IM Missionaries

IM missionaries are ministering to people with physical, spiritual, and emotional needs in areas with less than a 5% Evangelical witness.

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Meet the Awtreys, IM Missionaries to Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Здравейте! Hello. We are Tim and Lydia Awtrey and we have been serving in Bulgaria for over fifteen years. Tim grew up in a Free Will Baptist Church in California and Lydia grew up under the communist regime in Bulgaria. While Tim started attending church one week after being born, Lydia didn’t see a Bible or hear the name of Jesus until she was twenty years old. We start churches here in Bulgaria to make sure that never happens to anyone again. We have two children; Yanna and Alex who now live in the USA.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_video ext_video="DB7KxuJA60w"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78275" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Bulgaria?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]More than a thousand years ago Prince Rastislav of Moravia sent out the following appeal, “Many Christians have arrived in our midst, some Italian, some Greek, and some German, and they have spoken to us in their different ways. But we Slavs are simple people and have no one to teach us the truth... Therefore, we pray you to send us someone capable of teaching us the whole truth.”  It was from this appeal that the Bulgarians were given a very precious gift – the Bible in their own language. And, yet Rastislav’s petition, one thousand years later, remains largely unanswered.  Bulgaria is one of the “forgotten” countries of Europe. There are very few missionaries, few believers, and even fewer churches. Less than one percent of the Bulgarian people have heard a concise presentation of the gospel, been to a protestant church, or have ever read the Bible. For this reason, Tim and Lydia have been called to Bulgaria. We help to establish Free Will Baptist churches in cities and towns that have few if any, healthy Bible-believing churches. With the help of our team, our goal is to fulfill the call of Prince Rastislav and the call of the gospel – that no one will grow up in Bulgaria without having seen and heard the gospel in action.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="purple"]

8 Unreached People Groups in Bulgaria

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How they are ministering to the people in Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Alpha courses"]Alpha courses are Bible studies we do with the "not-yet" believers.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Bible studies"]We do weekly Bible studies to build up and encourage those who already follow Jesus.[/sc_step][sc_step title="English classes"]We provide English classes to build relationships with those outside the church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Social outreach"]To connect to the community with the love of Jesus we regularly visit the local retirement home, the hospital, and are involved in programs for children with disabilities and with “at-risk” families.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Sunday worship"]On Sundays, we come together to worship Jesus and serve one another in the local church.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How can you pray for Tim & Lydia

  • Pray for God to provide the church in Svishtov with a faithful Bulgarian pastor.
  • Pray for the training of new leaders in Bulgaria. We are in desperate need of leaders in the local churches who will lead and care for new believers.
  • Please pray for new missionaries who will help us in Bulgaria as we hope to plant three new Free Will Baptist churches within the next five years.
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Tim and Lydia Awtrey

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total population of Bulgaria" color="purple"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="purple"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Tim and Lydia to reach the people in Bulgaria with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Tim and Lydia" color="purple" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FMsMA9k0ZO68|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Tim and Lydia Awtrey [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => tim-and-lydia-awtrey [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:11:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:11:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=56 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 73 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:30:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:30:49 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Meet the Driscolls, IM Missionaries to Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Brenton and Debbie Driscoll were approved to be missionary interns to Bulgaria shortly before they got married in 2019. They arrived in Shumen, Bulgaria less than a month before the birth of their son, James (2020). They served in Shumen for two years, during which they were blessed with a second child, their daughter, Ruby Katherine (2022). The Driscolls completed their two-year internship in Shumen in June 2022 and relocated to the city of Varna where they are presently serving at New Life church.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_video ext_video="sm_fI92zgVA"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78275" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Bulgaria?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We were both blessed to grow up in an intercultural setting and in families that were very much involved in missions. Brenton was born and raised in Japan, and Debbie was born and raised in Bulgaria. Long before we met each other, we felt the Lord’s call to serve Him cross-culturally, wherever that might be. After we met, we started praying for our future together and for the place where the LORD was going to send us to serve. It did not take too long for us to know that He was leading us to go to Bulgaria, so we said “Yes, Lord!” and ventured on the journey to Bulgaria. God was faithful and brought us to Shumen less than a month before the birth of our first child, and He has been faithful to this very day. We are humbled to be serving in a country where less than 2% of the whole population truly know Jesus, and we are fervently praying that our Lord will make His name known in all of Bulgaria as it is in heaven.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="purple"]

8 Unreached People Groups in Bulgaria

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How they are ministering to the people in Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Bible studies"]We do weekly Bible studies where people can encounter the truth of God’s Word.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"]We also do weekly discipleship lessons.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Ladies' book study"]We also do a ladies’ book study on the topic of biblical womanhood.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Sunday worship service"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Translation"]We do the translation of Christian literature from English to Bulgarian.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach"]We also host special events in order to befriend new people and invite them to come to our Bible studies and church services.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Driscolls

  • We completed our two years of ministry in the city of Shumen in June 2022, and relocated to the city of Varna, where we spent the remainder of our time in Bulgaria before returning to the States for our home assignment. Please pray for the people from the churches in Shumen and Varna, that the Lord will continue to grow and encourage them. Pray as well as for our non-believing friends in these two cities who heard the gospel over the last two years for the first time. May the Lord continue to reveal Himself to them.
  • Pray for our family as we are in a season of lots of transition and travel across the States. Pray specifically for our young children who will be spending lots of long hours in the car during these next months. Pray that God will protect our whole family as we travel across the country and fundraise.
  • Pray that the Lord would provide the funds needed for us to go back and serve at New Life Church (Varna).
  • Pray for us as we prepare to go to Varna and look to creatively reach Bulgaria's third-largest city with the gospel.
  • Pray that God would guide and equip the believers in Bulgaria to do His work, and that He would use us as He sees fit to help in this process.
  • Pray that the Lord would provide Debbie's green card and Brenton's Bulgarian visa at the right time.
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Brenton and Debbie Driscoll

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total population of Bulgaria" color="purple"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="purple"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Brenton and Debbie to reach the people in Bulgaria with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Driscolls" color="green" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FVZqVf9VeLRk|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Brenton & Debbie Driscoll [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => brenton-debbie-driscoll [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-27 13:38:16 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-27 19:38:16 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=73 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 84129 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2023-12-07 20:00:05 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-12-08 02:00:05 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Dennis and Mary Heath, IM Missionaries to Bulgaria

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Dennis and Mary were Free Will Baptist affiliate missionaries from 1988 to 1994 while serving with the US Air Force in Germany. With Mary at his side, Dennis pastored 14 years at Stonewall, Oklahoma, and three years at Ardmore, Oklahoma, following his military retirement in 2003. They are answering the call to return to missionary service and will serve with the church-planting teams in Bulgaria.

Dennis and Mary met and were married while at Air Force technical training at Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1978. Dennis was saved at the age of 14 in Orlando, Florida, while participating in a Bible Study led by his 9th-grade music teacher. Mary was saved on Easter Sunday in 1979 at the church where Dennis' parents attended in Orlando, Florida, while Dennis had already been sent to Germany. By the time they were reunited in June of 1979, God had prepared them both for a lifetime of service to Him.

Dennis is from Centrahoma, Oklahoma, and Mary is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have two sons, a daughter, and seven grandchildren.

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How you can pray for the Heaths

  • Pray that we will quickly learn the culture and language
  • Pray that the church planting efforts in Bulgaria flourish
  • Pray that the IM team in Bulgaria is encouraged in the face of pervasive spiritual darkness
  • Pray for new converts in Bulgaria to become fruitful disciples
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="84136" image_size="contain"][vc_column][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total population of Bulgaria"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Heaths to reach people in Bulgaria with the Gospel. Contact them to invite them to your church to share their heart for the Bulgarian people. Pray for them as they raise funds and prayer support.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Heaths" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F8SGfjBqMCaQ|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Dennis and Mary Heath [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => dennis-and-mary-heath [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-03-05 09:35:15 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-03-05 15:35:15 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=84129 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 90 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:47:44 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:47:44 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Postlewaites, IM Missionaries to Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jonathan and Amy have served as church planters in the country of Bulgaria since 2013. They currently live and with their three children in the city of Pleven, which is in the north-central part of the country. The church planting work which the Postlewaites are a part of includes ministering to people in the city, people living in the surrounding region, international students from the medical university, and minority groups. In all of these efforts, their mission remains the same: making disciples who are grounded in God’s Word and are eager and equipped to make disciples themselves.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="84041" image_size="contain" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Postlewaite's story

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We want more people in this country who have never had an opportunity to hear the Good News to find hope, security, and purpose in Jesus Christ! After placing our faith in Jesus Christ at an early age and growing in our personal relationships with Him (before we knew each other), both of us started to become aware of how many people in the world had little access to the Gospel which had changed our lives. This burden pierced our hearts. The Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) helped us understand that the hope we had found in Christ was not something we could keep for ourselves.  We both knew that God was calling us to commit our lives to bring the Gospel to those who have never heard. After getting married in 2007 and serving in FWB churches for several years, we were appointed by IM in 2010 to be church planters in a part of the world we had least expected to find ourselves—eastern Europe![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78275" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Bulgaria?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Lord quickly opened our eyes to gain a sense of the great spiritual needs which exist in the beautiful country of Bulgaria. Even though Orthodox Christianity is the official religion of the country, faith, Bible reading, and association with the church were strongly discouraged when the country was under Communist rule from 1946-1989. As a result, many Bulgarians now consider themselves atheists or practice Orthodox traditions without a full understanding of their meaning.  Superstitions play a big role in the lives of many Bulgarians, as does fear.  Because of challenges in the economy, many Bulgarians are leaving the country to look for work overseas. Lack of trust and unity have a major effect on many personal and professional relationships. In the city of Pleven, where we currently live, less than 2% of the population are Evangelical believers. The villages in our region are other places where people have had little access to the Good news. In the majority of them, there are no existing Protestant churches. We have a desire to see that change! We are grateful for every opportunity that the Lord is giving us here to tell the story of Jesus, watch lives being transformed by Him, and equip others to proclaim His salvation to all of the world.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]8 Unreached People Groups in Bulgaria[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Leadership of New Life churches"]The Postlewaites provide leadership for the New Life Church in Pleven and the New Life Church in the village of Odarne.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"]They are providing one-on-one and group discipleship opportunities in the city and in villages.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach events"]They are organizing outreach events, usually in conjunction with holidays and special days.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Partnering with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF)"]They are partnering with the Child Evangelism Fellowship team in their regions to minister in children’s homes, orphanages, and youth camps.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Teaching English"]They are building relationships through English teaching.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Christian values clubs"]They are leading Christian values clubs for children.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Postlewaites

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  • Pray that the believers we disciple would become grounded in faith and equipped to share the Gospel with others
  • Pray that God would open doors for us to minister in creative ways among population segments in our city and region who have never heard the Gospel
  • Pray that barriers of spiritual opposition would be overcome and that those who hear the Gospel would respond with true faith in Jesus Christ
  • Pray that a spirit of trust, unity, holiness, and love would characterize our churches, our personal walks with the Lord, our families, and our IM Bulgaria church planting team.
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Jonathan and Amy Postlewaite

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total population of Bulgaria" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Postlewaites to reach people in Bulgaria with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Postlewaites" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FE6J9gqgoQS4|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Jonathan and Amy Postlewaite [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jonathan-and-amy-postlewaite [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-02 14:26:06 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-02 19:26:06 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=90 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 92 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:50:01 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:50:01 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Josh Provow, IM Missionary to Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hi! My name is Josh and together with my five kids, I am one of your church planters in the country of Bulgaria. I have been serving in Bulgaria since July 2015, most recently serving in the city of Shumen and the surrounding villages. Even though our lives got turned upside down in June 2021, one thing remains clear: God has big plans for our family in Bulgaria! The best is yet to come![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78275" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Bulgaria?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]My family and I relocated to Shumen in June of 2018. The reason was very simple: the Shumen Province has a very large Turkish population, among which only about .01% know Christ as Lord. If you venture outside of the city, you will find scores of Turkish villages, almost none of which have any sort of Christian presence. Almost everyone in these villages considers themselves to be Muslim, but when the daily calls to prayer go out over the mosque’s siren, no one stops and prays. The mosque sits empty and the imams are mainly called on for holidays, weddings, and funerals. The spiritual literacy is so low, that many people believe that the Koran is the Turkish translation of the Bible and that Mohammed is the Turkish name of Jesus Christ. Praise God, little by little, conversation by conversation, the light of the gospel is reaching into some of these dark places![/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]8 Unreached People Groups in Bulgaria[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78170" image_size="contain"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Provows

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  • My teammates Brenton and Debbie Driscoll, as they lead the church in Shumen.
  • The church in Shumen, as they continue to reach out and grow despite numerous challenges.
  • The Bible study in the village of Vehtovo, that they would resume meeting and reading stories about the life of Jesus.
  • My family, as we continue to heal and prepare for our return to Bulgaria.
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Josh Provow

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total population of Bulgaria" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Josh to reach the people in Bulgaria with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Provows" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F36zi-O8q6tI|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Josh Provow [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => josh-provow [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:03:31 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:03:31 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=92 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 102 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 14:19:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 14:19:49 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Trifonovs, IM Missionaries to Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Trif & Vanya Trifonov have served as church planters with IM since 2013 in Varna, Bulgaria when they planted the New Life Church. They both had been atheists and came to the faith after the democratic changes in the country in 1989. Trif and Vanya got married in 1993. They have three children and one grandchild. Vanya likes cooking and dancing Bulgarian folk dances. Trif likes watching soccer and tasting Vanya’s culinary specialties![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78275" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Bulgaria?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]After coming to the faith, we both served for 20 years as student staff-workers (the last 5 years we were also youth pastors). We loved our ministries but felt God was already leading us to "pass the baton" and leave student and youth work. So we started to pray and ask God what He would want us to do next. Soon after that Tim and Lydia Awtrey invited us to join IM as church planters in Varna. God had been preparing us for this transition as we saw the great need for more Bible-based churches in Bulgaria. So, we had already church planting on our hearts. Tim and Lydia’s invitation came right on time! There are only about 1% of newborn Christians in Bulgaria. The biggest chunks of the population are nominal Eastern Orthodox (about 75%) and Muslim people (10%). Most people worship the gods of materialism, sex, and entertainment. The ignorance about the Bible and Christianity is staggering. There are evangelical churches in the country but many of them do not teach sound doctrine and the full gospel of Jesus Christ. The city of Varna is the third-largest city in Bulgaria with a population of about 330,000. 85% of people in Varna are Bulgarian. The biggest minority groups are the Russians (8%) and the Turks (4%). Some 20% of its population are students in various educational institutions, four of which are higher. 30% of adults have higher education. Both students and people of higher education (altogether 44% of the total population of the city) are the main target audience of New Life Church Varna.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]8 Unreached People Groups in Bulgaria[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][sc_video ext_video="bVBn6IvaRwc"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]

