In brief
Rod Bailey and Mark Roberts establish Eastward Missionary College in 2003, after several ministries task these men to begin medical missionary training on Australian shores. Over the next 10 years, gifted pastors, evangelists and teachers train students to become useful workers for Christ. Church plants, mission trips, health expos and simple door to door visits provide practical experience.
In 2007 Eastward Missionary College purchases an undeveloped 273 acres of land west of Port Macquarie. The property provides an important 3rd pillar of missionary education – agricultural and practical life skills.
Six years later Eastward launches into media ministry, literature evangelism, and youth camps. The first Music Camp runs in 2014, first large canvassing program in 2015, and first D’Sozo Camp in 2016. Hundreds of young people continue to taste front-line evangelism during these events. Many form devotional habits and make decisions for baptism.
During 2020-2021, several Eastward team members form Madison Missions and enter a lease-to-purchase agreement for a well-appointed Victorian health retreat. Madison Missions takes on Eastward Missions’ trading name, and the original organisation closes. COVID-19 restrictions prevent the team from generating enough cashflow to enter the purchase contract.
Joy Cho introduces The Maker Heals health program to Madison Missions in early 2020. As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease, the team host fee-free, donation supported sessions in Victoria and beyond.
Music Camp and regular canvassing trips return from 2022, and dedicated facilitators continue running The Maker Heals health program in multiple Australian states. Church conferences start Youth Rush canvassing programs, and Madison Missions provide books, expertise and on-the-ground canvassing leaders for these programs.
In 2024, Madison Missions settles on a value for money small acreage property in Granya, VIC. The existing hotel facilities provide a cost-effective venue for guests attending The Maker Heals. Members and supporters lend their time to building improvements and orchard, garden & irrigation development. Preparations for a pilot missionary training program begin in 2025 for launch in mid-2026.
Yearly snapshots
2003
Eastward Missionary College established, with Mark Roberts and Rod Bailey at the helm. These men are tasked by several self-supporting Australian ministries to begin a medical missionary training college. Students begin training in rented Sydney premises.
2004
First Eastward camp meeting. New student cohort train for service in training courses lasting from 4-6 months.
2005
Exploratory trip to Vanuatu at Pacific Yacht Ministries’ request to develop medical missionary and natural remedy training for Vanuatu nationals. First Eastward student sent to WA for a 3 month health retreat practicum.
2007
Eastward purchases 273 acres of land west from Port Macquarie, NSW. Property development begins from scratch – roads, construction, utilities. Eastward Foods begins, making high quality, natural foods available at affordable prices.
Students gain evangelistic experience with Fountain in the City church (Sydney CBD), including preparing for evangelistic campaigns with Lyle Southwell. Eastward staff and graduate students run evangelistic campaigns in Highfields and Maleny, QLD.
2008
Four month Evangelism Certificate students train in partnership with Camden Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church. Staff and students run an evangelistic campaign in Taree resulting in a challenging number of contacts to follow up!
Board members decide not to incur more debt in building projects on the Rollands Plains property. They desire certainty in following God’s leading rather than running ahead of Him.
Three new health evangelism training programs introduced: Certificate of Health Evangelism, Certificate IV in Presenting Community Health Programs, and a 1 month introductory health evangelism course. 17 students graduate in December.
2009
Eastward Missionary College training now runs from the Rollands Plains property, although students are not accommodated on-site. Visiting teachers enrich the student experience:
- James Hartley (health evangelism)
- Dr Allan Lindsay (SDA history)
- Pr Joseph Maticic (Dan 9 & Rev 13)
- Dr Jochen Hawlitschek (lifestyle diseases)
- Pr Paul Geelan (public & personal evangelism)
- Pr Steven Grabiner (apologetics)
Students run several community health expos in Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Rollands Plains, and also Malaita, Solomon Islands, in partnership with Atoifi Adventist Hospital School of Nursing. The Solomon Islands mission trip is a life altering experience for many students.
2010
18 students (NSW, QLD, WA, Canada & South Korea) complete Eastward’s 1 month LIGHT Introductory Health Evangelism course, with 17 going onto the Health and Bible Worker Certificate program. Time is split between study, outreach, and property & farm development.
3 km of road building comes to completion, allowing all weather access around the Rollands Plains property.
23 students graduate in November – the largest graduation in Eastward’s history.
2011-2012
Staff and students travel to the Solomon Islands to preach and provide health education & treatments with simple, natural remedies.
