what the resume didn't see-God had planned all along

​A lawyer and a doctor -- a match living out an American success story by anyone’s standard. That might have been the story of Brett and Dr. Mallory Bagwell’s lives, had they not said “yes” to God’s call. Plucked from a prosecution office and a hospital respectively, Brett and Mallory Bagwell have chosen to let God lead their steps, not corporate America. ​

Brett, Dawson, & Mallory Bagwell - 2023

Brett and Mallory live in Bryant, Arkansas with their three-year-old son, Dawson. Their home serves as the base for their new ministry project, THREE18. From its creation, development, and launch to the discipleship, outreach, and ministry, Brett Bagwell built THREE18 throughout the final months of 2023 and into 2024. 
 
On Sept. 28, 2023, Brett and Mallory gathered in their living room with a group of close friends and ministry partners and brought THREE18 to life in the name of 2 Peter 3:18. In the words of Simon Peter, the Bagwells felt God’s call on their lives to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord,” and to bring glory and honor to His name through the creation of THREE18. 
 
As a Baptist preacher, missionary, and chaplain of over 12 years and a second-year internal medical resident, Brett and Mallory Bagwell desire to create an 

all-encompassing missional experience. From leading service teams to sports groups to medical missions, THREE18 will prepare a trip for anyone seeking to fulfill the command to “go and make disciples of all nations” -- Matthew 28:19-20. 
 
The foundational goal for THREE18 is to lead communities to “know, grow, and glorify Jesus Christ, one conversation at a time” within central Arkansas, the city of Belmopan, Belize, and ultimately across the globe.  
 
The idea and desire for the conception of THREE18 began even before the Bagwells were married. The calling on their lives to create their own nonprofit ministry was evident. “Neither one of us were content,” Brett explained. “We felt like God was calling us to something greater, we just didn’t know what that was.” Mallory, too, felt God’s call on both their lives: “we talked about and dreamed about something like this in the future.” She added, “the Lord has just opened a bunch of doors for us, and each step of my career and Brett’s career has been leading us to this point.” ​

As the two grew in their relationship with one another and with Christ, they were married in August of 2016 and began their walk with the Lord together. While Mallory pursued her medical degree at New York Institute of Technological Medicine, Brett dove further into his new career in ministry.

In the months leading up to their wedding, Brett Bagwell made the change from personal injury firm to working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; ​​choosing a

spiritual calling over a secular career “opened up opportunities” for Bagwell to grow in his love for international missions. 
​
Having attended Henderson State University and earned a degree in political science, Bagwell planned for a long and successful career in the field of law. “I graduated with zero ministry experience,” Bagwell said, “and there was a reason for that.” Throughout his teenage and college years, Bagwell ignored the calling on his life toward ministry. Witnessing many family members serve in ministry and several uncles serve as pastors, Bagwell wanted no part of it, saying, “I never wanted to be a pastor; as a young child growing up, I felt like they were underpaid, underappreciated, and had little to no value.”

​“I was like Jonah, being called by God and running completely the other way. I had no desire to go to Nineveh,” he said. “That was me.” 
 
Now, as an adult having served with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the International Sports Federation, as a pastor on church staff, and now as the founder of THREE18, Bagwell understands the calling on his life to “reach the one.”

THREE18 Pillars of Ministry

Bagwell and THREE18 want to do just that through three pillars of ministry: campus, community, and Belize. Whether on local high school or college campuses, in his own backyard, or across the nation of Belize, 

Bagwell desires to “reach the one who is not a dedicated, fruitful, passionate follower of Jesus Christ.” Through the ministry and discipleship of THREE18, they seek to impact others to “wake up and have as much passion for reaching someone else that is as broken as I was,” Bagwell finished. 
 
Bagwell has extensive connection to his local Arkansas community through leading bible studies, serving as chaplain to a state championship high school softball team, and guest pastoring at local churches. These opportunities offer THREE18 the chance to “build relationships'' and “disciple young students,'' in addition to serving as a recruitment tool for THREE18’s largest pillar, Belize.

“Our heart beats for Belize” Bagwell said. At seventeen years old, his first mission trip took him to Belmopan, Belize to minister to children through baseball. Since then, Brett Bagwell has felt God’s call for him to invest in a permanent ministry in Belize. 
 
THREE18 originates from seeing a broken world, a world with a need. According to Bagwell, “God is calling us to serve in an extremely hungry, extremely poverty-stricken, extremely broken society that needs help.”. THREE18 desires to “change 

the landscape” of the community of Belize through their love, relation, and commitment to Christ Jesus. 

“When I get off an airplane in Belize City, and I head out the door of Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, I don't see what people see on Google,” Bagwell explained. “People see the beautiful islands, the crystal clear blue water, and the fancy resort locations. I see a broken city that needs Jesus.”
 
Mallory Bagwell approaches the need in Belize through the eye of a medical resident. 

“God has given me this gift that I can share with the world,” she said. Throughout her education and practicing experience, Mallory Bagwell was “trained to provide care for those that have less than or don't have access to care at all.” 
 