IMpact Bulgarian Freedom Project

The New Life Church in Varna, Bulgaria is growing! We thank God we were able to buy the church property. We are still fundraising to pay back the remaining loan of $100,000. We are also going to need $100,000 more for the remodeling and renovation.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Learn more about project" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fiminc.org%2Fimpact-projects%2Fimpact-bulgaria-freedom-project%2F|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Give to IMpact Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F5sTVgWl77kU|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Sunday school for kids"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Bible study groups"][/sc_step][sc_step title="English Language Club"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Teen Club and Youth Group"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Men's Breakfasts"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Women's ministry"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Movie and Evangelistic discussions"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Free cardio check-ups for elderly"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Literature & history club"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Alpha Groups and more"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Trifonovs

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  • Please, pray that God would help us reach out to more people in Varna and make a difference in their lives through the gospel and the resources He’s given us.
  • Pray that we would be able to build disciples of Christ who would be willing to commit themselves to take up responsibilities and ministries in the New Life Church.
  • Pray for us to be able to send out church planters and found more local churches in the Varna region.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row reverse="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="80800"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Trif and Vanya Trifonov

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total population of Bulgaria" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Trifonovs to reach people in Bulgaria with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Trifonovs" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FJQAz6YSvNo4|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Trif and Vanya Trifonov [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => trif-and-vanya-trifonov [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-09-12 09:38:19 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-09-12 14:38:19 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=102 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 79165 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2022-04-27 08:00:13 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-04-27 13:00:13 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Jacob and Hailee Voltz, IM Missionaries to Bulgaria

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jacob grew up in Magnolia, Texas, and Hailee grew up in Bristol, Tennessee. Through God's plan, they met while attending Welch College. Jacob was a Business major with an Intercultural Studies minor. He had developed a heart for missions at a young age by watching his sisters attend ETEAM and also partaking in his own mission trips via ETEAM and CMP. Hailee was a Biology major with a plan to enter the medical field. Through her own mission trips via CMP and prayer, she felt called to international ministries. Jacob and Hailee were unsure of their role in God's perfect plan but through His timing revealed the door He had waiting for them.   Jacob and Hailee have been approved for a two-year internship to serve and learn in Bulgaria. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78275" image_align="right" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Bulgaria?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jacob and Hailee both have a heart for encouragement and serving others and through many conversations, they explored what serving overseas would look like. Through prayer and discernment, they felt called to serve alongside the Bulgarian missionaries to aid and support God's plan.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]

8 Unreached People Groups in Bulgaria

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How you can pray for Jacob and Hailee

  • Pray that the Lord would provide safety of travel and partners as we begin to raise support.
  • Pray for us as we transition into this next season of life, preparing to move overseas.
  • Pray for our Baby Girl. We are praying to deliver in Bulgaria. Please remember us during this new season of life.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="84013"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Jacob & Hailee Voltz

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="6.84" after="MM" desc="Total Population in Bulgaria" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.98" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Voltz to reach people in Bulgaria with the Gospel. Contact them and invite them to your church to share their heart for the Bulgarian people. Pray for them as they raise funds and prayer support while in the States preparing to get to the field.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Voltz" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FfBgkUs6U8K0|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Jacob and Hailee Voltz [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jacob-and-hailee-voltz [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-12-19 06:10:54 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-12-19 12:10:54 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=79165 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

Bulgaria

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Meet the Duncans, IM Missionaries to Ecuador

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Adam and Carol Duncan are native rural Missourians. They have two children: Caleb and Moriah. Even though Adam had a troubled home life growing up, he had the consistent witness of his grandfather, a deacon (SBC). Adam accepted Christ as Savior at the age of 9. Carol accepted Christ as Savior at age 8; her family supported the local church and missions. Her father, a deacon, and her mother teaching G.A.s. Adam and Carol met in high school and have been married for over 20 years. Adam has a background in law enforcement and police teaching (B.S. in psychology and M.Ed. in Counseling). Carol has been a nurse (BSN and MSN emphasis in family nurse practitioner). The Duncans became involved at Rejoice Free Will Baptist Church (their current home church) in 2003, a mission church planted by former missionaries to Spain: Steve and Linda Reeves. Adam later became ordained in 2007. Adam worked bi-vocationally as the assistant pastor at Rejoice, Carol in the creative arts and media team, teaching youth and other age groups from 2004-2020. In 2018, they joined The Hanna Project team in Ecuador. In 2019, Carol led the medical team, and they felt God stir their hearts toward permanent ministry. In December of 2019, they were approved by the IM board to go to Ecuador.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78496" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Ecuador?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Ecuador has a population of 17 million, of those 1.1 million are indigenous. This is the group we are trying to reach in the Amazon River basin. Of the 14 indigenous groups in Ecuador, the Duncans will focus on two unreached in the jungle: the Lowland Tena Quichua (2%) and the Lowland Napo Quichua (6% reached). These people groups are diverse in their exposure to the outside world and the gospel. In the area we will be located, there are 39 communities and only five have an ongoing biblical Christian influence. Some communities are only accessible by foot or by riverways. The impact of reaching people with the gospel is only effective with lasting trust relationships made possible through IM's partner Jungle Kids for Christ (Antioch Christian Academy). Their mission is to empower children in the jungle of Ecuador so that they can break the cycle of poverty and abuse and share the gospel message of transformation with their family, community, country, and world.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]1 Unreached People Group in Ecuador[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Ecuador

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Pastor, Counseling, and Discipleship"]Adam, an ordained pastor, and a counselor, provides services for families and disciple new believers.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Medical-needs"]Carol, a nurse practitioner, provides year-round medical needs at the school and community.[/sc_step][sc_step title="After-school programs"]Our teens, Caleb & Moriah, offer assistance in the after-school programs and the residential girls' home.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Duncans

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for the people of the Amazon river basin.  The economy still feels the impact of the Pandemic and last year's national strikes.
  • Pray for our partner organization, Jungle Kids for Christ, as we minister to children and their families.
  • Pray for Caleb and Moriah that they may continue to grow in their knowledge of Christ and the burden to reach souls for Him.
  • Pray for our language learning (Lowland Kichwa and Spanish).
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="78378"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Adam and Carol Duncan

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="17.82" after="MM" desc="Total population of Ecuador" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="10.57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Duncans to reach people in Ecuador with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Duncans" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FDI2h5xeMZI4|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Adam & Carol Duncan [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => adam-carol-duncan [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-07-11 14:31:43 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-07-11 19:31:43 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=74 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

Ecuador

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Meet IM Missionaries Jeff and Susana Turnbough

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jeff and Susana serve as educational specialists, seconded (or officially loaned) to International Training Alliance, a partner organization. IM joins seventeen other evangelical mission organizations in this alliance to offer practical leadership training for missionaries and national workers. As a result, this joint effort has trained more than 3,000 leaders in 40 nations. The training is now offered in English, French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and has been requested in Cantonese Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Arabic. Asked to serve as CEO of the International Training Alliance (ITA), Jeff and Susana took on the challenging role at the end of the year in 2015. Since 2005, they performed as senior trainers for ITA while working full-time for the Mission.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email us to be added to our newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Ajturnbough%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="404" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why International Training Alliance?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The real why that keeps us motivated is seeing leaders across the global Body of Christ be equipped and encouraged through 21st-century training programs.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Story of International Training Alliance

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In 2004, we asked the Board of IM to change our status from church planters to leadership development. We began working with workers in France and Spain to develop a new training program. We interviewed French and Spanish leaders, asking them what kinds of training they needed to be successful in the 21st century. At that point, we attended the Leadership Matters Course. Immediately we realized this was precisely what our leaders said they needed. In 2005, IM sat at the table in Atlanta, Georgia and the International Training Alliance (ITA) was born. We began representing IM by serving as trainers, along with many others from other ITA partner organizations, two times per year, as we continued serving in Spain. We became the regional directors for Europe, then the deputy director of IM over field operations, continuing to serve with ITA. In 2015, the boards of ITA invited us to become the CEO of ITA, and the IM board voted unanimously to second us to ITA.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_video ext_video="Ud4M8jmuVQI"][sc_video ext_video="https://youtu.be/318LpsN_Ubs?si=K3I7jIKzYtXG2IZK"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Check out other videos to learn more about the Leadership Matters Course, International Training Alliance, and other events.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Subscribe to the ITA YouTube Channel" color="magenta" icon="vc-material vc-material-airplay" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fchannel%2FUCOa-nhVbwXWItufKo6pcicw|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]How Jeff and Susana serve through ITA[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Susana as senior trainer"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Jeff as CEO and International Director of ITA"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Jeff serves as chair on the ITA Council of 15"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Both serve on the ITA management team"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Work with 17 different partner organizations"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How can you pray for Jeff and Susana

  • Please pray for us and our team as we plan for and implement leadership training in different places around the world in 2024. See our training schedule HERE.
  • Thank the Lord with us and pray for our new online training. Learn more HERE.
  • Pray for financial support for Jeff & Susana and for ITA.
  • Pray for our participation in and through our local church in Madrid (we believe it is important to be involved globally and locally).
  • Pray for our family, our two adult children and six grandchildren (spread out around the world).
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82835"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Jeff and Susana Turnbough

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Partner with the Turnboughs by giving.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Turnboughs" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FCxkTdMt1b38|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Jeff and Susana Turnbough [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jeff-and-susana-turnbough [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-12-12 00:49:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-12-12 06:49:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=103 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

Educational Specialists

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Meet the Chereaus, IM Missionaries to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Appointed to France in 2019, Jonathan and Michelle are working to expand the ministry of the St. Sébastien church located in the greater Nantes area of Brittany. Jonathan was born in Nantes, grew up in Saint Nazaire, and attended Free Will Baptist Church in Saint Nazaire with Jerry and Barbara Gibbs from a young age. Michelle was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. She moved in 2003 to Madrid, Spain with her family. Since her arrival, she attended Free Will Baptist church in Villalba with Jeff and Susanna Turnbough as her pastors. They have three children: Zoe, Ainhoa (pronounced « I-know-a » ), and Olivia. Fun fact: We were born in three different countries: Jonathan and Ainhoa in France, Michelle in Ecuador, and Zoe in Spain.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]When we moved to France from Spain with Michelle, we were not thinking about ministry, we thought it wasn’t for us. Our plans in 2015 were to find a good job for me and live in the Nantes area, attend a church where we could feel welcomed, and serve there the most we could. I eventually found a job quickly as a waiter and we found an apartment and we also found the Saint Sebastian church where Robert and Judy Bryan were. After some advice from friends, praying, and the need here in France, we felt that God was calling us to serve here in France. When you look at numbers, you may look at 54% of Christians in France, but it’s less than 1.5% of evangelicals. The rest claim to have a catholic background. When you talk to people in the street, they may say they are catholic but they do not practice it. Several polls estimate that 40% of French people consider themselves atheists, which places France in fourth place in the world on this criterion.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in France

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Bible study"]We have started our Bible study in September of 2021. We are thrilled to see that people want to seek God by learning more about His word.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Connexion Kidz"]Every Wednesday, we read a story, make activities, and do a craft in English. God is working! Just the fact that these activities are being carried out in a church, makes people ask questions about who we are and what we do.[/sc_step][sc_step title="School outings"]Participating in different outings with Zoe and Ainhoa’s school: I (Michelle) always enjoy participating in different outings with their school to meet new parents.[/sc_step][sc_step title="American Football"]Jonathan is helping and train to become a football coach in a team that is 10 minutes away from our church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Family games"]We organize an afternoon with board games in our church where everybody is welcome one Saturday per month.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach"]We have the privilege to serve in a multicultural church with young adults with children. Through some outreach activities, we try to reach the young families to welcome them so they can feel like a family.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Chereaus

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Please pray for our members that they feel encouraged in their faith and being the church.
  • Pray for Connexion Kidz and the opportunity to meet non-Christians around our city.
  • Pray for new contacts we can make to reach people
  • Pray for our ministry in France. We seek good ways to be part of the France team and help Free Will Baptist to expand in France.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="84495"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Jonathan and Michelle Chereau

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total population of France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Chereaus to reach people in France with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Chereaus" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FywzBtDvtRos|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Jonathan and Michelle Chereau [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jonathan-and-michelle-chereau [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-03-07 10:33:24 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-03-07 16:33:24 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=70 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 81132 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2022-12-09 07:08:34 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-12-09 13:08:34 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Jace Dixon, IM Missionary to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jace Dixon was called to missions at 16 years old and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies at Randall University. He just completed his six-month Overseas Assignment (With the College Missions Program at IM) in France, and now plans on returning for a two-year internship there.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]God called me to missions through the story of Genesis 12, where God asks Abraham to leave home and go to another land, but doesn’t yet tell him where, but simply asks for his trust. It wasn’t until a few years later when I was able to go on a missions trip to France with ETEAM, that God would begin revealing where that would be. During my time there, God began to give me a heart for the people of France, especially for young Christians who struggled to be alone in their faith, often only knowing a few other Christians their age. The need for the Gospel is great, and I am excited to return to help impact Western France.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_text_carousel header="How Jace Will Minister in France" slides="%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Discipleship%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Discipling%20a%20community%20of%20young%20French%20believers%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Relationships%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Building%20relationships%20with%20non-believing%20French%20people%20through%20creative%20methods%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Media%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Help%20increase%20our%20evangelistic%20reach%20through%20online%20resources%22%7D%5D"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Jace