Back home, health training intensives in Coonabarabran, Bundaberg, Albury-Wodonga, Tumbarumba, Melbourne, and Woy Woy equip local church members in personal ministry.
The staff house takes shape on Eastward’s Upper Rolland Plains property as slab, framing and roofing finish in late 2012.
2013-2014
Emmanuel Higgins and Tim & Andy Hopkins join the organisation, bringing a new emphasis on literature evangelism and media ministry. Eastward’s first music video goes live on YouTube, and Music Camp launches at the Upper Rolland Plains property with around 30 young participants.
Eastward provides practical health training during a 2 week trip to the Philippines, and partners with churches to run health expos in Coonabarabran, Port Macquarie, and Macquarie University in Sydney (with 3AM Church & ASOC – Adventist Students on Campus)
During 2014 the staff house and ablutions block near completion, and several students complete Eastward’s final medical missionary training program at Rollands Plains.
2015
In lieu of a training program, staff lend their energy to literature evangelism, Music Camp, and property development. The staff house nears completion, a pecan orchard takes shape, and the market garden grows.
40+ young people attend Music Camp in July, staying at an external venue for practicality and comfort. Campers learn 5 songs and put in 3 days of filming to produce the music videos.
Three team members head on a canvassing road trip to Far North QLD over several months, staying in churches and giving locals the opportunity to personally experience literature evangelism.
Eastward Missions finishes the year with a 6 week canvassing program hosted at Kingscliff Seventh-day Adventist Church and Tweed Valley Adventist College.
2016
The first D’Sozo Camp (south of Port Macquarie, NSW) follows 2015’s year-end canvassing program. Teenagers gain a thrilling taste of labouring with God through literature evangelism and gospel help work. In November, Eastward members travel to Albany and run D’Sozo WA in partnership with keen locals.
A small canvassing team travels through Tasmania during Autumn, selling over 3,000 books. Eastward canvassing leaders close out 2016 with a large 6 week program in Perth, WA. Around 30 young people from both sides of Australia excitedly distribute thousands of magabooks and other literature.
Music Camp runs for the 3rd year, encouraging campers in their Christian experience and producing another 5 sacred music videos.
Eastward Missionary College renames to Eastward Missions, reflecting a change in activities.
Inspired by AdAgrA, Rod Bailey and family expand Eastward’s garden to provide a better foundation both for student education and market garden ministry.
2017
Eastward team members run D’Sozo Camp NSW in January, Music Camp mid-year (70+ young people), D’Sozo WA in October, the inaugural Cultivate Conference in November (over 150 attendees, 17 presenters and 40+ seminars), and finally the Adelaide canvassing program in late December (~30 canvassers and close to 3,000 magabooks sold).
In between, Rod Bailey networks at the AdAgraA conference in Florida and expands Eastward’s market garden helped by a new tractor. Emmanuel Higgins films Exploring God’s Love, featuring Pr Geoff Youlden and recent Music Camp productions.
Eastward publishes a brand new Australian magabook edition of The Great Controversy, and spends several weeks canvassing around WA & SA with a small team (over 1,000 magabooks distributed).
2018
Adelaide canvassing program finishes late January, and canvassing leaders Tim & Andy Hopkins begin a canvassing road trip in March along with a small team. Canvassing begins in VIC and NSW, pauses for NNSW Big Camp setup/pull down with the Eastward team, then departs mid-May for Central QLD. Starting in Yeppoon, they canvass Rockhampton, Biloela, Hervey Bay and Gympie.
In July, God blesses Music Camp abundantly at Crosslands Convention Centre (a precious atmosphere, beautiful filming locations, 3 concerts – and no illness). Over August, Eastward’s canvassing team promotes evangelistic campaigns working with Lakeside and Dora Creek Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
D’Sozo Camp WA runs for the 3rd time over September school holidays, encouraging Western Australia teens to serve God through canvassing and gospel helpwork.
Cultivate Conference returns for its 2nd year in October. Presenters share across four streams: Soil health, sustainable orcharding, market gardening, and country living.
The year closes as Eastward’s Cranbourne & Geelong twin canvassing programs kick off. 51 keen canvassers distribute 3,000 magabooks and over 6,000 copies of Steps to Christ.
2019
Partnering with the NNSW Conference, Eastward Missions launch a church plant in The Entrance, NSW. The team studies the Bible with locals, hosts a weekly care group, canvasses and facilitates a Nedley Depression and Anxiety Recovery Program in the lead up to weekly church services towards year-end.
