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Redeemed Steel: Forging Relationships

  • Writer: Disciples Make
    Disciples Make
  • Nov 1, 2024
  • 2 min read

(A Message Behind the Knife / Produced by Disciples Make)


Redeemed Steel is a community of Christ-following craftspeople, including blacksmiths, bladesmiths, metalworkers, woodworkers, and leatherworkers, who use their creative gifts to share the Gospel in tangible and meaningful ways. Through forging, teaching, and serving, they travel to communities in need, build homes, feed families, and demonstrate the arts as a bridge to conversation, generosity, and discipleship.


Spanish-style villa with red-tiled roofs, surrounded by trees. Smoke rises from a distant volcano in the background, creating a tranquil scene.

(A valcano erupts near the city of Antigua, Guatemala October 7th, 2024)


Disciples Make had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala with Redeemed Steel. We joined their team to share the love of Christ while documenting the heart and mission of this unique ministry. Our focus was telling the story of Billy and his son Jojo, whose shared vision and faith helped spark a movement of craftsmen committed to Kingdom work.


Man in sunglasses and cap leans on a metal wall in a workshop. Wears yellow gloves. Background has corrugated metal and wood.

(Billy builds a window in a home near city of Antigua, Guatemala October 7th, 2024)


One of the highlights of the trip was the knife-making demonstrations, where handcrafted blades were given away as gifts. These moments opened doors for connection, storytelling, and prayer. Another powerful moment was watching the team come together to build a home for a man who had been without shelter. What began as a construction project became a living picture of the Gospel, offering covering, provision, dignity, and hope.


Man sharpening a tool on a grinding machine, sparks flying. He wears safety glasses, concentrating in a workshop with orange walls.

(Jojo shapes a knife during a demonstration, Guatemala October 8th, 2024)


Redeemed Steel reminds us that creativity is not separate from calling. Their work shows how craftsmanship can become ministry, how skill can become service, and how generosity can ripple into eternity.


Hands pour rice into a metal bowl on a table. A person weighs the bowl on a scale. Background shows blurred figures and greenery.

(The Redeemed Steel team distributes rice, Guatemala October 8th, 2024)


At Disciples Make, we partner with ministries like Redeemed Steel to tell their stories and learn from the ways they use their creative talents to serve God’s Kingdom with purpose. We believe storytelling is a form of discipleship, and that documenting these moments helps inspire others to use their gifts for eternal impact.


Smiling woman in a blue jacket holds a leather-sheathed tool. Nighttime outdoor setting with blurred people and lights in the background.

(A local woman is gifted a hand-made knife, Guatemala October 8th, 2024)


During our time in Guatemala, we witnessed how creativity becomes a meeting place, where God draws people of different cultures and experiences into His redemptive plan.


The Kingdom of God is made up of every nation, ethnicity, and language, and our time in Guatemala was a beautiful reminder of God’s greater story. Around anvils, work tables, and newly framed walls, we saw a glimpse of heaven’s design. Different backgrounds, different skills, one Savior, one mission.


Group of people smiling in front of a scenic cityscape with mountains. They wear casual clothing, with visible logos and text on shirts.

(Redeemed Steel & His Works take a group picture in Guatemala October 6th, 2024)


Moments like these remind us that when creativity is surrendered to Christ, it becomes more than art or craftsmanship. It becomes connection. It becomes discipleship. It becomes a testimony to God’s redemptive plan unfolding across the world.


Redeemed Steel is a Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses the work of their hands and the words of their lips to serve others and make a lasting impact.


 
 
 

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