  • Pray for young French Christians, that God would strengthen their faith, and connect them with other young believers.
  • Pray for my ability to connect and communicate with French people as I return to minister as well as learn the language.
  • Pray that God would provide the financial support I will need to return to France.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="81199"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total population of France"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Jace to reach people in France with the Gospel. Contact him to invite him to your church to share his heart for the French people. Pray for him as he raises funds and prayer support.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Jace" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FBA5ncxY_9X4|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Jace Dixon [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jace-dixon [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 12:58:48 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 17:58:48 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=81132 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 84128 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2023-12-07 19:59:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-12-08 01:59:58 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Alejandro and Breanna Johnson, IM Missionaries to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are Alejandro and Breanna, and we are so excited to be serving the Lord in the country of France. We met at Welch College and got married in 2021. Alejandro has a BA in Intercultural Studies and Worship Ministry, and Breanna has a BS in Psychology, with a minor in missions. Alejandro grew up in Spain as an MK, and Breanna grew up in Alabama. Alejandro is working on his Master of Divinity at Welch. Alejandro likes to read, and Breanna likes theater.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We both knew from a young age that the Lord’s will was for us to serve him in cross-cultural ministry. Alejandro grew up on the mission field in Spain and saw how his parents cared for the lost in that country. Breanna, although she did not grow up going to church regularly in her family, has always had a heart for people. When we started dating, we knew that we would end up on the foreign mission field together and sought the Lord’s will for our lives and relationship. God led us to the country of France, and we will follow him faithfully wherever he sends us. France has a long history of secularism and atheism. Only 1% of the population is Evangelical Christian, and many people reject religion altogether. Many towns throughout France do not have a single church. France also has the worst mental health in all of Europe, with the second highest suicide rate in the world. There is a spiritual darkness that can only be expelled by the light of Christ.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Johnsons

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]· Please pray with us as we travel across the country to raise our support to leave for the field. · Pray that the Lord would guide us in knowing his will for our ministry in France. · Pray for the people of France who are trapped in darkness, that they may see the light of Christ. · Pray for our teammates who are ministering in a very hard country.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="84133" image_size="contain"][vc_column][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total population of France"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Johnsons to reach people in France with the Gospel. Contact them to invite them to your church to share their heart for the French people. Pray for them as they raise funds and prayer support.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Johnsons" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FEGeN9Wi-CHE|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Alejandro and Breanna Johnson [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => alejandro-and-breanna-johnson [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-03-05 12:33:57 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-03-05 18:33:57 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=84128 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 79164 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2022-04-27 08:00:35 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-04-27 13:00:35 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Tyler Justice, IM Missionary to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I'm Tyler Justice and I grew up in Eastern North Carolina and graduated from Welch college in 2021 with an International Business Degree. I love movies, YouTube, and Basketball. I was a part of ETEAM France in 2017 and went back with CMP in 2021. These trips opened my eyes to the world and Christianity (or lack thereof) outside of America.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]France is a place that is so out of touch with God that they think it is illogical to believe that He exists, even to the point where they are scared to be seen in a church or walk into a church building without knowing what it is like. Being able to have a quality livestream of services from churches that are already planted by IM missionaries is an obvious need. Along with videos they could find on Youtube explaining why believing in God actually makes sense.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Tyler

  • To learn the language, culture, and to help the French people in any way I can.
  • For the wisdom to communicate the Gospel and greatness of our God in a way that the French people can understand.
  • For the team in France as we try new ways of reaching the lost people of France.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="79173"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Tyler Justice

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total Population in France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Tyler to reach people in France with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Tyler" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FW_PIUQYZo64|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Tyler Justice [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => tyler-justice [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-09-20 13:07:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-09-20 18:07:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=79164 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 91 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:48:53 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:48:53 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Prices, IM Missionary to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are Matt, Cristina, Madeleine, and Emilie Price. We live and minister in St. Nazaire, France. We have been in St. Nazaire since 2018 after spending 12 years in Nantes, France. We are currently working with IM missionaries, Dennis and Carol Teague. Matt grew up in North Carolina while Cristina grew up in Nebraska. Madeleine and Emilie are twins and were born in Nantes. Matt loves college basketball. Cristina loves to read. Emilie loves painting and being outside. Madeleine loves singing and playing the piano.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In 2000, the opportunity arose to work with Steve and Becky Riggs in Nantes for a school year. During that school year, we attended university classes in Nantes while helping the Riggs with student ministry in the church. During that year, God confirmed to us that He was leading us to work full-time in France.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in France

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Youth Ministry"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Music"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Prices

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for wisdom and discernment as we see God's hand move in our church.
  • More than 50% of the French population consider themselves atheists today.  Pray that God would reveal himself to the French people as never before.
  • Pray for Madeleine and Emilie as they begin to navigate the teen years.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82869"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Matt and Cristina Price

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total population of France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Matt and Cristina Price to reach people in France with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Prices" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FTcAjwZkBx6M|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Matt and Cristina Price [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => matt-and-cristina-price [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-02-20 13:42:49 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-02-20 19:42:49 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=91 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 93 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:54:17 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:54:17 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Reeves, IM Missionaries to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hello we are David, Myriam, and Jade Reeves. We are a Franco-Britannico-American family who loves the outdoors and all things nature. We enjoy board games, sports, and just spending time together as a family. We have been serving in France with IM for the past 5 years. Here are some fun facts about our family: Myriam has citizenship in three different countries(France, Great Britain, and the USA). Jade never meets a stranger and has a God-given gift to say "Hi" to exactly the person who needs to hear it the most. David is ambidextrous and proud. At first glance, France and the U.S. would seem quite similar in how life is like. Healthcare is good, jobs are available, and there are even McDonald’s in many cities now. However, there are some differences as well. France has hands down the best bread you have ever eaten in your life if you don’t believe me plan a trip and see for yourself. If you come to France you have to try the cheese even though it’s a little different than you're used to. Also and most importantly, there are still towns in France with zero churches. Think with me for a moment about the number of churches in your city and then compare that with France. Pray with me that God continues to send workers into the harvest and that France would be transformed by the Gospel![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]France still needs people willing to leave family and country to engage her with the Gospel! It won’t be easy; it will more than likely be very hard. You will miss your family, you will be made fun of and perhaps not taken seriously. But the God who has called us has the power to do far more than we can ask or think. He has called you. He will sustain you. He is with you and for you. The goal among Christians in France is to have a church for every 10,000 people so that every person in France will at least have access to a local community of believers. We need more teams of church planters to make this vision a reality. If God is calling you don’t hesitate, it’ll be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="205" image_size="contain" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Reeves' Story for "Why Missions?"

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I, David, can remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in a chapel service at Welch College when veteran missionary Jerry Gibbs would change my view of missions forever. Since I was a kid I was intrigued by missionaries. My parents would regularly read me biographies of missionaries such as Hudson Taylor, Gladys Alyward, and Jim Elliot. We even had missionaries come to our house and tell us stories of what it was like on the field. So you can say from an early age I was very much fascinated by life as a missionary. However, the day Jerry Gibbs spoke in chapel he spoke about the “Forgotten People” of France. I was shocked; for the longest time, I imagined missions being in areas of the world that are hard to live physically (mud huts, lack of food and water, poor healthcare). Jerry Gibbs presented me information about a first-world country with exceptional living standards, however, the people are dead spiritually and with very little access to local churches in their area. I began to re-examine why we send missionaries to faraway places. Do we do it because they have physical needs? Yes, we meet physical needs but first and foremost we go to engage the Spiritual need for the Gospel. That is what Jerry Gibbs reminded me of that day. The gospel is for everyone and no people group is forgotten in the eyes of the Savior.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to the people in France

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Discussion groups"]We host discussion groups for seekers with questions in regards to the Christian faith.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Creative ways to engage locals"]We make efforts to find new and creative ways to engage people with the Gospel.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach church events"]We organize events to help our church engage seekers and nonreligious contacts in an effort to build Gospel relationships.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Church ministries"]We are part of a church plant south of Nantes in a city called La Haie Foissiere.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Host JPense events"]We help host the JPense events.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Reeves

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for the hearts of the French people to be transformed by the power of the Gospel.
  • Pray for fruitful discipleship and more churches to be planted in France.
  • Pray for new contacts and open hearts for gospel conversations.
  • Pray for Jade and her adjustment to French life and culture.(Pray God will draw her close to Himself)
  • Pray for our family and that God would use us to show his goodness to the people of France.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="79602"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

David and Myriam Reeves

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total population of France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with David and Myriam to reach the people in France with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Reeves" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F9KPHCFYCPx8|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => David and Mimi Reeves [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => david-and-mimi-reeves [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:03:18 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:03:18 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=93 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 95 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:57:20 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:57:20 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Steve and Becky Riggs, IM Missionaries to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hey everybody! Our names are Steve & Becky Riggs and we serve in France. I (Steve) was born in Nashville, TN, and Becky in Highland Park, MI.  We both grew up in the Central FWB Church at Royal Oak, MI (presently Central Oaks Community Church) where we were part of a strong youth group and had a constant influence of missionaries in our lives. In some ways, it was almost normal when we attended Welch College that our hearts were already turned towards serving Christ in an unreached area of our world. It was while serving a year as short-term missionaries in France in 1980 that the Lord opened our hearts to see the needs of France for the gospel. We love the French people and consider it a real privilege to serve the people in Châteaubriant. Pray with us that the church family will grow in number and be a strong witness for Christ in this area of France. And while we have loved serving in France, our greatest joy in life is still our four children, Daniel (wife Gwenaëlle and children Bleuenn and Maëlic), Brian, Laura, and Johanna![/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email us to be join our newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Asriggs%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]People don't tend to think of France as a place that needs the Gospel but in reality, it is perhaps one of the most unevangelized countries in the world. After further training at Columbia International University, we came back in 1984 as career missionaries. It has been our privilege to be part of teams starting works in Lorient, Nantes, and presently we are helping to see a church established in a city called Châteaubriant. Recently, with the generous help of Christians like you, our small church family was able to purchase and renovate a building for a visible place of worship. To our knowledge, it is the first time in nearly 500 years that a Protestant church has owned property in this town. [/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]Only 10% of French people attend a church of any kind and less than 2% would consider themselves to be evangelical.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in France

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Pastor and Teaching God's Word"]Presently, I (Steve) serve as pastor of the church family in Châteaubriant. I think one of my greatest joys is teaching God's Word in French.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Teaching and tutoring"]Becky is involved in teaching English and tutoring students through a local association.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Building relationships"]We spend a lot of time one and one with friends we have made through different activities such as golf, nordic walking, or helping out at the Croix Rouge (Red Cross).[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Steve and Becky

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • For believers in France to be encouraged and faithful as they live in an increasingly atheistic society.
  • For the church family in Châteaubriant to grow and be a strong witness for Christ in this area.
  • For our personal witness to many friends who God has brought into our lives.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="207"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Steve and Becky Riggs

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.1" after="MM" desc="Total population of France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Steve and Becky to reach the people in France with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Riggs" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FqBBxQrTT2fg|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Steve and Becky Riggs [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => steve-and-becky-riggs [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-09-12 09:38:06 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-09-12 14:38:06 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=95 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [7] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 99 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 13:02:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 13:02:58 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Teagues, IM Missionaries to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hello everyone! We are Joel, Lydie, Eva, Alyssia, and Derek. We live in France near the city of Nantes and are planting a church there (in La Haie Fouassière). We have been appointed to serve with IM since 2012. I (Joel) was born in California but mostly grew up in France as a missionary kid, and Lydie was born near Paris. We met in Germany during a Christian youth conference. Lydie and I love hanging out with our three fun children. We all love outdoor activities and admiring the beauty of God’s creation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Some people are surprised France needs missionaries, but the spiritual need is huge. There are very few churches and very few Christians. The percentage of evangelical Christians in France is around 1-2%. However, when we take a closer look at the situation, we can see that a huge number of them are among ethnic churches or are from immigrant backgrounds. We believe French people, especially those in the west of France, are perhaps one of the most unevangelized people groups in the world. Touched by the very low percentage of Christians among French people, we felt called to quit our careers (software engineering for me and legal advisor for Lydie) to serve with IM full-time in 2011. We are passionate about finding ways to talk to the French people about Jesus and answering their questions. 40% of French people claim to be atheists, but from our experience, we believe that many are very confused. They have tons of questions that need to be answered before they can open their hearts to the Gospel. That is what pushed us to start the discussion-group ministry and also to start the apologetic-oriented outreach events called JPense.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78256" image_size="cover" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]The IMpact Project JPense and IMpact Center of Encounter Project provide the necessary funding for our equipment, materials, and rental of the building so we are able to host the JPense events. Without your help, we couldn’t host the events. We are so grateful for your help in advancing the Kingdom of God in France.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Learn more about the Center of Encounter IMpact Projects" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fiminc.org%2Fimpact-projects%2Fimpact-france-center-of-encounter%2F|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Learn more about the Jpense IMpact Projects" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fiminc.org%2Fimpact-projects%2Fimpact-france-center-of-encounter%2F|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="79143" image_size="contain" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Subscribe to JPENSE on YouTube

[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Subscribe to JPENSE on YouTube" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fchannel%2FUCylWUuLnEH1LDcM2CmjUQXA|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]

Follow JPENSE on Facebook

[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Follow JPENSE on Facebook" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJPenseNantes|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in France

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="JPense ministry"]We organize apologetic-oriented events geared to attract seekers and skeptics to hear the truth of the Gospel and reasonable arguments to the existence of God and belief in Jesus. You can learn more and support this ministry here link.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Church Plant"]We are planting a church in La Haye Fouassière, I (Joel) am leading and Pastoring the church plant.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Discussion groups"]We organize discussion groups for seekers with questions in regards to the Christian faith.[/sc_step][sc_step title="French resources"]There are very few resources in French with our FWB doctrine, so we are working on translating different resources needed to equip and train the Christians in France.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Teagues

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]- Pray that God will touch the hearts of all the people who attended the JPense events or any other outreach events and the many contacts that our team has. - Pray that the church plant in La Haie Fouassière, will grow with new believers. - Pray for the Churches of our French FWB Association that God will encourage them and send all of them people who are seeking God.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row reverse="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="79149"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Joel & Lydie Teague

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.190" after="MM" desc="Total population of France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Teagues to reach people with the Gospel in France.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Teagues" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FWMJBilWaoxY|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Joel and Lydie Teague [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => joel-and-lydie-teague [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:01:52 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:01:52 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=99 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [8] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 100 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 14:17:33 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 14:17:33 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Dennis and Carol Teague, IM Missionaries to France

