Reach The World

The Bible says we should share the message of God’s great grace to those in our home town, across our country, and around the world. At Grace, we support dozens of missionaries serving in far off lands as well as others serving here in the United States. In addition to supporting these wonderful servants of God with our prayers and financial resources, we plan a number of overseas missions trips for all ages.

The most important thing to know is that YOU can be a part of this miraculous outreach. Here are just a few ways to connect in world wide missions:

  • Be a part of a short-term missions trip yourself!
  • Volunteer to help with events like the Global Impact Celebration.
  • Support our missionaries by giving above and beyond your tithe with funds earmarked for missions.
  • Encourage our missionaries with emails, personal notes, or even a video chat.
  • Spend time learning about our missionaries by scrolling through the different missionaries and organizations listed below, or by visiting the hallway near the front entrance.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer or support world missions, please fill out this form.

←Other opportunities to serve

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    Eli & Marcia Beltran
    Heart of Illinois Youth for Christ

    Eli is the Ambassador for Youth for Heart of Illinois Youth for Christ. His focus is on pastor and church relations, mentoring and resourcing the local staff, and donor relations. He is also available to partner with YFCI/Americas, representing Heart of Illinois YFC in Latin America whenever needed.

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    Mark & Deb Borland
    Wycliffe Bible Translators

    Mark and Deb serve in Orlando, Florida, at Wycliffe USA’s Mobilization Center. Mark is a Partnership Development Coach/Trainer and Technology Consultant. Deb is the Senior Director of Development/Orientation/Training. Together they enjoy training and encouraging Wycliffe colleagues who are serving all over the world.

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    Norman & Gwen Bowman
    Global Outreach International

    Norman and Gwen have served in Barcelona, Spain, since 1982. They have led and taught worship, music, and prayer at Bible colleges, youth retreats, and leadership seminars in Spain, Ukraine, and Romania. They mentor leaders who plant churches, start youth ministries, and lead restoration ministries and prayer initiatives. The Bowmans reach out to the poor of their community and regularly care for immigrants of other faiths. Their gifting, calling, and passion is to communicate the gospel effectively to the postmodern and multicultural peoples of Spain.

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    Ethan & Amanda Brown
    Reformed University Fellowship

    Contact Ethan & Amanda

    Ethan is a pastor serving the University of Illinois with RUF, the PCA’s denominational campus ministry. Following college graduation, he served as an RUF intern at Duke University. In 2018, the Browns moved to Charlotte, NC, where Ethan attended Reformed Theological Seminary. In 2021, the Browns moved to Champaign-Urbana to start a new chapter of RUF at the University of Illinois. Ethan loves getting to know students and helping them get to know King Jesus.

    Please Pray:

    • That RUF would increasingly come to be known as “a community that prays.”
    • That their outreach efforts would be effective, and that many new students would plug into RUF so that they would be equipped for a lifetime of following Jesus and serving the Church.
    • That God would send out RUF students in the future to be faithful workers in God’s harvest (as pastors, missionaries, counselors, teachers, mothers, fathers, and leaders in whatever field God calls them to enter).
    • For their children Judah, Ellis, and Ezra.
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    Brian & Karen Cordes
    Child Evangelism Fellowship — Camp Good News

    Brian is working with CEF Camp Good News as the camp’s Facilities Manager. He is part of the full-time missionary staff that welcomes summer campers and year-round retreat groups to enjoy meeting their Creator in a natural setting. Over the years hundreds of kids have found Jesus as their Savior and grown in Him through the ministry of Camp Good News.

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    Josh & Alissa Crooks
    Teach Beyond

    Josh and Alissa are serving missionaries at the Black Forest Academy in Germany by providing a healthy, Christ-centered environment, and excellent education for their children. Josh's tasks in the Advancement Department include helping with staff recruitment, student enrollment, partnerships, and alumni relations through web content creation and photo/video production. He also is an assistant teacher in the Yearbook class.

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    Mark & Kris Crooks
    The Evangelical Alliance Mission

    Mark and Kris have been church planters in Venezuela and Italy and are now leading TEAM’s missionary work in North America (NAMA). NAMA was born to help the Church bring gospel transformation to the ever increasing diverse and post-Christian culture that we live in. Currently there are 15 missionary families working across the U.S. and Canada that Mark is overseeing. Kris serves the missionary ladies in NAMA and is involved in our local church's ESL outreach to Muslim refugee ladies.

