Who We Are

I (Troy) am from Texas and moved to the Bay Area in 2022 for a church-planting school called the Hundred Cities Initiative. While living in the Bay Area, I was walking in a park when I sensed God wanted me to move to Berkeley, CA, to pray and make disciples of international students. That was more than four years ago; it has been an adventure ever since.

When I moved to Berkeley, the second person that I met in the area was Lauren, who would later become my wife. Lauren teaches art at a high school in the area and has a heart for beauty and hospitality. We were married in March 2026. A few years ago, Lauren and I, with a team of friends, started a community group. Together, we have been cultivating spiritual community, loving our neighbors, and praying for Berkeley. It has been a fruitful season, and we are excited to invest in Berkeley more deeply.

The Opportunity

We have been invited by our friends Paul and Cindi Schuler to be a part of their team with RUF International to welcome and love on international students at the University of California, Berkeley. I have known Paul and Cindi for three years and have consistently volunteered on their team. Although I (Troy) have been working full-time for the last couple of years, the students'desire for connection and openness to the gospel has inspired me to step into a full-time ministry role. The need is clear: there are more students hungry for the gospel than there are people to disciple them. The University of California at Berkeley is the number one public university in the world, and many of these students will go on to influence their nations. It is such a beautiful thing to get to influence the nations for Jesus from California. As Paul has told me, after three years of ministering to Berkeley students, “The harvest truly is plentiful, and the laborers truly are few.”

What We Will Do

Hospitality: Our heart is to make a home for international students who come to Berkeley. We do this through hosting bi-weekly dinners, hikes, parties, and other events.

Discipleship: Once we have built friendships with students, we hope to invite them into small-group Bible studies to explore the teachings and ways of Jesus.

Community: We are also building a Christian community in Berkeley. We have been hosting a community of believers at our house for years. This will multiply into a group in San Francisco, and we hope to continue to grow the church in the Bay Area. This community is connected to the Antioch movement.

Prayer: The mission of reaching Berkeley is way too big for us to accomplish, and we have a heart to focus on prayer, connecting with the heart of the Father, and asking Him to move in Berkeley. We believe that prayer is one of the most effective ways we can spend our time.

Our Need

To do full-time ministry in the Bay Area, our goal is to raise a full-time salary for Troy. Would you consider partnering with us, either on a one-time or monthly basis, as we partner with God to see His kingdom come in Berkeley?

We also desire that you would be praying with us. If you would like to be a part of our prayer team, please fill out this form. I really believe that the prayers of trusted friends have brought me through some of my hardest moments in life. We would truly cherish your prayers on our behalf.

Troy & Lauren Dixon