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We, Dennis and Carol Teague, minister in France and have for 36 years. Dennis is from Ardmore, Oklahoma and Carol is from Ina, Illinois.  We met in Nashville at Welch College.  When we met Dennis had already been to France several times and then went back for a year to work with the Haases. During his stays in France, Dennis saw that there were few Protestant churches and the Catholic churches were struggling with mainly older attendees. Doing life together for us meant missions and going as a team to the country of France. We came to France as a team of two. We are thankful that we have three sons added to our team who are involved in the JPense ministries. We also have the privilege of having three French daughters-in-law and four grandchildren.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email Us to Join Our newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Adteague%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78274" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why France?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Since our arrival in the country, there have been many changes just as there have been in most parts of this world. The country is much more modern with a lot of technological advances. The spiritual context has also greatly changed. When we first arrived 90% of the population claimed to be Catholic. Today that number has been reduced to around 40% and still dropping. The other big change has been in the number of people claiming to be atheists or simply not believing in God. About four years ago a nationally known sociologist estimated that around 40% of the French people would claim to be atheists. A recent survey claimed that 50% of people interviewed said that they did not believe in God. Some people say that the percentage of evangelicals in France is around 2%. Many of us believe it is more likely to be around 1%. However, our IM ministry is located in the western part of France which has an even lower number of evangelicals. Estimates run around one-half of one percent.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]37 Unreached People Groups in France[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in France

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Planting churches"]Our first effort was to start an FWB church in the city of St. Sébastien with teammate Cathy Crawford. Also about three years ago we also became involved in the church at St. Nazaire that was going through a crisis. God has blessed and is now reaching out to many dissatisfied Catholics and people who are looking for spiritual answers to their questions. Currently, as a follow-up to the JPense event, our same team is starting a church called Mosaique. Like JPense, the church is designed to reach out to non-believers.[/sc_step][sc_step title="JPense ministry"]When we first came, we started a weekend ministry called "JCrois" which was designed to equip young people to defend their faith. The St. Sébastien church has been turned over to French leadership, and JCrois has evolved into "JPense". We are part of the JPense team, which is an event specifically designed to speak to non-believers.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Teagues

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  • Pray for the spiritual growth and maturity of the members of the St. Sebastien church. Ask God to give Jonathan and Michelle Chereau wisdom and direction as they lead the church.
  • Pray that God will give wisdom and direction to us as we continue to work with the JPense team outreaches and the new church plant. Ask God to speak to the hearts of the many contacts that have been made.
  • Pray for us as Dennis pastors the St. Nazaire Church and that we will demonstrate God’s wisdom as we serve in this congregation. Ask God to help the church to reach non-believers.
  • Please pray that God will continue to grant us good health to continue in these ministries.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82837"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Dennis & Carol Teague

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="65.19" after="MM" desc="Total population of France" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.23" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Teagues to reach people in France with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Teagues" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FfqDi7u4ib6s|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Dennis and Carol Teague [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => dennis-and-carol-teague [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:01:38 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:01:38 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=100 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

France

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Meet Bradley Mercer and Madison Carnes, IM Missionaries to international students at the University of Missouri

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Bradley Mercer and Madison Carnes have been engaged for nearly seven months, and they will be getting married in April to serve alongside each other in this ministry. They will be reaching the nations together through the international students at the University the Missouri. Columbia is a very diverse city with a representation of over 3,700 international students, and most of the diversity comes from China, India, South Korea, and Africa. Partnering with Rejoice Free Will Baptist Church in Columbia, Missouri, they are reaching out to this culturally diverse community, by sharing the love of Christ through relationships. They shared, "We believe that the best way to love and serve students is to open our lives and homes just as Jesus Christ did in His earthly ministry. It is our heart to disciple internationals, who will in turn become future leaders in their home countries."[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Visit their ministry on Instagram" icon="vc-material vc-material-person_add" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ftheaxis573%2F|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="81181" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why the University of Missouri?

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Mizzou ranks in the top 150 schools in the country for international student popularity, where at least 49 different countries are represented. International students make up close to 5% of a student body that has over 31,000 students! This means there are approximately more than 1,300 international students that roll through the campus of Mizzou each year. Bradley shares, "I have seen the desperate need for the gospel firsthand across the ocean, but these internationals are coming to us! We have the unique opportunity to minister to at least 49 different cultures at one time here in the United States, which presents its own advantages."
[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people"]49 different countries are represented on the campus![/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_text_carousel header="How they will minister to International Students" slides="%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22University%20Clubs%20and%20Organizations%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22%20Partner%20with%20experienced%20international%20student%20clubs%20and%20organizations%20throughout%20Mizzou%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Build%20Relationships%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Connect%20with%20international%20students%20on%20a%20personal%20level.%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Atmosphere%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Cultivate%20a%20fun%20and%20welcoming%20atmosphere%20that%20invites%20international%20students%20to%20feel%20valued%20and%20challenges%20international%20students%20on%20subjects%20of%20faith.%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Open%20My%20Home%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Open%20their%20home%20to%20expose%20International%20students%20to%20American%20hospitality.%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Ministry%20Events%20at%20Church%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Host%20International%20student%20ministry%20events%20at%20Rejoice%20Free%20Will%20Baptist%20Church.%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Make%20Disciples%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Make%20disciples%20of%20international%20students%2C%20so%20that%20when%20the%20time%20comes%20for%20them%20to%20return%20home%2C%20the%20multiplication%20process%20can%20begin%20in%20their%20own%20culture.%20%22%7D%5D"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Bradley and Madison

  • Pray that the Lord would provide the means to be able to connect with International students.
  • Pray that they would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit then the opportunity arises to share the gospel.
  • Pray that international students would see them as people who truly care for them, their well-being, and their spirituality.
  • Pray that the Lord would provide healthy connections and partners to make this ministry effective.
  • Pray that the Lord would help them to remain faithful to the students that He has placed in their way.
  • Pray that the heart of the gospel is heard above all else and that it will begin and remain the foundation of this ministry in Columbia.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="84140"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Bradley Mercer and Madison Carnes

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]You can partner with them to reach students in Missouri with the Gospel. Contact and invite them to your church to share their hearts for international students in Missouri. Pray as they raises funds and prayer support.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Bradley and Madison" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FiAIUY51yMyY|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Bradley Mercer and Madison Carnes [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => bradley-mercer [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-12-07 19:22:41 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-12-08 01:22:41 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=81128 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 88 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:43:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:43:46 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Penns, IM Missionaries at the University of Illinois

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Tyler and Kellie and their three children, Mason, Millie, and Madden live out a role of loving, serving, and reaching the international community that is dwelling among us in the United States. The specific group of internationals they work with is international students. They presently serve in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois at the University of Illinois. The University of Illinois is host to thousands of international students from places like China, Japan, Indonesia, and so many more. It is their initiative to reach a community, who can reach a student, who can reach the world through their ministry at the University of Illinois. They are a part of a Free Will Baptist church plant, The Bridge Church, that will join alongside their ministry to help love, serve, and reach out to this international student community. "We desire to bring the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus to these students that they too can follow Christ. It is our hope and desire that these students can return to their home country not just with a degree, but also with the light of the gospel within them." - The Penns[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78559" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why the University of Illinois?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Kellie and I made the decision in 2011 to begin a ministry that could reach international students who are studying at our universities here in the United States. We were shocked to find out that our local state university here in Illinois was a leading university in the area of international students, with nearly 15,000 international students representing over 100 nations. There are a few things to share about these students. First, they are some of the brightest walking our earth. They are working on technology that hasn’t been invented yet. Second, although they are very smart, many of them have very little knowledge when it comes to Jesus, the Bible, or the Christian faith. For example, we have been asked by a couple of students that we took to a Christmas play the questions, “Why was there a baby on stage?”. They had no idea that Christmas was about the birth of Jesus.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]Another statistic about international statistics is also somewhat shocking and disappointing. 85% of international students will never step foot inside an American home. What this means is that all these people who have no knowledge of Jesus are often surrounded by people who do have this knowledge and yet the two groups seldom get together.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to international students

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Connect - Connecting to international students through meeting needs"]
  • English Corner - We have partnered with an international student organization called the English Corner that provides international students with help in speaking English, and navigating American culture.
  • Conversation Groups - These are small groups that take place throughout the week that allow the students to practice their English.
[/sc_step][sc_step title="Invite - Inviting international students into our lives"]
  • Home - Our home is a major tool for ministry as it serves as a place to invite international students too. We invite for cookouts, dinners, game nights, and such.
  • Holidays - We invite international students to share holidays with us like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
  • Hobby - We also invite international students to partake in some of our favorite hobbies like fishing, camping, kayaking, and boating.
[/sc_step][sc_step title="Create - Creating a pathway of faith"]
  • Gospel Conversations - Our process of connecting to inviting leads to create these moments of gospel-filled conversations. They are the moments where we get to exchange the knowledge of Jesus with those who do not know.
  • Bible Study - We will invite these students to attend a bible study for the first time.
  • Church Service - Most of the time when we bring a student to a church service it is their very first time to ever step foot into a church service.
[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Penns

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for the Bible Studies with the international students that the students will come to believe these words as truth and place their faith in Jesus.
  • Pray for the English Corner that it can grow and provide a doorway to the faith for more and more international students.
  • Pray for the Bridge Church that it will grow and become a major tool in helping provide the gospel to the international community here at the University of Illinois.
  • Pray for the Penn family that the students they become a part of will see their hearts and become followers of Christ.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82870"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Tyler and Kellie Penn

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Penns to reach international students in Illinois with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Penns" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FmyIfu5jY8l0|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Tyler and Kellie Penn [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => tyler-and-kellie-penn [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:06:21 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:06:21 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=88 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

International Students - USA

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Meet the Baileys, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Ken and Judy Bailey, Tokyo, Japan, were both born in the state of Missouri. Ken came to know Christ at the age of 19, and Judy accepted Christ as a child but later rededicated her life at age 21. They have been with IM since 1982 and have lived and ministered in the Tokyo area since that time. Having lived in the country for more than half of their lives, they truly feel Japan is their “home.” The greatest thing about ministering in Japan is seeing people’s lives changed when they turn to the only true and living God! Ken has a Ph.D. in Education and is a marathon runner and has climbed Mt. Fuji; Judy has taught children for more than forty years, studied tea ceremonies, and enjoys kabuki theater.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email us to join our newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Akbailey%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="CV9Ni6e_-Gw" video_align="right"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We felt God leading us into international missions when we were attending Welch College, and we surrendered our lives to His will at a 1977 mission retreat. Our hearts were broken and challenged when we learned that Japan was one of the largest unreached people groups in the world. We were led by the Holy Spirit to dedicate our lives to witness to the Japanese. Our ministry emphasis in our current work, Kamifukuoka Christ Church, is working with young families and senior citizens. We have different outreach programs involving both as we witness and share the gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]The evangelical Christians represent less than one percent, with the vast majority of the one hundred twenty-six million Japanese choosing Buddhism, Shintoism and/or materialism.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Kamifukuoka Christ Church Building IMpact Project

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Both the Carneys and Baileys (IM missionaries in Japan) minister at KCC hosting Mommy and Me classes as well as many other outreach events for the elderly and local families. They have been renting the 2nd floor of a three-story building that has no elevator and is not very easily accessible. They would also like to be closer to their target area. They are looking to buy a building closer to the train station which will give more opportunities to interact, invite, and share the Gospel with the local Japanese people.
When you give to the KCC IMpact Project, you are furthering the Gospel in Kamifukuoka, Japan.
[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Project" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FkKeV7-8D5wo|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="English Classes (adults and kids)"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Bible studies"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Marriage counseling"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Special outreach programs for New Years, Easter, Christmas"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Summer programs involving E-Teams and College Students"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How can you pray for Ken and Judy

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for more Japanese pastors and national workers.
  • Pray for national pastors and their families, many of who are living sacrificially for their calling.
  • Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of those who have heard the Word but not responded.
  • Pray for spiritual strength for Japanese Christians and missionaries, trying to be a "light" in the darkness.
  • Pray for prayer and financial support for missionaries working in the expensive Japanese economy.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="178"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Ken and Judy Bailey

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Baileys to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Baileys" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F9eN3gaS9e3s|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Kenneth and Judy Bailey [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => kenneth-and-judy-bailey [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:10:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:10:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=66 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 67 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:26:29 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:26:29 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Bishops, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Doug grew up as a "missionary kid" in Hokkaido, Japan, and Miriam grew up in North Carolina. We were appointed for a two-year internship in 2012 and served in Bihoro, Japan for two years. In 2015, we were approved for career status and served our first term in Ebetsu, Japan from 2017-2020. Currently, we are starting New Life Church,  in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. As team leaders, we are excited to work with the Speers, Taylor Pate, and Hannah Goucher. Our goal is to launch New Life Church in 2023! Hokkaido is known for having lots of snow and is famous for its ramen.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As a college student, Miriam visited Japan for the first time, and while she was there they went to a 3,000-year-old shrine. It was at the top of a mountain, and it took a lot of effort to get to the top. When they reached the top, she realized that this shrine was here when Jesus was walking the earth. Today, people are still worshipping gods there, because they don’t know that the true God has already come to earth and dwelt among us. He is living today, and He is closer than a brother. Japan is the second-largest unreached population in the world, despite having complete freedom of religion and having the Bible in Japanese. Doug grew up there and understands both the culture and the language, but both he and Miriam have a heart for seeing many Japanese people come to New Life in Christ.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="Y2snzgLTcj4" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Learn about Japan and the need for the Gospel and the Bishops share about their ministry and the launch of a New Life Church![/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Learn more the project" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fiminc.org%2Fimpact-projects%2Fimpact-japan-new-life-church-fund-project%2F|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Give to IMpact Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FvH3y9oub9qQ|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="v_cn_Ja-a64" video_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

IMpact JFWB Translation Project

This project raises funds specifically for the translation efforts of Free Will Baptist literature, history, theology, etc. in Japanese. Your financial gift makes it possible for discipleship and leadership training to continue in Japan![/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Learn more the project" link="url:http%3A%2F%2FThe%20IMpact%20Japan%20JFWB%20Translation%20Project%20raises%20funds%20specifically%20for%20these%20translation%20efforts.%20Your%20financial%20gift%20makes%20it%20possible%20for%20discipleship%20and%20leadership%20training%20to%20continue%20in%20Japan!|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Give to IMpact Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F3duPnx6axFQ|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to the people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Church planting"]We hope to launch New Life Church in Ebetsu in 2022! Find out more, and give here.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Hosting short-term groups"]We will be hosting short-term groups to come help with renovation and outreach.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach"]We are planning to host a weekly kids’ outreach, as well as various community outreaches and a weekly Bible study.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Translation projects"]We will be working on getting FWB doctrine and discipleship materials into Japanese. Find out more, and give here.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Bishops

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for the launch of New Life Church. Pray for God to open the hearts of the people that we meet, for our team to have a spirit of unity, and for many to come to New Life in Christ.
  • Pray for the spiritual, physical, and emotional health of our family.
  • Pray for the Japanese pastors and JFWB churches in Hokkaido and Tokyo.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="80797"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Doug and Miriam Bishop

