Our Community - Mission Alive

Our Team

This team handles the daily operations of Mission Alive and keeps our eyes focused on the vision God has given us. Meet the team!

Executive Director

Tod K. Vogt

Director of Coaching and Discipleship
Steve Shaffer

Executive Director

Tod K. Vogt

Tod has served as Mission Alive’s Executive Director since January 2015. Prior to working as Mission Alive’s Executive Director he served as our Director of Equipping. Tod joined the Mission Alive team in 2007 after several years in local church ministry. Tod began his full-time ministry as a church planting missionary among the Fon people of Benin, West Africa.

In his role, he works with the board of directors and the Mission Alive team to form the vision and ministry strategy to help Mission Alive accomplish its mission. He works with church planters and church leaders to develop disciple-making churches. Tod specializes in leadership coaching, spiritual formation and leadership dynamics and development.

He is married to Candace and they have two children.

Home Church: Greenville Oaks Church of Christ, Allen, Texas

Education and Certifications:
B.A. in Speech and Drama, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma
M.A. in Human Communication, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas
MMiss in Missions, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas
Prepare/Enrich Marriage Level II Certification
CoachNet Coaching Certification
Leading From Your Strengths, Level & II Certification
Spiritual Guidance, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
Core Values Index
Core Coaching
Cerny Smith Stress Assessment
GripBirkman Coach

Year Joined Team: 2007

Favorite Bible Verse:
Ezekiel 12:8-9
He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.⁹Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.

Director of Coaching and Discipleship

Steve Shaffer

Steve oversees Discipleship Cohorts (DC), Renew church leader training, and Catalyze coach training. DC’s train leaders who pursue intentional discipling in small groups. Renew coaches church leaders in discipleship and leading missional change. Catalyze trains professional coaches and leaders who want to use coaching to accelerate growth in their organizations.

He is married to Becky and they have five children.

Home Church: Lee Acres Church of Christ, Tupelo, Mississippi

Education and Certifications:
MS, Optics, University of Rochester
MS, Marriage and Family Therapy, Amridge University
MDiv, ACU
DMin, ACU
International Coach Federation PCC coach

Year Joined Team: 2009

Favorite Bible Verse:

Colossians 1:28
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors is the backbone of our mission. They prayerfully guide the mission. Our board is made up of men and women from around North America who come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Allen Close

Allen is currently our longest serving board member, joining the board in 2009. He serves as the board secretary. Allen earned a Master of Divinity from Abilene Christian University. He and his wife, Laura, live in Waynesboro, Virginia, where Allen is the pulpit minister at the Waynesboro Church of Christ.