Our Mission & History

Our Mission

Since 1973, A.C.T. International has mobilized and equipped artistic and innovative ministries and missionaries for Christian work around the world.

  • We are a non-profit, 501(c)(3), interdenominational ministry organization that assists and sends out artistic missionaries and ministers to pursue their unique calling as it fits into the greater Kingdom work of the Christian church worldwide.

  • We provide artists and innovators the coaching, accountability, organization, non-profit status, and administrative systems they need to move forward in ministry. 

  • We help the church embrace, understand, and facilitate the tremendous value of artists and the arts for Christ’s redemptive work.

Our Objectives

  • To creatively evangelize non-Christian people

  • To edify the Church throughout the world

  • To mobilize ministers and missionaries who are specialists in worship with creative methods of communicating salvation through Christ Jesus 

Why We Exist

We exist to address three Issues that face today’s Church:

Modern culture is oriented more toward artists than to preachers.

The Church has not always adequately understood and embraced artistic people, strategies, and methods so there are few places that integrate innovative and artistic ministry people and projects.

The Church is losing the assets of some of Her most powerful and effective servants.

Our History

A.C.T. International was founded by Dr. Byron Spradlin in 1973. A.C.T. International reflects more than 50 years of Byron’s career as a musician, published songwriter, Bible teacher, church planter, pastor, professor, and international specialist on worship, imagination, and arts leadership. Prior to this, in 1970, Byron wrote down the assignment from God that’s guided his ministry efforts for more than half a century, “to disciple and mentor people out of music and the arts, working them into the fabric of church, missions, and marketplace ministry around the world.”

Today A.C.T. International is blessed to oversee the artistic and creative outreach of a wide variety of ministries, ministers, and Kingdom servants including

  • 500 ministry departments and over 700 missionaries

  • Operating in 50+ nations

  • 24 home staff

A husband and wife team, Livingsong, ministering at the Nashville Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter that serves up to 450 nightly.

Preaching to street kids and skaters in urban St. Louis on the Xtreme Tour, a ministry that reaches young people in the USA, Asia, and the UK.

A.C.T. staff member affirming 1 Peter 3:21, that water symbolizes salvation through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Matt and Joanna Black communicate the gospel to the world through their music and disciple others with one-on-one relationships, workshops, and camps.

A few members of our dedicated global home office accounting and donations staff.