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Bishops to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Bishops" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FdEahWcAaCoQ|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Doug and Miriam Bishop [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => doug-and-miriam-bishop [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:10:45 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:10:45 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=67 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 68 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:27:11 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:27:11 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Rusty and Brenda Carney, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Rusty Carney (IL) and Brenda Wendlandt Carney (OK) both grew up in pastors’ homes and were saved at an early age. God began dealing with both of them independently about surrendering to His call to be missionaries. They ended up meeting at Welch college to study missions. They were married after graduation and have been serving in Japan as missionaries with IM since 2009. Their first two terms were in Hokkaido, and they are currently serving in the Tokyo area at the Kamifukuoka Christ Church. Rusty enjoys playing piano, spending time with people one-on-one, and observing the beauty of God’s creation. Brenda enjoys cooking, gardening, and socializing. They have three children: Grace—a scheduled, passionate teenager. Kelton—an outgoing, spirited creative. And Katherine—a kind, nurturing helper.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]While in college we didn’t know much about Japan. We both took Spanish as our foreign language and Brenda actually had an interest in ministering to Muslims. However, after graduation, Brenda ended up coming to Japan as an Overseas Apprentice (after the door was shut to going to a Muslim country) and was struck by the overwhelming need for the Gospel to be shared among the Japanese people. She later returned for a 2-year internship. I (Rusty) also had the opportunity to come to Japan as an OA after graduation (while Brenda was doing her internship) and was blown away by the masses and masses of people who didn’t know about Jesus. After we were married and began to pray and seek the Lord about where He wanted us to minister—the people of Japan kept coming back to our minds… We were invited to come back to Japan on a vision trip, and through God miraculously providing the money and the time off from our jobs to go, He confirmed that Japan was indeed where He wanted us to be. So, we started the process of signing up with IM and have never regretted it! Yes, there have been many hard and challenging days, but knowing that we are sowing seeds of the Kingdom, as well as watering, and occasionally reaping, makes it all worth it!   We are working at the Kamifukuoka Christ Church trying to reach families for Christ. Ministering to children, their parents, and the elderly. We are also trying to reach out to the hopeless by passing out links to videos of how other Japanese have found hope in Jesus![/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="CV9Ni6e_-Gw" video_align="right"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Kamifukuoka Christ Church Building IMpact Project

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Both the Carneys and Baileys (IM missionaries in Japan) minister at KCC hosting Mommy and Me classes as well as many other outreach events for the elderly and local families. They have been renting the 2nd floor of a three-story building that has no elevator and is not very easily accessible. They would also like to be closer to their target area. They are looking to buy a building closer to the train station which will give more opportunities to interact, invite, and share the Gospel with the local Japanese people.
When you give to the KCC IMpact Project, you are furthering the Gospel in Kamifukuoka, Japan.
[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Project" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FkKeV7-8D5wo|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="IMpact Projects"]
  1. IMpact Japan Bible Project
  2. IMpact Kamifukuoka Christ Church Building Project
[/sc_step][sc_step title="Preaching the Gospel"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Bible studies"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"][/sc_step][sc_step title="English classes (children and adults)"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Prayer walking"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Passing out links to Videos of Hope"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Summer programs"]Summer Programs involving ETEAMs and college students[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How to pray for the Carneys

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  1. Revival for the Japanese Church
  2. The movement of the Spirit along with the preaching of the Gospel.
  3. Many Japanese lives to be set free from depression, anxiety, and fear.
  4. Boldness to step out of our comfort zone as we minister.
  5. Protection for our children at their various schools.
  6. Provision and encouragement for Japanese pastors.
  7. A new generation of “on fire” believers!
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82740"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Rusty and Brenda Carney

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Rusty and Brenda to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Carneys" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F2VJu8D_21Ac|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Rusty & Brenda Carney [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => rusty-brenda-carney [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-01-17 07:27:38 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-01-17 13:27:38 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=68 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 71 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:29:17 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:29:17 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Culwells, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Daniel and Shelby Culwell serve on a church-planting team in Tokyo, Japan. In 2019, this team launched a bilingual church called Hope Alive. Daniel serves in many areas including construction, maintenance, English outreach, youth ministry, finances, and more. Shelby runs the website design, slides, graphics, social media, and toddler classes. They have three children:  Easton, Barrett, and Lily. Through group and individual Bible studies with adults and kids and meeting new people at many different Hope Alive outreaches, Daniel and Shelby have the privilege of introducing Japanese people to Jesus for the first time![/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email Us to Join Our Newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Adculwell%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]When less than 2% of a nation’s population are Christians, that nation is considered unreached; less than half of a percent of Japanese are Christian, making Japanese people the second largest unreached people group on earth. Along with their culture being deeply rooted in Buddhism and Shintoism, Japanese people live in a high-pressure society. Suicide is the number one cause of death for high school students, young adults, children ages 10-14, and men ages 20-44 in Japan. In fact over 25,000 people a year take their own lives in Japan. More than 2 million people do not leave their house due to stress, depression, and anxiety that has caused them to disengage from all social interactions.   The need for people to know the hope of the gospel is great, and where the need is great, the opportunity for impact is greater![/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]127 million people live in Japan, and 99.7% of Japanese people are lost, many having never even heard the Gospel. [/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78472" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The story of Hope Alive Church

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hope Alive was planted in January of 2019; since then, we’ve seen God move in astounding ways daily, providing opportunities for the gospel to be shared, softening hearts toward the message of Christ, and bringing Japanese people into a relationship with Him. Almost every Sunday new people walk into church, hear a clear presentation of the gospel, and receive a Bible – all for the first time. That is why Hope Alive exists: to tell people that Hope is alive in Jesus! Hope Alive exists to lead people to freedom, purpose, and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. ホープ • アライブ はあなたにイエスキリストにある自由と生き甲斐、充実感を知っていただくためにあります。[/vc_column_text][sc_video ext_video="mvoT-34SEKk"][vc_column_text]Learn more about Hope Alive Church and ministry at hopealive.jp [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Outreach events"]The Culwells meet many new people while serving with English outreach events and many other Hope Alive Church outreaches.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Digital media"]Shelby runs the church's website design, slides, graphics, and social media.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Construction and Maintenance"]Daniel serves in the construction and maintenance of the church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Handling Finances"]Daniel assists in handling the finances at the church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Kid's ministry"]Daniel serves in youth ministry and Shelby serves in the toddler classes at church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Group and individual Bible studies"]Through these Bible studies, the Culwells are able to introduce people to Jesus for the first time.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Culwells

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for our kids as they adjust to America and a new school.
  • Pray for us to be fully funded by July 2022 so we can return to Japan by August.
  • Pray the Lord leads us to the right people and the right churches as we travel to fundraise.
  • Pray for us as we continue to adjust to America. As we start to fundraise pray for giving hearts and for us to represent IM and Hope Alive in a way that will break the hearts of Americans for the millions of lost Japanese people. 
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="78874"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Daniel and Shelby Culwell

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".057" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="purple"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Culwells to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Culwells" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FK_YO6C6FdpU|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Daniel and Shelby Culwell [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => daniel-and-shelby-culwell [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:09:48 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:09:48 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=71 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 78614 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2021-12-09 19:00:31 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-12-10 01:00:31 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Hannah Goucher, IM Missionary to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]A 2021 graduate of Welch College with a B.A. in intercultural studies, Hannah Goucher, previously participated in ETEAM Hokkaido in 2017. Hannah also served a six-week stint in Hong Kong and Cambodia as a college student.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]She will work with both the Bishops and Speers, emphasizing reaching and discipling students. Hannah affirmed, “I love the people of Japan. God has placed a burden on my heart to share the hope that is within me with others.”[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="78607"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Hannah Goucher

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Hannah to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Hannah" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F1oqJqloxBDs|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Hannah Goucher [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => hannah-goucher [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-10-26 13:49:26 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-10-26 18:49:26 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=78614 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 79 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:35:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:35:46 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Debbie, IM Missionary to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hi! I am Debbie Griffin. From the quiet dirt roads of a South Georgia farming community to the bustling streets of Japan, I am amazed where the path of following Jesus has led. An introvert who is content to find adventure in the pages of a book, moving to Japan in December of 1986 was definitely outside my comfort zone.  Yet through all the struggles and joys, I found it an honor to serve for 25 years. I worked with church planting teams in Ai No Sato and in Ebetsu on the Northern island of Hokkaido. My path took a u-turn in 2011 when I was led to resign from IM and return to Georgia to care for my aging mama. After her death, I was reinstated for ministry in Japan by the IM board in April 2019.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Most Japanese people don’t know who Jesus is, have never read the Bible, or even met a Christian. As a Bible College student, I was gripped by the disturbing injustice that millions have never once heard of God’s love while I have lived my entire life in His presence. I began to earnestly pray that God would send someone to tell them. Before long, I began to feel a stirring in my spirit that I should be one to go. A summer mission trip to Japan deepened my love for the Japanese and confirmed God’s leading. Less than 1% of Japanese know Christ and this number is shrinking as the Christian population ages with few young people coming to faith. If this trend continues the Japanese church could disappear.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How she in ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Bible study"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Debbie

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Please pray that I will be led by the Spirit to recognize open doors of opportunity to share the gospel with hearts ready to receive His word.
  • Please ask the Lord to help me to communicate effectively.
  • Please pray for Japanese believers to grow in faith and boldness to share their faith with family and friends.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="191"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Debbie Griffin

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Debbie to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Debbie" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FEK6bl8DUHI8|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Debbie Griffin [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => debbie-griffin [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:08:10 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:08:10 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=79 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 80 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:36:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:36:38 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Hubbards, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Heath and Joni were appointed as missionaries in 2010. They have three kids. Eli, Micah & Emma. They work in Tokrozawa, Japan right outside of Tokyo. The Hubbards were a part of a team that helped to launch the Hope Alive Church in 2019. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]When less than 2% of a nation’s population are Christians, that nation is considered unreached; less than half of a percent of Japanese are Christian, making Japanese people the second largest unreached people group on earth. Along with their culture being deeply rooted in Buddhism and Shintoism, Japanese people live in a high-pressure society. Suicide is the number one cause of death for high school students, young adults, children ages 10-14, and men ages 20-44 in Japan. In fact over 25,000 people a year take their own lives in Japan. More than 2 million people do not leave their house due to stress, depression, and anxiety that has caused them to disengage from all social interaction.  The need for people to know the hope of the gospel is great, and where the need is great, the opportunity for impact is greater! [/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]127 million people live in Japan, and 99.7% of Japanese people are lost, many having never even heard the Gospel.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78472" image_size="contain" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The story of Hope Alive Church

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hope Alive was planted in January of 2019; since then, we’ve seen God move in astounding ways daily, providing opportunities for the gospel to be shared, softening hearts toward the message of Christ, and bringing Japanese people into a relationship with Him. Almost every Sunday new people walk into church, hear a clear presentation of the gospel, and receive a Bible - all for the first time. That is why Hope Alive exists: to tell people that Hope is alive in Jesus!  Hope Alive exists to lead people to freedom, purpose, and fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  ホープ • アライブ はあなたにイエスキリストにある自由と生き甲斐、充実感を知っていただくためにあります。[/vc_column_text][sc_video ext_video="mvoT-34SEKk"][vc_column_text]Learn more about Hope Alive Church and ministry at hopealive.jp [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Hope Alive Church Planting IMpact Project"]Hope Alive Church has grown in both facility space and numbers. In 2020, God opened an opportunity to double our church building space in size as we obtained and renovated the first floor of the current building from which we are renting. Almost immediately we saw how this helped our church host more people for outreach and created a street-level view and signage for our church. To continue to rent and maintain the church and to facilitate ministry in Japan, we are looking for partners to keep Hope Alive in Tokorozawa and near the train station. As we raise this money over the next three years, we hope to be in the position to buy the current building we are renting.   Hope Alive Church Planting Fund: $96,000 a year for the next three years.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Hope Alive Building IMpact Project"]As God leads our church to become independent and self-supporting, we are pursuing the option of buying the building we are currently in. This will be one of the largest steps to establishing a long-term footprint in our community. It will provide a means to bring possible income from renting out other areas of the building. Ultimately, this building will become a launching pad to plant more and more churches in Japan. With only about 7,700 Protestant churches in all of Japan, every church that can be established is so important. Hope Alive Building Purchase - $2 million project [/sc_step][sc_step title="Gravestone IMpact Project"]Iriso FWB Church in Sayama, Japan is spearheading an effort to bury people who are Christians who do not want to be buried in a Buddhist grave or their family will not allow them to be buried together because of their religion. This project is targeting specifically those people in our Free Will Baptist Kanto area churches. The church has purchased land and is working together with the other three area churches to secure funding for the gravestone. This gravestone marker will be a testimony to all the people who come through the graveyard, but more than that, it will be a comfort to those who are reaching the end of their life and are in need of a place to secure their burial. Recently it was said by pastor Kojima that in Japan “more people are more worried about the details surrounding their burial and getting those things in order more than they are actually worried about death.” This graveyard is within 5 miles of all four of the Kanto area Free Will Baptist churches and is easily accessible to all the area churches and members. The churches in Kanto area hope to gather $10,000 of the needed funds and the goal is to raise $10,000.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can financially partner with their ministry efforts

[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Hope Alive Church Planting Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F7eGicKVLYeQ|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Give to the Hope Alive Building Purchase Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FOiu8N6c_HbQ|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Give to Gravestone IMpact Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2Fz2JulHFp_3E|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Hubbards

  • Pray for us as we continue the work of the new church plant, Hope Alive Church, in the Tokyo area. 
  • Pray that we would see people come to Christ and lives changed and that Christ would be glorified in our work here.
  • Pray for the one-on-one Bible studies we are doing with some non-believers and one on one discipleship studies we are doing with new Christians.
  • Pray for the outreach ministries of Hope Alive Church to bring more people the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
  • Pray for a continued ability to speak Japanese
  • Pray for Eli, Micah, and Emma as they are in elementary school that they can learn and thrive in a different culture and that they can make good friends and understand Japanese. Pray also that we can be an effective witness to the other parents at their schools and for their growth as believers in Christ. Pray that most importantly they would grow deep roots in their own faith in Jesus.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="84075"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Heath and Joni Hubbard