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    Mel & Amy Ellenwood
    Josiah Venture

    Josiah Venture’s mission is to equip young leaders to fulfill Christ’s commission through the local church in central and Eastern Europe. Mel serves as executive vice president of JV. He and Amy work alongside over 300 leaders in thirteen central and eastern European countries to shepherd, train, and give direction as this movement takes on momentum. They train and disciple young leaders, and they teach and coach the leadership teams in each of the countries where Josiah Venture is serving.

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    Noah & Jill Ellenwood
    Josiah Venture

    Josiah Venture’s mission is to equip young leaders to fulfill Christ’s commission through the local church in Central and Eastern Europe. Noah and Jill serve in the capital city of Montenegro, a country with only 4 registered Evangelical Christian churches, and less than 150 national believers in Jesus. They are engaging full-time in contact ministry, street evangelism, language learning, and building relationships with local churches. They are seeking to make disciples of Jesus in Montenegro who are trained, equipped, and sent out into their communities to make more disciples of Him. They are praying to see God transform this small nation through this next generation of spiritual leaders!

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    Phil & Tracy Ennis
    OMF International

    Contact Phil & Tracy

    The Ennis family lives in Virginia, and they “preach the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8) among a Central Asian unreached people group.  They do this through many activities including: their daughter learning their traditional dance and taking piano lessons from a Central Asian woman; Phil selling camel milk and saffron, preaching at a small Asian fellowship quarterly, and writing articles on gospel reconciliation; attending Central Asian holiday events and gatherings, building friendships, discipling believers, networking, hosting dinners, and helping with practical needs. 

    Please pray:

    • For many of their friends who have had a lot of seeds planted but still have yet to see the fullness of the gospel and trust in Jesus.
    • For the few Central Asian believers to grow strong and bold in their faith in Jesus.
    • For the gospel to transform marriages, families, and the community into a place of grace, peace, and hope.
    • For continued financial provision in a very expensive part of the U.S.
    • For their children Bridgette and Collin as they continue to be homeschooled.
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    Paul & Nanci Erkert
    Wycliffe Bible Translators

    Paul and Nanci serve at the Wycliffe-JAARS center in North Carolina. Paul is a media resource developer, creating multi-media translation aids for national Bible translators. Nanci is a counselor in Wycliffe’s counseling department, helping people at the Wycliffe-JAARS center and around the world by Skype. She also supervises interns from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary who are counseling incarcerated women.

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    Kermit & Katrina Forseth
    Child Evangelism Fellowship of Illinois

    Katrina is the state director of Child Evangelism Fellowship of Illinois. Her responsibilities include the supervision of all CEF staff, six local chapter committees, Camp Good News, and the volunteers who make the ministry to children possible. She is also involved in pioneering new areas in Illinois helping to establish additional CEF local chapters and missionaries serving in the field of Illinois. CEF ministries include after-school Good News Clubs, summer 5-Day Clubs, and several other children’s ministry outreaches held throughout the state reaching over 8,000 children annually with the gospel here in Illinois. Katrina is also the host of CEF’s new weekly radio program called, “Telling Future Generations,” on Sunday mornings on WPEO AM 1020. The purpose of CEF is always threefold: to evangelize boys and girls with the gospel message, to disciple them in God’s Word, and to establish them in a local, Bible-believing church for further Christian growth and spiritual living.

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    Nate & Roxy Frantz
    Campus Outreach

    Contact Nate & Roxy!

    For the last 12 years, Nate and Roxy have evangelized, discipled, and equipped students at four universities in Illinois through Campus Outreach. The Frantzes moved to Athens, Greece, in the summer of 2023, to start a college ministry through the evangelical church there. They are thrilled to launch this new ministry and come alongside the evangelical church in a country where the number of evangelical Christians is less than 1% of the population.


    Please Pray:

    • For their language and cultural adjustment,
    • For clarity on how best to start a college ministry.
    • For the strengthening of the local evangelical church in Athens.
    • For their children Darcy, Daxon, Declin, and Dawson
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    Pablo & Rosa Gallego
    Partners in Evangelism International

    Contact Pablo & Rosa

    Since 2015, the Gallegos have dedicated themselves to the ministry of planting a new church in the north central part of Malaga, Spain, where there are no evangelical churches. In September 2021, they opened a church and for the moment, they meet in the hall of a hostel. The Word, prayer, and fellowship are priorities in their church life, showing God’s love and trying to be salt and light in their community.

