen over 200 of his students graduate in the villages he serves.

“Thank you for investing in my people,” expressed Raphael. “Each day tribal warriors are transformed into children of God, marriages are infused with love, and the innocent are protected. Your generosity has given us the tools we need to rewrite our story and reclaim our humanity.”

Dahlia's Story

Formerly a Muslim, Dahlia fled to Turkey after she was expelled from her Iranian school and excommunicated by her family. Her crime? Becoming a Christian.

You can now find Dahlia in a refugee camp, far from what she once called home. But despite the upheaval, she has found purpose in her pain. On a daily basis, Dahlia walks through her makeshift town and prays over the people. They have become her people—the audience of her message.

Dahlia has become a messenger, and she is often spotted lovingly serving those around her and sharing her faith with them. Despite language barriers, people are drawn to her because they see something different in her. And what’s amazing is that she’s not only reaching the people in her refugee camp, she’s also impacting those she left behind in Iran.

“I’ve had calls from Iran,” writes Dahlia. “People who mocked me because of my faith now believe in Jesus and want to know more. So, I tell them about MessengerX, which has a lot of translated discipleship resources.”

As we continue to provide people like Dahlia with life-transforming truth in their own language, we’re helping them grow in their faith and discover their purpose—and we’re equipping them to make a difference in their world.

“I am beyond thankful for all of the books that I’ve been able to read in my language, such as Driven by Eternity, translated in Farsi,” shared Dahlia. “I read them again and again. The messages keep me company in this lonely season, and they inspire me to reveal Jesus to the hurting people all around me.”