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="0.57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Hubbards to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Hubbards" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FFzlVr_svYAM|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Heath and Joni Hubbard [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => heath-and-joni-hubbard [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-15 07:55:19 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-15 13:55:19 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=80 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [7] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 83 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:38:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:38:28 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Kettemans, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jack and Ashley recently completed a 2.5 year internship and have been appointed to return to Japan as career missionaries. After 14 years of youth/family ministry in the States, they moved to Tokyo near the end of 2018 to join the Hope Alive church-planting team, helping establish a bilingual church in Tokorozawa. The Kettemans hope to return to Japan in the Summer of 2022. As new career missionaries, they will begin the next term in a full-time language school for 2 years, still participating at Hope Alive on a smaller scale, then re-entering full-time ministry better equipped to share the Gospel in the Japanese language. The Kettemans have three kids: Jane, Callie, and Carter. - Jane loves reading and playing percussion, piano, and basketball. Her favorite Japanese snack is ume boshi (pickled plum). - Callie also loves reading, playing flute, singing harmony, and running. Her favorite Japanese snack is onigiri (seaweed-wrapped rice balls). - Carter is learning to read, loves Legos ®, dinosaurs, and vehicles of all kinds. His favorite Japanese snack is Hi-Chew ® candy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We’re serving in Japan for two reasons: God’s call and the immense need. The Japanese people are considered the 2nd largest Unreached People Group (UPG) on the planet. Less than 1% of Japan’s population of about 126,000,000 is made up of Evangelical Christians. There is only 1 church for every 16,000 people, and many Japanese people have never even met a Christian. Depression, stress, social disorders, and other mental health struggles are widespread, and suicide is the leading cause of death for those from age 44 down to 10 year-olds. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in suicides among mothers. Japan needs the Good News of Jesus and the Living Hope that only He provides[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="wLnmyNhP4Vo" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

A few years ago (thanks to IM Missionaries to Japan), God used this powerful video to help spur us toward serving in Japan.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="409" image_size="cover" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]God also called us to this ministry through a variety of experiences and interactions, as well as prayer and Bible study. The Lord brought Japan into our lives in a number of ways:
  • Through longtime family friendship with IM Missionaries to Japan.
  • Through short-term trips that allowed us to explore the culture, participate in ministry, and have our eyes opened to see how many are walking in darkness without Christ.
  • Through God’s weaving of Japan into our daughter Jane’s life from a young age.
  • Through the Lord directly impressing obedience to His call on Callie’s heart.
  • and through an immediate open door to be part of a new church-planting team, just at the time we said “yes” to serving overseas.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_column_text]

Learn more or give to the Hope Alive Church Planting Japan IMpact Project

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Learn more about Hope Alive Church and ministry at hopealive.jp [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][sc_video ext_video="UN2PEEPChwI"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][sc_button text="Learn more about the project" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fiminc.org%2Fimpact-projects%2Fimpact-hope-alive-church-planting-fund%2F|target:_blank"][sc_button text="Give to IMpact Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F7eGicKVLYeQ|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="408" image_size="cover" reverse="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Learn more or give to the Hope Alive Building Purchase Japan IMpact Project

[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Learn more about the project" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fiminc.org%2Fimpact-projects%2Fimpact-japan-hope-alive-building-purchase%2F|target:_blank"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_button text="Give to IMpact Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FOiu8N6c_HbQ|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="1-on-1 Evangelism and Discipleship"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Small Group Kids' Bible studies"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Establish and lead children's ministry"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Develop/lead worship music ministry"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Nurse at kids' school"]Ashley is also a registered nurse and gets to serve as the substitute nurse at the kids’ school in Japan.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Occasional preaching"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Music meetup outreach"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Bi-Monthly Discovery Bible Study Groups"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Kettemans

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Spiritual growth, deep roots for new Japanese believers
  • Opportunities to meet seekers and invite people to Hope Alive
  • Continued growth of Hope Alive Kids ministry
  • Our kids to thrive through the constant transitions of life between two cultures and to develop deep, flourishing relationship with Christ
  • Open Doors (Colossians 4:3-4), Open Hearts (Ephesians 1:17-18), Open Mouths (Ephesians 6:19)
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="80084"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Jack and Ashley Ketteman

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Kettemans to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Kettemans" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FUKGqChQYj8M|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Jack and Ashley Ketteman [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => jack-and-ashley-ketteman [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:07:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:07:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=83 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [8] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 85 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:40:21 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:40:21 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Shannon, IM Missionary to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I am Shannon Little and I minister in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan at Good News Chapel. I came to Japan in August of 2000 as a short-term missionary and served as a school nurse at an international school. During my 2 years of short-term ministry, God worked in my heart and I felt called to full-time ministry. I spent 5 years in America preparing and raising support and returned to Japan as a career missionary in 2007. I teach English classes with a short Bible study to adults and children to build relationships with Japanese people and introduce them to Jesus. I am always amazed when my students read a very familiar passage of the Bible and comment that they have never heard that story before. But it is the highlight of my work to see them interested in the Bible and wanting to hear more! I also teach Sunday School in Japanese to the children of our church. Many of the Japanese Christians first heard about Jesus either in a Christian kindergarten or at a Sunday school class.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Japan is the 2nd unreached people group in the world and most Japanese people have never heard the gospel. Most have never even met a Christian! It usually takes a long time for a Japanese person to come to Christ. There are many social and cultural hindrances that are difficult to overcome. But God is at work in Japan, and we are seeing more and more people coming to Christ.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="jK6uE1FrnNg" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Good News Chapel IMpact Project

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Learn more about the Good News Chapel church plant in Japan and how you can be a part of the ministries taking place by giving. Shannon and IM Missionaries in Japan need YOUR help to raise money for a new building that is larger and to have a place they can call their own.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Project" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FzvK25ql5J7I|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How she is ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Church Planting"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Teaching English"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach events"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Youth Ministry"]I am involved in the youth ministry Awana IMpact Project.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Shannon

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray that the hearts of the Japanese people will soften to the Gospel.
  • Pray for boldness as I share the love of God with my Japanese friends.
  • Pray for unity in our small church plant as we look toward buying a building and expanding our footprint in the community.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="78534"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Shannon Little

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Shannon to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Shannon" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FbZOttHNjZKI|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Shannon Little [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => shannon-little [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:07:16 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:07:16 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=85 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [9] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 78630 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2021-12-09 19:00:31 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-12-10 01:00:31 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Taylor Pate, IM Missionary to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Taylor Pate, a Florida native, and Tennessee transplant began hearing God’s call to missions at age 14. As a result, she served three years on ETEAM (France, Japan, and Uruguay) and participated in a College Missions Program internship at Hope Alive Church in Japan during her college years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]As a 2021 graduate of Welch College in Gallatin, Tennessee, Taylor looks forward to serving with Doug and Miriam Bishop and Daniel and Kate Speer as they restart and revitalize New Life Church in Sapporo on the northernmost island in Japan. Taylor stated, “I have a passion for people to know the sweetness, peace, and love that comes when we choose Him.”[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82320"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Taylor Pate

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Taylor to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Taylor" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2Fg6oE7o5V2rA|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Taylor Pate [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => taylor-pate [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-09-20 13:08:02 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-09-20 18:08:02 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=78630 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [10] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 89 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:44:40 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:44:40 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Osam and Emily, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hey everyone! Thanks for your interest in our ministry in Japan! We are so passionate about seeing the Gospel be clear and accessible in Japan. Osam and Emily met in October of 2021 while working at Hope Alive Church in Tokyo. Osam is a registered nurse and photographer and serves at Hope Alive as associate pastor. Emily enjoys cooking, has a cooking class, and works on social media. Together, we use our gifts to create ministry opportunities with young adults in Japan! Learn more about Hope Alive Church and ministry at hopealive.jp [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Emily shares, "Japan caught my eye back in 2013 when I went there on a mission trip at sixteen years old. This was eye-opening because I saw the devastating reality of meeting someone who had never heard the name of Jesus or experienced the Hope of knowing Him. Once I accepted the call to the missions, the alarming statistics about Japan kept me aware of the great need for Christians to go to Japan. Less than 99% of Japanese people are Christian. This means most of everyone around us, our friends, Osam’s family, are not believers. Out of 127 million people, only 300,000 might attend church. So, a young Japanese child could go from kindergarten through their dying day having never met a Christian. There is a great need at Hope Alive for a young adult ministry. Young adults need to see other young adults in church, otherwise, they do not think they belong."[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="6tUJqZRXwEU" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Emily shares about her internship in Japan and how she has previously witnessed the Japanese culture's hopelessness first-hand.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to the people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Young adult ministry"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Associate Pastor"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Social media and photography"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Small group Bible studies"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Let's Speak English parties"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Cooking classes"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for them

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for our marriage, as we enter our first year of serving on the field as a couple.
  • Pray for us as we mention the Gospel early and often.
  • Pray for natural opportunities to minister with the Japanese.
  • Pray for us to have a Spirit-led ministry.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row reverse="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="84137"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Osam & Emily Sakamoto

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with them to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Osam and Emily" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F3-j5vycA1qg|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Osam and Emily Sakamoto [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => osam-emily-sakamoto [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-02-27 10:28:13 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-02-27 16:28:13 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=89 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [11] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 97 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 13:00:47 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 13:00:47 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Snows, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]After serving in Hokkaido for 30 years, from this summer we will transition to ministry in Okinawa, the southernmost region of Japan. These new ministries will change our everyday activities some, but still serve the overall goal of IM - to see souls won for Christ, and to facilitate the multiplication of Japanese churches in Japan. Linda is a licensed (U.S.) elementary teacher. Besides being wife and mother of their three boys at home, her primary role will be teaching at OCSI (Okinawa Christian School International). Of the Pre-K through 12th grade student body of 500-600 students, approximately 80% of the students at OCSI are non-Christian. Nathan serves as President of Japan Evangelical Missionary Association (JEMA). Until now, he has been pastoring and ministering in church-planting roles, as well as fulfilling the responsibilities of JEMA and JEA. JEMA’s mission statement says: JEMA exists to network and equip its members to make disciples for Christ. Over the last several years, the growth of JEMA and its recent launch of new equipping ministries have increased the responsibilities of serving the greater missionary community. In so doing, the end results are better equipped, encouraged, spiritually and emotionally healthy church-planters spread throughout each region to establish vibrant church-planting churches in Japan. While in Okinawa, the Japan FWB National Association has asked Nathan to survey the possibilities of future FWB work in Okinawa, as this is a new area for FWB. For the time being Nathan will continue the pulpit ministry of the Abashiri FWB Church remotely (via the internet). The Snows, along with their three teenage boys still at home – Noah, Josiah, and Isaac – maintain their desire and goal to reach the Japanese for Christ. From having ministered in the remote areas of Japan for close to ten years, they find Japanese friendships natural and rewarding to invest in. Over the years, one of the main ministries of their family has been hospitality, and building those personal trust relationships. Fun Facts about the Snow family: Isaac enjoys Track and Field, mostly running and jumping events. Josiah has become an avid and talented skateboarder, and Noah competes regularly in Track and Field throwing events: shot put discus and hammer throw. Linda enjoys reading, purses, and is an amazing cook - it's a good thing because eating is one of our teenage boys' and their friends' favorite hobbies. Nathan enjoys riding motorcycles with friends and family, camping, coffee, tools, and keeping all things running smoothly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Japan remains the second largest unreached people group in the world. It is steeped in centuries of Buddhist, Shinto, Animism, and Spiritism, and seems incorporated into every aspect of the culture. Our challenge and goals are to introduce Christ into people's hearts and allow the work of Christ to create a new culture. A new culture that is birthed from within, that has its foundations on the truth of the Scripture, is fueled by the life-changing power of the Gospel, and honors and preserves the dignity and uniqueness of the culture of Japan. To facilitate Christian Community that is culturally relevant, God-honoring, and that empowers Christ-followers in a very Japanese context. To see changed lives change communities. The prefecture of Okinawa is known to be the poorest of Japan's 47 prefectures, and ranks #40 out of 47 in lowest church-to-population ratio.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Leadership"]Nathan serves as the President of JEMA (Japan Evangelical Missionary Association - jema.org), an organization of over 1,100 Protestant Missionaries ministering in Japan, with the majority of these involved in church planting related ministries.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Gatherings in our home"]We regularly hold Informal and impromptu gatherings at our home. This is a very effective way to build trusting relationships necessary that lead to Gospel conversations and later, discipleship.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Teaching classes"]Linda teaches at Okinawa Christian School International. With a K3 through 12th grade student body of almost 600, 80% of the students are non-Christian. OCSI's serves to reach and disciple these young people as they provide an excellent learning environment.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Get Involved in the Snow's ministry

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]There are a number of ongoing opportunities to be involved in our ministry. If you would like a name of a person or family to "adopt" as an ongoing prayer project, please let us know.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="mail" color="purple"]We would love for you to help make a difference here! You can contact us for these names or real-time prayer requests at [email protected].[/sc_icon_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="purple"]You can also follow Linda Snow's Facebook account if you are a Facebook user. She regularly posts updates there as well.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="82498" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Snows

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • There seem to be many Japanese people who are genuinely seeking. So many desire real hope, a peaceful heart, and a purpose for their lives. Japan annually has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Pray for these that begin seeking to not be dissuaded, but to have the courage to embrace the grace of the gospel with an eager and active faith.
  • Pray for open doors in the new areas of Okinawa we are transitioning into.
  • Please do pray for our financial needs. We are always appreciative of those God leads to financially partner with us in.
  • Pray for wisdom to know God's timing and leading in the areas of student ministry, and oversight of the ministries of JEMA.
  • Pray for our children.  As parents, we realize how cultures influence young hearts and minds in particular. We desire to see each of our children growing in the Lord. Thank you for praying for our family.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="82498"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Nathan & Linda Snow