    Please Pray:

    • That more friends and contacts receive the gospel and Christ personally.
    • That more people join the church.
    • That they can find a suitable place to meet and that the church continues to grow and serve the community.
    • For their children, Yoel and Lidia.
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    Jamie & Jackie Gildard
    Mission to the World (PCA)

    Contact Jamie & Jacki

    The Gildards are part of a church-planting team in the growing aerospace technology corridor west of Toulouse, France. They are building relationships, sharing the good news of Christ, and encouraging evangelism and leadership among French Christians. There is searching among the French, and a void in their hearts that only Christ can fill.

    Please pray:

    • For Jamie’s work in helping to train future leaders in their church.
    • For Jamie and Jacki’s evangelism work with friends, neighbors, and contacts.
    • Very few people in France have any idea of what the Gospel is.
    • For their children Rebecca, Jimmy (Paxton), Owen (Karen), and Angelle.
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    Avery Gutwein
    ReachGlobal

    Contact Avery

    Avery is passionate about sharing Jesus with others and ending sexual exploitation. She joined the ReachGlobal Berlin, Germany, City Team in the fall of 2022. While in Berlin, Avery is learning the beautiful German language and supporting local anti-forced prostitution ministries. She is also part of a German-led church plant in her cute neighborhood of Berlin.

    Please pray:

    • For wisdom, favor, and unity for her church planting team.
    • For women in forced prostitution and specifically the ones they are reaching out to in their online outreach. Please pray for hope, healing, and freedom (spiritual and physical) for them.
    • For blessing, wisdom, and needed resources (monetary, staff, etc.) for the anti-forced prostitution ministries in Berlin.
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    Mark & Karen Heintzman
    The Navigators

    Contact Mark & Karen 

    Mark and Karen train, coach, and mentor Regional Directors and Campus Directors who are ministering with The Navigators on college campuses across the United States. Mark and Karen’s central focus is to help these key leaders sharpen their skills to raise up men and women who love Jesus – Christ-followers who are living out their faith on campus, in the workplace, in the church, and on the mission field. 

    Please pray:

    • For wisdom and discernment to coach and shepherd the staff well.
    • For strong teams of interns at key campuses across the country.
    • For fruitful collaboration with their partners in Hungary, Mexico, and England.
    • For Mark, Karen, and their family to be filled with all hope, peace, and joy as 
      they serve God.
    • For their children Benjamin, Maggie, Callie, and Luke.
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    Mark & Karen Heintzman
    The Navigators

    Contact Mark & Karen 

    Mark and Karen train, coach, and mentor Regional Directors and Campus Directors who are ministering with The Navigators on college campuses across the United States. Mark and Karen’s central focus is to help these key leaders sharpen their skills to raise up men and women who love Jesus – Christ-followers who are living out their faith on campus, in the workplace, in the church, and on the mission field. 

    Please pray:

    • For wisdom and discernment to coach and shepherd the staff well.
    • For strong teams of interns at key campuses across the country.
    • For fruitful collaboration with their partners in Hungary, Mexico, and England.
    • For Mark, Karen, and their family to be filled with all hope, peace, and joy as 
      they serve God.
    • For their children Benjamin, Maggie, Callie, and Luke.
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    Tom & Lisa Horn
    The Navigators

    Tom and Lisa serve with The Navigators, and are based in Denver, Colorado, although they spend much of the year in the Asia/Pacific region. NavMissions: Together they are Regional Representatives (pastoral care function) for 38 staff that serve in 8 countries: Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Cambodia, Nepal and India. Nations Within: Tom supervises staff in Texas who work with immigrants. Discipling for Development: Lisa is an International Mentor working with the staff in Atlanta, GA, (working with refugees) and the staff in the Philippines (working among the poor).

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    Josh & Lisa Inman
    Global Hope Network International

    Josh and Lisa serve with Global Hope Network International. They are the Resource Team Leaders for GHNI’s Southeast Asia Transformational Community Development projects. Transformational Community Development workers seek to help villagers reach sustainability in the areas of water, food, income, wellness and education through 3-5 year projects among unreached people groups. Currently working with projects in Indonesia and Myanmar, they hope to expand Global Hope Network’s efforts into more countries and villages in Southeast Asia. After living in Thailand for five years, Josh suffered a brain injury and they have had to return to the U.S. for therapy since 2016. They will be traveling to Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia from the U.S. while awaiting God's timing to go back overseas full-time.