The physician to resident ratio in the nation of Belize is one thousand to one (1000:1), compared to the national average in America of four hundred and fifty to one (450:1). With over double the population per physician and only eight hospitals in the entire country, citizens of Belize often cannot access or afford healthcare. This leaves them with the choice to fly back to the U.S for proper medical care if they can afford it, “but if you can’t, you die” Bagwell added. 
 
“I have a heart for that” Dr. Mallory Bagwell explains, “and that's exactly what we're going to do. Provide them with a physical need that they have, but also teach them about spiritual fulfillment,” she finished. Belize is a nation torn by gang violence, strife with drug and alcohol abuse, and broken with fatherless homes. Bagwell notes a “lack of electricity, lack of proper air conditioning, and lack of proper anything, really.” Bagwell attributes his heart for 

Belmopan and the entire nation of Belize to God: “I believe that God has given me a lens of seeing what's needed” he stated: “there is a need, and that need is for Jesus.”

Despite Belize being his first mission experience, Bagwell attributes his heart for international missions largely to a trip to Athens, Greece in 2012. Bagwell recalls witnessing the refugee crisis unfold, watching “hundreds if not thousands” of people pour into the city. Without a proper home, food, or access to healthcare, Bagwell and his team of missionaries offered them what they could: the love of Jesus Christ. 
 
“That’s where my passion comes from,” Bagwell explained. “No one should have to endure that. No one should ever be faced with lying on a bench, no family or friends, and having some random missionary from the states hanging an IV bag from a tree to give you the last ounce of earthly life possible.” 
 
Bagwell recalls sharing the love of Jesus with the refugees as they took their final breaths, his own hands hanging the IV bag from a tree. This trip to Athens “radically” changed Bagwell’s life: “while Belize caught my heart, Athens changed my perspective,” he stated. ​​

​Despite running from God’s plan as a young adult, Bagwell accepted his call to missions and stepped into a role with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for five years before serving with the International Sports Federation (ISF) under founder Cheryl Wolfinger. Bagwell served as a self-funded volunteer for thirteen years with ISF before going on staff, where he led sports teams from across the United States on trips around the globe.
 
With the onset of summer 2023, Brett and Mallory revisited their lifelong desire to start their own ministry. Traveling to New Zealand with ISF and two university women's soccer teams, Brett had the opportunity to baptize several of the athletes as well as his own wife, Dr. Mallory Bagwell. Standing in the freezing water of the Pacific Ocean, Bagwell explains that he felt a “shift” in that moment; he felt the Lord say ‘it will be okay. Just look at what I can do, I am ready to use you and your family for people to come to know Me and follow Me.”

During this trip and throughout the entire summer, the Bagwells began to see 

THREE18 “truly come to life,” Brett said. “It really felt like God was saying ‘this is the time to start something’,” he finished. 

While founded and based in the Bagwell’s home in Arkansas, THREE18 aims to have a compound on the ground in Belize by 2025, partnering with Hummingbird Medical Resources and 3H Ministries among others. 
 
Hummingbird Medical Resources serves in a medical missions capacity led by founder Ashley Ott. Having obtained her RN license in Belize and served with the Belize Red Cross, Ott and Hummingbird Medical Resources are knowledgeable and familiar with the community of Belize and together with THREE18, have exciting plans and projects for the future of medical missions in Belize. 
 
3H Ministries, founded by Roy and Melanie Hale, are based in Benton, Arkansas, but serve the nation of Belize internationally. With a residential complex located in San Pedro, Belize, 3H will serve as a housing partner for groups traveling with THREE18. This partnership presents the opportunity for THREE18 to extend their ministry to the island of San Pedro, something the Bagwells eagerly look forward to. 

​THREE18 has grown exponentially in the few months since launch in September 2023. Partnering with Hummingbird Medical, 3H Ministries, several universities and more, THREE18 has witnessed the Lord’s blessing upon their new ministry. Brett and Mallory Bagwell expect this growth to only continue, as they endeavor to create and lead many opportunities for service teams, sports teams, medical missionaries, and anyone else throughout the rest of the year. THREE18 is willing to assist any individual, team, or group in their desire to further the Great Commission and 

see the work of Jesus Christ transform the people and community of Belize. 

WHAT'S NEXT? 

The Bagwells and THREE18 have multiple trip dates planned throughout the first half of the year, available for sign up. Available project dates include June 4-11, June 18-25, and July 2-9. Despite the option of pre-planned trip dates, THREE18 is willing to work with any group between the sizes of 10 and 25 individuals to schedule additional trip dates. At the cost of $175 per day, THREE18 covers pre-project training, food and lodging, in-country transportation, and administration fees. THREE18 is happy to work with groups or individuals needing help booking airfare. 
 
There are other ways of serving and supporting the ministry of THREE18. If international travel is not feasible for you, your family, church group, or service group, donations can be made at three-18.org or by mailing a check made payable to THREE18 at 1708 Pleasant Pointe Circle, Bryant, Arkansas 72022. 

With one-time or recurring options, THREE18 makes it easy to support the work of local missionaries as well as the community and people of Belize. Those who support THREE18 through prayer or financial support are more than partners, they are family. Brett and Mallory Bagwell appreciate every effort to support the work​that Jesus Christ is doing through THREE18, and consider every supporter part of their ministry family. Get in contact with THREE18 at three-18.org.

Article by: Rose Comstive