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="0.57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Nathan and Linda to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Snows" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FIcc-cL5Qm04|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Nathan and Linda Snow [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => nathan-and-linda-snow [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-10-04 10:06:22 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-10-04 15:06:22 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=97 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [12] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 98 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 13:01:53 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 13:01:53 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Speers, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Daniel and Kate Speer met at Free Will Baptist Bible College (now Welch College) in the Fall of 2006. They were married in 2008 and were called to Japan to share the gospel with Japanese people in 2011. Since then, they have had three kids: Audrey, Analeigh, and Owen…and now have a fourth one on the way! Kate grew up in Japan as the child of veteran missionaries Donnie and Ruth McDonald, who has served the Lord with IM for over 35 years. The Speers are returning to serve in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island. The climate there is often cold and snowy, yet the island is also home to Japan’s fifth-largest city: Sapporo.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Japanese people in Japan are still yet considered the second-largest Unreached People Group in the world, with only 0.3% identifying as Evangelical Christian. Unreached People Groups are defined as “a people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group without outside assistance” (source: The Joshua Project). There is still yet a great need for the global church to send missionaries to help Japanese Christians share the gospel with the rest of their people. Jesus is limitlessly glorious, and God the Father’s great Mission in the world is that His Son’s glory be shared with all peoples, nations, and languages. We must continue to give and go so that the Japanese can find freedom, hope, and ultimately everlasting life in the Kingdom of Christ that is breaking in now and will soon come in everlasting fullness. Daniel 7:13-14 – “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]24 People Groups Unreached in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Language"]We have intensive language study for the first two years. Speaking the language of people you are ministering to is important.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Re-launch a church"]Help Doug and Miriam Bishop with the restart of New Life Church, formerly Miharashidai Chapel, just outside of Sapporo, Japan.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Music"]We assist with weekly church music and worship at New Life Church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach"]We reach out intentionally by living missionally in our community and neighborhood.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Prayer"]We pray that the Lord will go before us and that our work will be done in His strength, not in our own.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Speers

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • For the Lord to go before us and prepare the way, working in hearts that are searching for answers that only He can satisfy.
  • For Japan to open its borders again to international workers, and that they would stay open for a long time.
  • That our hearts would be continually receptive to the Holy Spirit, who is shaping us to look more like Christ, and that we would be fluent in the gospel in every aspect of our lives.
  • For our team as we serve together, that we would have unity and would be sensitive to the movement and direction of the Spirit.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="80801"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Daniel & Kate Speer

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="0.57" after="%" desc="Evangelical"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Daniel and Kate to reach the people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Speers" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F5q9FqPdHeA0|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Daniel and Kate Speer [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => daniel-and-kate-speer [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:02:05 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:02:05 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=98 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [13] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 81130 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2022-12-09 07:10:40 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-12-09 13:10:40 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Callie Stox, IM Missionary to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I’m Callie Stox and I’m from Greenville, North Carolina. I will graduate from Liberty University in 2023 with a Religion and Global Studies degree. I enjoy reading, music, and doing anything crafty or creative. I went to Panama and Cuba with ETEAM in 2017 and 2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="cover" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In the summer of 2022, I did a 5-week internship at Hope Alive Church with the Hubbard family in Tokyo, Japan. There, God stirred my heart for the people in Japan and deepened my passion to spread the gospel there. Learn more about Hope Alive Church and ministry at hopealive.jp [/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people"]112 million people live in Japan, and 99.7 of Japanese people are lost, with many never hearing the Gospel.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_text_carousel header="How Callie will minister to the people in Japan" color="green" slides="%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22English%20events%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Callie%20will%20help%20the%20team%20at%20Hope%20Alive%20with%20planning%20and%20conducting%20English%20events.%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Young%20Adult%20Ministry%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Callie%20will%20be%20a%20part%20of%20leading%20the%20Hope%20Alive%20young%20adult%20ministry%2C%20%5C%22Radiate%5C%22.%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Outreach%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Callie%20will%20assist%20the%20Hope%20Alive%20team%20with%20various%20outreach%20activities%20and%20events.%22%7D%5D"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Callie

  • For the hearts and eyes of the Japanese people to be opened to receive and understand the gospel.
  • For a deep sense of community within the Hope Alive team and the people we meet and connect with so we can share Jesus with them.
  • To be able to learn Japanese to effectively communicate and deepen relationships made in Japan.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="81485"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Callie Stox

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Callie to reach people in Japan with the Gospel. Contact her to invite her to your church to share her heart for the Japanese people. Pray for her as she raises funds and prayer support.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Callie" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FTKLjm0dUbH4|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Callie Stox [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => callie-stox [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 09:06:39 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 14:06:39 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=81130 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [14] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 104 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 14:30:31 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 14:30:31 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Abby, IM Missionary to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Abby was born in North Little Rock, AR, and moved to Washington, NC, when she was 11. She was raised in a faithful Christian home with the majority of her family being involved in ministry in some way. Abby attended Welch College for two years and then in 2019 transferred to Cumberland University to receive her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Abby worked as a nurse for two years in Gallatin, TN. Even though starting her nursing career during a pandemic proved to be difficult, she enjoyed the growth in her knowledge of healthcare, the friendships made, and the ministry she was able to have with coworkers and patients. Abby also attended Rejoice Church in Antioch, TN, and played the drums in worship. Abby was appointed as a missionary intern in December 2020 to Tokyo, Japan, and will be joining the Hope Alive church-planting team in Tokorozawa.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Learn more about Hope Alive Church and ministry at hopealive.jp [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]After graduating from nursing school, Abby went with IM's College Missions Program (CMP) to Tokyo, Japan for six weeks. While she was there, she was able to see first-hand just how lost and hopeless the Japanese people were without Christ. Suicide and depression overwhelm the Japanese people every day, with more people dying from suicide than they did from Covid-19 in 2020. Less than 1% of the Japanese people are Evangelical Christians and Japan is considered the 2nd most unreached country in the world. Most of the Japanese people have never even heard of the name of God, but many showed interest in learning. After meeting these people, hearing their stories, and knowing the great need for the spread of the gospel, Abby’s burden for the Japanese people grew and she knew this was the Lord’s plan for her.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]24 Unreached People Groups in Japan[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="azPDvC9tYKo" white_bg="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hear Abby's heart for the Japanese people and her role in ministry at Hope Alive Church in Japan.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How she is ministering to the people in Japan

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Establish young adult ministry"]Abby’s primary role will be to help establish a young adult ministry so that Japanese college students and young adults feel like they have a place for them within the church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="New Bible studies and small groups"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Abby

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for me as I transition into a new culture and learn the Japanese language.
  • Pray that starting small groups and Bible studies will go smoothly and that young Japanese adult will see this as a place for friendships and fellowship.
  • Pray that we will see people come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78043" image_size="contain" reverse="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="216"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Abby Walker

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Abby to reach people in Japan with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Abby" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FT9XlqDwpB-s%20|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Abby Walker [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => abby-walker [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:00:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:00:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=104 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [15] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 81125 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2022-12-09 07:11:27 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-12-09 13:11:27 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Tristen and Sierra White, IM Missionaries to Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
We are Tristen and Sierra White and we are IM missionaries to Tokyo, Japan. Tristen was born and raised in Gastonia, North Carolina, and received a degree in Ministry and Intercultural Studies from Randall University. Sierra grew up in Owasso, Oklahoma, and graduated with a degree in elementary education from Southern Nazarene University. We met while serving at Sierra's home church and have been married for 2 years. We currently live in Oklahoma where Tristen serves at Kingsview FWB as the worship pastor and Sierra works at Southern Nazarene University serving college students. In our free time, we enjoy cooking, listening to records, board games, going to concerts, and thrifting! We are both passionate about sharing the gospel and making disciples in Jesus' name. We plan to use our experience in worship, kids, and student ministry to contribute to the Hope Alive team when we arrive. Our long-term vision is to assist with planting additional churches in the Tokyo area as the Hope Alive network continues to grow.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78273" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Japan?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Despite Japan's impressive modernity and staggering population of over 125 million people, less than 1% of Japanese people have a relationship with Jesus. This makes Japan the second largest unreached people group in the world. Most Japanese people will go their entire life without ever reading a Bible, meeting a Christian, or even hearing the name of Jesus. There is 1 church for every 6,000 people and the average church size in Japan is 10-15 members. If disciples are to be made in Japan, more missionaries must be sent, more churches must be planted, and more Japanese leaders must be trained and equipped for discipleship.
[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people"]112 million people live in Japan, and 99.7 of Japanese people are lost, with many never hearing the Gospel.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="84010"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Hope Alive Church in Japan

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Hope Alive is an international church planting network in the Tokyo area of Japan. It was planted in 2019 by Heath and Joni Hubbard and since then we’ve seen 15 salvations and 11 baptisms. In 2023 alone, Hope Alive has averaged an attendance of 75 people and welcomed over 100 first time visitors. We plan to use our experience in worship, kids, and student ministry to contribute to the Hope Alive team when we arrive. Our long-term vision is to assist with planting additional churches in the Tokyo area as the Hope Alive network continues to grow.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Whites

  • Pray for the Lord to provide partners as we begin to raise support.
  • Please pray for us to lean into the Lord through this season, and trust His plans as we transition.
  • Pray for God to help us in our study of the Japanese language and culture.
  • Also pray that God would reveal to us and help us build discipleship relationships with Japanese people.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true" top_pad="200px"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="81503"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Tristen & Sierra White

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="125.97" after="MM" desc="Total population of Japan"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter=".57" after="%" desc="Evangelical"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Whites to reach people in Japan with the Gospel. Contact them to invite them to your church to share their heart for the Japanese people. Pray for them as they raise funds and prayer support.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Whites" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FLs-mwbY1ptA|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Tristen and Sierra White [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => tristen-and-sierra-white [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-01 08:44:20 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-01 13:44:20 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=81125 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

Japan

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Meet Eddy and Amanda Simmons, IM missionaries to the Samburu People in Kenya

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are Eddy and Amanda Simmons. We are privileged to serve among the Samburu people who live in a remote arid area of Northern Kenya. We have ministered in Kenya off and on since 2003. When we first came to Kenya, we had our four sons with us, and we served with a different mission organization. We left for a few years due to medical issues that Eddy developed. We returned to serve the Samburu full-time in 2017 in a new area that was unreached. Hard living conditions here, but soft hearts toward the Gospel! We are blessed to serve with IM![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78457" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why the Samburu people group in Kenya?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are serving among the Samburu people because they have little to no exposure to the gospel. Although there have been missionaries among the Samburu for decades, the work has been limited geographically and has not produced indigenous or reproducing churches. The Samburu are a “Nilotic” people. Their history recounts that they were in Egypt at the time of the Hebrew Exodus. They traveled to Mt. Sinai with the Hebrews and have retained some Hebrew/Old Testament practices, such as sacrifices and circumcision. Unfortunately, they also have added witchdoctors and animism to their religious practices. Their language has only become a written language in the last few years. They are predominately non-literate, so we do our ministry in oral form. They are able to memorize 10-15 verses of scripture after hearing it just one time! Because they cannot read, we are seeking to give them an oral “Bible in their hearts.”[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="magenta"]

32 Unreached People Groups in Kenya

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Meet IM missionaries Eddy and Amanda Simmons

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are Eddy and Amanda Simmons. We are privileged to serve among the Samburu people who live in a remote arid area of Northern Kenya. We have ministered in Kenya off and on since 2003. When we first came to Kenya, we had our four sons with us, and we served with a different mission organization. We left for a few years due to medical issues that Eddy developed. We returned to serve the Samburu full-time in 2017 in a new area that was unreached. Hard living conditions here, but soft hearts toward the Gospel! We are blessed to serve with IM![/vc_column_text][sc_video ext_video="eOPcoKlY5vQ"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to the Samburu people

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Disciple-making"]We are primarily disciple-makers who are seeking to make disciples among the Samburu people, who will then make disciples among their own people and among other surrounding unreached tribes.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Worship gatherings"]I, Eddy, do not pastor any churches or baptize any new believers. We are seeking to have an indigenous, reproducible ministry that will look, sound, feel, etc., like the Samburu. Samburu men that we have discipled lead our four worship gatherings.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Oral Bible teaching"]We use an oral method of Bible teaching that is chronological.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Solar MP3 players"]We have recorded 143 New Testament passages in the Samburu language. We have loaded these files onto solar MP3 players that we distribute to new believers that do not live near our worship gatherings. We have an active IMpact Project to procure these units. $30 each.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Medical clinic"]Amanda runs a medical clinic on our porch four days a week. She is able to show the love of Jesus to the Samburu people by meeting their physical needs. Each patient is prayed for and hears the Gospel.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Clean water"]We have also been blessed to have drilled three wells to provide clean healthy water to the local people. The clean water has significantly decreased health issues among the Samburu people. Their traditional source of water was a dirty river.[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Eddy and Amanda

  • Rain – this is a dry and weary land, semi-desert. Rain means healthy animals which means milk and meat for the people.
  • Men – pray for more Samburu men to surrender to the work of the gospel.
  • Health – our many years in Kenya have been very difficult on Eddy’s body. Pray for sustaining grace and health so that ministry can continue.
  • Evil spirits – pray that God will remove the controlling evil spirits from this area. That the Holy Spirit will rule and reign over Sesia and over the people’s hearts.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true" text_align="left"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="208"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Eddy and Amanda Simmons

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You can partner with Eddy & Amanda to reach the Samburu people in Kenya with the Gospel.

