About

Ben Armacost is the founder of the AIM Trainers network. He and his wife Judy are passionate about fulfilling the Great Commission through multiplying disciples, faithful workers, and churches.

Born and raised on a dairy farm in Maryland, Ben was raised in a Christian home. As a young teenager, he asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. One year later he sensed God’s call to the ministry.

Ben’s wife Judy was born to missionaries serving in Belgian Congo (later called Zaire, then Democratic Republic of Congo). Her grandfather, Earl I. Camp, had gone to Africa as a missionary in August 1917, and her father Earl H. Camp was born there two years later, creating an enduring legacy that lasted for over seven decades.

In 1980, Ben and Judy both attended Messiah College where they first met. Ben majored in Christian Education, largely in response to his call to the ministry. In 1982 they were married, and after graduation, they served as volunteers in Zaire for almost a year to assist missionaries in various roles. Ben’s most significant contribution was the construction of an MAF airstrip to provide transportation to a remote mission station. Judy’s fluency in the Swahili language and African culture facilitated their integration into the work.

After serving as youth leaders at Grace Church in Maryland, the Armacosts moved to Louisiana to study.  Ben received his M.Div. degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1990. They moved to Brattleboro, Vermont and planted a church, serving as pastor. It was during this time that Ben & Judy developed a burden to reach people who have never heard the gospel before. In 1995, they were appointed to Australia with the IMB and served in Tasmania. Working with the Baptist Union of Tasmania, they planted churches and provided leadership in the denomination.

Under the influence of Curtis Sergeant, Ben began studying the phenomenon of church planting movements in 1998 and began exploring how to apply these principles to the work in Tasmania. Later, Ben & Judy were trained as Strategy Coordinators by Steve Smith and Ying Kai in Singapore in 2006. Inspired by the extraordinary success of T4T, and wondering if such a method would work in Australia’s secular milieu, Ben began to develop low-cost, high-accountability methods of making disciples, developing leaders, and starting churches. They began to implement these methods immediately, and former missionary Bill Smith was a key mentor in this journey.

In May 2010, Ben received his D.Min. degree from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2013, the Armacosts concluded their 18-year tenure in Tasmania and moved to London. By that time, their influence had produced over 100 new groups in 7 countries. 

In 2019, Ben worked with Curtis Sergeant and several faithful workers in Europe to start the 24:14 Europe network (2414now.net). Ben & Judy are also involved with Spurgeon’s College (spurgeons.ac.uk), particularly in promoting ways to train everyday believers how to share the gospel.

Ben enjoys a host of hobbies including writing, photography, astronomy, Linux computing, electronics, and beekeeping.  In 2014, he published Bridge to the Beautiful City as a narrative variation of the “bridge” gospel illustration. He has also published Challenged to Pray which he co-wrote with his wife. Judy loves crafts such as knitting, quilting, and sewing, as well as teaching parenting skills.  She also enjoys raising and multiplying succulents and is growing in her knowledge of many other kinds of plants.

The Armacosts are the proud parents of three grown children and eight grandchildren. Tim (39) is married to Christina and lives in Tennessee with their children James, Emily, Daniel, and Hannah. Josh (38) is married to Mary, and they live near Tim in Tennessee with their son Asher.  Joy (33) is married to Jonathan and they have three children, Jonah, Lily, and Boaz , and they are working as student ministers in Montana.