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    Mike & Stacey Jackson
    Your Jerusalem

    Contact Mike & Stacey

    Mike is the director of Your Jerusalem, an organization to help churches spark a sustained movement of evangelism by equipping Christians to evangelize their friends. His thirty years of experience as a campus minister and his training as an ICF-certified coach help individuals address the lack of evangelism in their lives and mature through the process. Mike believes the gospel changes lives, families, churches, cities, and nations.  

    Please pray:

    • For many churches to request the training that Mike offers, and for many to address the barriers that keep them from sharing their faith.
    • For fruit from this ministry: overcoming barriers, Christians maturing in their faith, churches fostering a culture of evangelism, and non-believers hearing the gospel and placing their trust in Christ.
    • For his wife Stacey and their children Knox and Katie-Beth.
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    Rodrigo Jimenez
    Campus Outreach SERVE

    Contact Rodrigo

    Rodrigo was raised as a Mormon, but thanks God that in his freshman year of college, he met Kike and Aniel, both Campus Outreach staff. They worked with him for a year to help him understand the gospel. But the most impactful thing to him was going to the New Year’s Conference and Summer Mountain Project in 2018, where he finally understood the gospel and surrendered to Jesus. He now is working with Campus Outreach trying to share the gospel with other college students at the university where he was a student in Guadalajara, Mexico. 

    Please pray:

    • For this school year to be fruitful with plans to reach out to students and deepen relationships.
    • That God prepares students’ hearts to receive the gospel.
    • God continues using their team as instruments of grace to others.
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    Chase & Alisha Johnson
    SERGE

    Chase and Ailisha (Sha) lead a team of six that works alongside several indigenous ministries/projects based in the university town of Cluj, Romania. These include a university student ministry, a publishing house, a mission to addicts, a local adaptation of Serge’s Sonship discipleship course, and a Montessori elementary and middle school. Chase and Sha also assist local believers working among students and professionals within the Cluj theatre community.

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    Ben & Sheri Johnston
    Subiaco Church

    Ben and Sheri Johnston were sent out from Grace Presbyterian Church in October 2012 to pastor Subiaco Church in Perth, Australia. Western Australia is a needy mission field for the gospel and offers many opportunities for evangelism, discipleship, and church growth. As lead pastor, Ben works with a great young staff to make disciples. With members from approximately 40 nations, Subiaco Church is in the unique position of influencing a new generation of international leaders. You can view a video stream of Ben’s sermons on the church’s website at www.subiacochurch.com.

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    Jason & Abbie Keel
    CRU — Bridges International

    The Keels are on staff with Cru in the Atlanta area. Abbie serves as the Director of Training for the US National MPD (Ministry Partner Development) Team. In her role, she oversees all of Cru’s national trainings related to support raising and finances in order for all staff and interns to be fully funded, Christ-centered laborers, focused on their mission. Jason is on staff with Cru Church Movements. Jason trains church leaders and laypeople how to be multiplying disciples. The goal is transformative, multiplying churches in every segment of the city that communicate and demonstrate the gospel to every person so that every man, woman, and child would know the gospel and experience the love of Jesus Christ.

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    Zach & Citlali Kempf
    Campus Outreach SERVE

    Zack and Citlali work with CO Serve and the local church in Guadalajara, Mexico, where less than 1% of the population know Jesus. They are laboring to reach college students with the Gospel and to disciple them and get them connected to the local church.

    Please pray:

    • For God to transform Guadalajara and the whole "Circle of Silence" region through the Gospel.
    • That God would save many people in Mexico and raise them up as laborers for the kingdom.
    • For their children Zami and James to know the Lord.
    • For continued financial and prayer support.
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    Jay & Nancy Klopfenstein
    T-Net International

    Jay serves as president of T-Net International, which seeks to train and equip pastors and leaders around the world to finish the Great Commission. Currently T-Net is in 28 countries and has about 30 staff in North America, Africa, and SE Asia. There are nearly 6,000 pastors in training and hundreds of training centers globally. Unique features of T-Net are the ability to offer accredited bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees and the establishing of indigenous led and funded organizations in each of the countries where it ministers. Jay leads the staff, sets vision, raises institutional funds, teaches and trains, coaches, and explores new countries for service.

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    Scott & Rachel Kramer
    Hands of Love Ministry

    Scott and Rachel minister through Hands of Love Ministry, based in Central Illinois, whose outreach includes RiverLife Gospel cruises aboard the Spirit of Peoria riverboat, as well as music and speaking ministry throughout the United States and internationally. Rachel leads a local women’s community Bible study. Scott produces and co-hosts the ministry’s weekly syndicated radio program and produces the ministry's CD and DVD projects.