[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Simmons" color="magenta" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FfHkkRvWj6vU|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Eddy and Amanda Simmons [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => eddy-and-amanda-simmons [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:02:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:02:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=96 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

Samburu People

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Meet Keren, IM Missionary to Spain

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Born in Pinar del Río, Cuba, Keren grew up in the home of a Free Will Baptist pastor. Surrounded by Christian teaching, she accepted Christ as Savior as a five-year-old. Her family moved to Panama City, Panama, as missionaries when she was seven. As Keren grew, her faith matured and she was baptized in Panama as a young teen. Panama refused to renew the Delgado family’s visas. As a 17-year-old, she and her family moved to Russellville, Arkansas. After months of culture shock and difficulty, Keren found herself where she believes God wanted her—completely dependent on Him and focused on Jesus Christ as both redeemer and friend. Approved as a missionary intern in April 2019, Keren served for two years in Varna, Bulgaria. with hopes to apply this December for career status. As her internship was ending and she anticipated going before the IM board in December 2022, she was praying to the Lord to use her Spanish to serve and bring people to Christ. She shared, "I realized that God's will was for me to be there in Bulgaria for my internship and then in the perfect timetable of God to prepare me now to serve in Spain. The Lord heard my prayers and gave me peace about the decision to change fields."[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78272" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Spain?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Spain is less than 2% evangelical. 92% of the small towns in Spain have zero evangelical churches. There is one town, in particular, east of Madrid, called Villanueva De la Torre, where Neil and Mandi Morgan (together with a Spanish Pastor), are planting the only evangelical church in this town. Why is this amazing? Because the Spaniards are either nominal Catholics or atheists (this is the majority), they have a wrong idea of what a church is. Not long ago, Spain had no religious freedom. And once they declare it, agnosticism and atheism have grown rapidly.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]16 Unreached People Groups in Spain[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_video ext_video="31Ww_iWbF9c"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Keren's Impact Through Language School

Listen to this story of the "Skinny Cow" and how God used Keren's language school as an opportunity to share a story from the Bible with others who have never read the Bible.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="video_aside" video_id="5dr4B01IXw8" video_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Keren shares why she gives to missions and the joy it brings her to be obedient financially. She is not only ministering to people in Spain, but she is financially contributing to ministries around the world through giving![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How she will minister to people in Spain

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Building relationships"]Building relationships, gaining their trust with time and being where they are.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Children and youth ministry"]Children and youth ministry and build relationships with the parents and the youth to show them what true Christianity is about and who Christ is![/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for Keren

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for Keren as she travels around the States fundraising.
  • Pray for her safety and for health throughout this time.
  • Pray for Keren as she learns about Spanish history.
  • Pray she becomes fully funded before September 2023 so that she can start the History and Culture course before next year ends.
Thank you for praying for the Spanish people and me. Thank you for bringing to God these requests with a heart surrendered to God’s will.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="81264"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Keren Delgado

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="44.66" after="MM" desc="Total population of Spain" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.60" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Keren to reach people in Spain with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Keren" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F0SiKPHRggTk|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Keren Delgado [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => keren-delgado [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-01-02 15:17:38 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-01-02 21:17:38 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=72 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 76 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:33:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:33:15 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Edgmons, IM Missionaries to Spain

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are Anthony and Lea Edgmon, and we have the privilege of living and working in a truly gorgeous corner of the Madrid province. Our town, Alpedrete, is situated in the shadow of the Guadarrama Mountains. It is a very family-oriented place with friendly neighbors. Our family has ministered in Spain since 1998. The majority of our years here have been spent planting and growing the Alpedrete church alongside our teammates. We are prayerfully working toward a new point of witness in our area. Anthony is the gourmet chef for our family and Lea is an avid book lover. Our children, Emily and Marc, grew up in Spain and are now working and studying in the US. We recently celebrated the joyful wedding of our daughter to her husband Nicolas.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email us to join our newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Aaedgmon%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78272" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Spain?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We came to Spain in order to help plant churches that could reach into their local communities. 92% of towns in Spain have no evangelical church, so the task is tremendous. Although Spain has traditionally been known as a Catholic nation, many people in Spain these days identify themselves as agnostic, atheist or indifferent towards religious matters. In our day-to-day interactions, we find that there are still plenty of people who wrestle with spiritual uneasiness and have no one to share the simple truth of the gospel with them. Small towns like ours with no evangelical witness surround the area where we live and work. The Alpedrete church is making an impact in its community and we want to see that happen in neighboring towns as well.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]16 Unreached People Groups in Spain[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to people in Spain

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Building up believers & training leaders for the church"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Preaching"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Teaching"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Discipleship"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Outreach through drama, music, English"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Edgmons

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for Spaniards who live in towns and villages with no evangelical witness
  • Pray for the Lord to use believing Spaniards to impact their families, their neighborhoods, and their country
  • Pray for outreaches into new areas
  • pray for God's guidance and provision for our adult children in the U.S.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="84375"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Anthony and Lea Edgmon

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="46.66" after="MM" desc="Total population of Spain" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.60" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with Anthony and Lea to reach people in Spain with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Edgmons" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FO9sl0T1RaRM|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Anthony and Lea Edgmon [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => anthony-and-lea-edgmon [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-02-12 13:56:46 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-02-12 19:56:46 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=76 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 87 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:42:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:42:28 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Morgans, IM Missionaries to Spain

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Morgan family includes their fun-loving gymnast, Sofía, and their two Brazilian jiu-Jitsu-loving daughters, Emma and Aubrey. They are led by their "greyed-too-early" father, Neil, who loves going to the gym, and their book-enthusiast mom, Mandi, who enjoys trying out new projects on her Silhouette Cameo. The Morgans have served with IM since 2008. After one term in Uruguay, they arrived in Spain where they are serving in the Alcalá de Henares region.  This city, which is the birthplace of the author of Don Quijote, offers exposure to famous soccer clubs, the tasting of delicious tapas, and walks along stretches of cobblestone streets laid by Romans in the 1st century.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Email us to join our newsletter" link="url:mailto%3Anmorgan%40iminc.org|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78272" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Spain?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Growing up in small towns in South Carolina meant everyone knew everyone and there were churches on nearly every corner. The church per capita ratio there is very high, and in many ways, the strong beliefs of our communities shaped us into who we are today. However, in Spain, 92% of small towns have no evangelical church. This is a huge motivation for why we have a passion for Spain. Corresponding to the few churches is the fact that less than 2% of the population in Spain claims to be evangelical. Though the majority of the population still claim to be Catholic, this is largely in name only, and the number of those who identify as atheists continues to rise. We have the heart to reach the Spanish people. We desire to find creative ways to build bridges into their lives and into these communities with no church so that we can connect them with the hope and truth of the Gospel of Jesus.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]16 Unreached People Groups in Spain[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to the people in Spain

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Working with their church pastor"]We are working alongside Pastor José Manuel and his wife Carmen to strengthen the Esperanza Church.[/sc_step][sc_step title="English classes"]We are teaching community English classes at the University of Alcalá.[/sc_step][sc_step title="Hosting women's paint night events"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Organizing Nerf outreach events"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Teaching at a local International School"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Morgans

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for the encouragement and growth of the Esperanza Church.
  • Pray for open doors to minister within the community and surrounding areas.
  • Pray that the Morgan family will have wisdom to know God´s will in all things and the courage to follow it.
  • Pray the Morgan´s financial support will stay strong and stable.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="78523"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Neil and Mandi Morgan

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="46.66" after="MM" desc="Total population of Spain" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.60" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Morgans to reach people in Spain with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Morgans" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2F6waOP_1ISGw|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Neil and Mandi Morgan [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => neil-and-mandi-morgan [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:06:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:06:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=87 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 94 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 12:55:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 12:55:58 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet the Riggs, IM Missionaries to Spain

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hi! Welcome to our ministry page. We are Sam, Lauren, and Emilia Riggs. We live and work in a small city outside Madrid, Spain. We work in a church in Alpedrete, Spain, and we are helping plant a new church in the surrounding area with our teammates the Edgmon family. We have been here since November 2021, and we will be working here for a two-year term. A few fun facts about us: Sam doesn’t have a middle name, but he does have two last names! All Emilia needs to survive is a bottle of milk, cheese, and some BubbleGuppies! The first chapter book Lauren remembers reading is The Hobbit because her dad read it to her.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78272" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why Spain?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Lord opened many doors to get us where we are, but it all stems from Sam’s connection to Spain. Sam was born in Spain to missionary parents, Mark and Juli Riggs. Sam’s mom is Spanish, and his dad met her when he went on a mission trip. They fell in love, got married, and became missionaries to northern Spain. Sam grew up around and in the Spanish FWB church, and as part of the culture. His desire to go back to his home country is ultimately what led us to where we are. Lauren spent her high school and college summers doing ETEAM and CMP trips. When we met in college, we were both open to missions and felt a strong calling that God had placed on each of us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Spain is less than 1% Evangelical Christian. The rising number of agnostics/atheists in Spain is alarming. They are people in great need of something to believe in and are searching for answers in all the wrong places. We are working to plant a new church in the surrounding area of Alpedrete through lots of relationship building and community outreach. During our two-year experience, we are most excited about learning more about what ministry looks like in Spain, learning from our teammates, who have been career missionaries for over 20 years, and learning more about God’s global purpose for His church.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they minister to people in Spain

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="English lessons"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Community outreach"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Working in and with Alpedrete Church"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Sports ministry"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Riggs

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for the hearts of the people we will meet and interact with while in Spain. Pray that God will prepare their hearts for the seed of the gospel.
  • Pray for the Alpedrete Church to continue to grow and flourish.
  • Pray for the new church plant we will be working in.
  • Pray for our family as we transition into this new ministry.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="83993"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Sam and Lauren Riggs

[/vc_column_text][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="46.66" after="MM" desc="Total population of Spain" color="magenta"][sc_data_counter icon="people" counter="1.60" after="%" desc="Evangelical" color="magenta"][vc_column_text]Partner with Sam and Lauren to reach people in Spain with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Riggs" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FqBBxQrTT2fg|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Samuel & Lauren Riggs [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => samuel-lauren-riggs [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-10-26 13:50:05 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-10-26 18:50:05 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=94 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

Spain

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Meet Donnie McDonald

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Meet Donnie McDonald, who serves as an IM missionary while on special assignment as Field Ministry Personnel Associate. After 36 years of church planting ministries in Japan, Donnie and his wife, Ruth, have transitioned back to the States for new ministry opportunities among FWBs. Donnie, who will continue serving as an IM missionary, is also taking on the role of Field Ministry Personnel Associate. He will be working directly with Curt Holland, Director of Field Ministry Personnel, helping potential and new interns navigate the process of becoming career missionaries. He will also be involved in the area of Missionary Care. Donnie’s years of experience as a missionary make him a great fit for this new position.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row white_bg="true"][vc_column width="1/2"][sc_single_image image="81866"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Donnie McDonald

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]You can partner with Donnie to reach people with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to Donnie" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2Fn2DqEzAMyk0|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Donnie McDonald [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => donnie-mcdonald [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:07:00 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:07:00 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=86 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 84325 [post_author] => 54 [post_date] => 2024-02-01 13:01:11 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-02-01 19:01:11 [post_content] => [vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="84326" image_size="contain"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Darren and Dana Portell, IM Missionaries to International Students in Illinois

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We are Darren, Dana, McCayde, and McLayne Portell. We will be serving international students at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana alongside the Penn family. Our family has previously served in student ministry roles in Taiwan and North Africa as well as in sports outreach in southern France. Our two older children, McKenna and McGwire, reside in the U.S. with their families. Darren and Dana were both born in Illinois and grew up in Illinois FWB churches.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78559" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why the University of Illinois?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Having lived cross-culturally for many years, we have experienced firsthand the joy of belonging to a community and plan to create a community for our students. We are excited to see how God will use our cultural understanding from having lived in various countries and cultures to draw students into a relationship with Him.[/vc_column_text][sc_icon_text icon="people" color="green"]Another statistic about international statistics is also somewhat shocking and disappointing. 85% of international students will never step foot inside an American home. What this means is that all these people who have no knowledge of Jesus are often surrounded by people who do have this knowledge and yet the two groups seldom get together.[/sc_icon_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering to international students

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Connecting with International Students"]

English Corner - Darren and Dana plan to come alongside the Penns to connect with students during English Corner. This is an international student organization that provides support with the English language and helps navigate American culture.

Conversation Groups – Darren and Dana will participate in small groups that meet weekly to encourage international students as they deepen their utilization of the English language.

[/sc_step][sc_step title="Community with the Students Through Hospitality"]

Family time - Darren and Dana enjoy hosting students in their homes for meals and time spent as a family in conversation or game nights.

Holidays - The Portells plan to open their home to students on holidays. Often, international students spend holidays on campus alone so they view this as a good opportunity to share American culture and Christian celebrations with students.

Recreational pursuits - Darren is planning to use his passion for sports as an avenue to connect with students through various endeavors such as creating a cycling group, a workout group, or just a group who love to watch televised sports. Dana is hoping to connect with students through baking or book studies. McCayde and McLayne are hoping to connect with students who love speaking Mandarin or playing violins.

[/sc_step][sc_step title="Cultivation of Curiosity and Commitment Through Sharing of Cultures"]

Gospel Conversations – Connecting with students and being intentional about building community is an avenue to gospel conversations. By sharing our culture and being open to learning their culture, we foster a natural curiosity about why we choose to live in obedience to Christ.

Bible Study and Church- Darren and Dana will come alongside the Penns during their established Bible studies and plan to utilize the Bridge Church to invite students to attend with them.

[/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Portells

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray that the students connected with the Penn and Portell families will develop deep relationships with God.
  • Pray for the Portell family as they seek to raise funds to join the Penn family at the University of Illinois.
  • Pray for the Portells as they transition from a decade in Taiwan to life in the United States.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="84326" image_size="contain" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]You can partner with the Portells to reach the international students in Illinois with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Portells" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2FC_hsleJX1vw|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Darren and Dana Portell [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => darren-and-dana-portell [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-02-06 15:01:43 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-02-06 21:01:43 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://iminc.org/?post_type=missionaries&p=84325 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 101 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2021-04-26 14:18:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-04-26 14:18:38 [post_content] => [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Meet Steve and Lori Torrison, IM Missionaries in Residence at CIT

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Steve and Lori Torrison were appointed as career missionaries to Panama in 2004. Following a year of language school in Costa Rica, they moved to Panama in 2006, helping with a new church plant and seminary teaching. In 2014, when the Panamanian work was transferred to national leadership, the Torrisons transferred to Uruguay. They arrived in Uruguay in 2015, working with leadership development, Bible institute classes, and discipleship training. In 2022, the Torrisons made another transition as they relocated to North Carolina to continue with IM at partner organization CIT (Center for Intercultural Training).  CIT equips people and churches around the world for cross-cultural ministry. Steve and Lori have 2 daughters, Melanie and Abby, who were both born in Panama but now speak with a Uruguayan accent![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type="image_aside" row_image="78555" image_size="contain" image_align="right" reverse="true"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Why CIT?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]CIT is a close partner with IM and plays a vital role in training IM missionaries.  This new assignment strengthens the CIT partnership and provides an essential service in training and preparing missionaries for spiritual reliance, adjusting to new languages, cultures, and international communities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row text_align="center"][vc_column][sc_image_gallery images="79161,79162"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How they are ministering at CIT

[/vc_column_text][sc_steps_carousel][sc_step title="Equipping new missionaries for cross-cultural life and ministry"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Sharing practical skills for effective second-language learning"][/sc_step][sc_step title="Partnering with fellow missionaries"][/sc_step][/sc_steps_carousel][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

How you can pray for the Torrisons

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
  • Pray for physical and spiritual stamina.
  • Pray for the family as we learn to live in our passport country again for this season.
  • Pray for CIT students to have open hearts and a learners’ spirit.
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Steve and Lori Torrison

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]You can partner with Steve and Lori to reach people around the world with the Gospel.[/vc_column_text][sc_button text="Give to the Torrisons" icon="vc-material vc-material-attach_money" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fppay.co%2Fk8vnevmDEkU|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row] [post_title] => Steve & Lori Torrison [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => steve-lori-torrison [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-06-27 13:01:21 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-06-27 18:01:21 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://imincsc.wpengine.com/?post_type=missionaries&p=101 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => missionaries [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) )

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