Music Camp blesses 63 teen campers at Crosslands Convention Centre. Stanmore, Waroonga and Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Churches host a concert each. Pastors baptise 10 young people during Music Camp and another 3 more soon afterwards.
Eastward team members make their way to WA from the east coast to run D’Sozo Camp by the sea in Busselton.
Cultivate Conference returns for the 3rd year to inspire Seventh-day Adventists in agriculture and country living.
Eastward concludes 2019 with 44 canvassers and a 10 week canvassing program (longest yet). Beginning in Armidale and the Central Coast, all finish together in Craigieburn VIC. Final statistics show 2,361 magabooks and 5,052 Path to Peace (Steps to Christ) distributed.
2020-2021
Emmanuel, Tim & Andy form Madison Missions Australia Ltd late 2019 to enter a property lease/purchase agreement. Set on 100 acres in the Yarra Ranges, VIC, the property features existing facilities including several staff houses, male & female dorms, a health treatment centre with guest accommodation, sheds, and gardens. It has wonderful potential as a medical missionary training school.
Mid-2020, the Eastward Missions board approves a merger of the two organisations. Madison Missions takes on Eastward Missions’ business name and becomes the sole operating legal entity.
Planning begins to sell Eastward’s Upper Rollands Plains property to Rod & Desley Bailey, who continue to operate a growing market garden. The property became infeasible for developing training school infrastructure due to required capital investments and council zoning restrictions.
Strict COVID-19 restrictions arrive just weeks into health centre operations, forcing a pivot to alternate income streams. The team starts several endeavours: Home delivered meals, firewood, arborist services, and a market garden.
Joy Cho introduces the team to The Maker Heals health program. Madison Missions begins hosting sessions on property in VIC and elsewhere. The Maker Heals’ simple principles, donation based model, and life-changing results generate significant interest.
Victoria’s prolonged pandemic restrictions leave Madison Missions without the necessary income to meet lease repayments – and thus unable to continue with the purchase agreement.
2022
Music Camp returns after a 2 year hiatus! The smaller but joyfilled group practice and film 4 songs near Morriset, NSW.
Canvassing leaders run a 3 month QLD road trip from Gin Gin to Cairns. Participating literature evangelists distribute close to 2,000 magabooks and an additional 3,174 small copies of Steps to Christ.
The Maker Heals runs several sessions out of the Yarra Valley, VIC, along with other interstate locations. Christians and non-Christians alike grow in faith and health:
“This is the first time I read the Bible, and I’ve been reading it, understanding it, and enjoying it… I’ve felt really spiritually connected with God.”
– Participant
2023
In close succession, Madison Missions hosts Music Camp in Morriset, NSW and provides canvassing leaders for the South Australia Seventh-day Adventist Conference Youth Rush program.
Several teens make decisions for baptism during Music Camp appeals, and on the final Sabbath Pr Justin Torossian baptises 3 of these young people in front of many friends and family.
10 canvassers travel to the United States in July for a multi-state, 3 month mission trip. Tragically, Madison Missions Vice President Joy Cho dies after falling from a mountain peak in Grand Teton National Park. Australian friends remember her during a memorial service held during December in Warburton, VIC.
2024
60 odd teens and another 50 youth leaders and staff start their year at Music Camp. They film 4 songs and glorify God during two concerts at Hamilton and Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
Madison Missions settles on a small-acreage, former hotel property in Granya, VIC (40 mins from Albury-Wodonga). The team rejoices to see heavenly providence and significant vendor discounting during initial enquiries. Infrastructure at the historic Hotel Granya provides an excellent foundation for a future training school.
The Maker Heals continues to run in VIC, QLD, WA, including a special coordinator training event. During November guests enjoy the very first session held on Madison’s new property – Hotel Granya.
2025
Many man hours and working bees transform the Granya property. The local team and generous helpers plant close to 100 orchard trees, install an irrigation system, renovate several rooms, and expand the market garden with berry and flower beds.
Music Camp blesses and encourages over 60 young people. Canvassing opportunities during camp give many teens their first taste of literature evangelism and speaking to strangers about their faith.
The Maker Heals runs across Australia and holds several events at Madison’s Hotel Granya. Guests enjoy a full healing experience including pleasant work around the property gardens.
Historic Madison College (1904-1964)
Read about the original Madison College ↗ (TN, USA) on the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Photos below are used courtesy the Center for Adventist Research ↗.