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    Stephen & Courtney Lawrence
    Presbytery of Northern Illinois

    Stephen is the pastor of the PCA church plant effort in Springfield, Illinois, that is backed by the Presbytery of Northern Illinois, with Grace Presbyterian serving as the lead church. Stephen joined the Grace staff as a pastoral intern in May 2018. He previously served for seven years as a campus minister with Campus Outreach at Bradley University. He recently finished up his theological degree at Covenant Theological Seminary and has been serving the church through missional outreach in the community. Stephen is passionate about equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and seeing gospel multiplication occur. He is married to Courtney and they have a three-year-old daughter, Layla, and a baby boy, Dane. They have transitioned onto the mission field this past summer and have begun the pioneering efforts of starting a church.

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    Dan & Carol Learned
    Youth for Christ — Peoria Area

    Youth For Christ/USA was in 123,955 authentic Christ-sharing relationships (ACSR’s) with lost teens last year! In Central Illinois they were in 556 ACSR’s (Do you remember what an ACSR is?). They want to grow that number significantly this year. Dan leads the Central Illinois team of 187 leaders toward lost teens as they build partnerships with schools and other places where teens gather, so that they can display the truth of Jesus Christ.

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    Wes & Janelle Learned
    Heart of Illinois Youth for Christ

    Wes and Janelle direct Campus Life at Normal West High School. They lead a team of adults, committed to coming alongside young people and meeting them where they are. They seek to help young people navigate the pivotal years of high school, uncovering God’s story of hope in their lives.

    Please pray:

    • That the team would grow! That God would call committed adults into authentic Christ-sharing relationships with teens.
    • That students would be receptive to and transformed by the truth of the gospel.
    • For their family to keep receiving God’s grace as they love each other.
    • For their children Jack and Ransom.
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    Jon & Cassie Mahan
    Campus Outreach

    Jon and Cassie serve with Campus Outreach in Guadalajara, Mexico. They are seeking to evangelize and disciple college students from various places in Mexico who come to Guadalajara to study. They also desire to enfold them into the local church, called “Cristo Redentor,” and to develop them as future leaders for the next generation.

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    Bob & Disha Moreau
    Devon Oasis

    Bob and Disha live in Chicago and are serving immigrants and refugees through teaching English, helping with adjustments to American culture, and developing organic relationships. They also serve in their home church with the audio-visual technical team and prison ministry. Bob has completed a Radio and TV Production course at Illinois Media School. Disha is directing the ESL ministry at The Moody Church.

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    Ron & Pam Morton
    Word of Life Fellowship

    Ron and Pam have been with Word of Life International since 1982. Since 1997 Ron has been the international ministries project coordinator. He provides strategic assistance by helping mobilize short-term work teams and procuring much-needed equipment and resources. He also supervises some of these teams in traveling to mission areas to do construction projects.

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    Ben & Lindsey Newton
    Novo

    Ben and Lindsey are currently back in the US after serving in E. London engaging their neighbors with the gospel and helping local churches be the Good News in the predominantly Bangladeshi Muslim neighborhood in which they lived.

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    Wachira & Glenda Ngamau
    Pan African Christian Exchange

    Wachira serves as the Executive Director of Pace Ministries. His work incorporates visionary leadership style, capacity building among staff, financial accountability to the board and the local government, fund raising, partnership development, recruiting of teams, and spiritual development of those in the PACE community. Glenda serves as the coordinator of community outreach.

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    Jeremy & Christy Otten
    World Venture

    Jeremy and Christy are newly appointed with World Venture, preparing for overseas service in theological education and counseling ministries. Currently, Jeremy is completing his doctorate at Wheaton College while working on the pastoral staff at College Church in Wheaton. Christy is working as a counselor at a local practice, and is finding many opportunities to work with missionaries on furlough. 

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    Josh & Julie Parr
    The Navigators — Collegiate Mission

    Josh and Julie Parr serve on staff with the Collegiate Navigators at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. They help direct student outreach among a diverse student body. The calling of The Navigators is “To advance the gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of laborers living and discipling among the lost.” Their desire is to spread the gospel of Jesus among the nations through developing laborers on the college campus.

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    Susan Perlman
    Jews for Jesus

    Susan is one of the founders of the largest Jewish mission agency in the world. With mission centers in 13 countries and 25 cities, Jews for Jesus makes the messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to Jews worldwide. Susan is not only trained as a missionary, but provides oversight for the communications aspects of Jews for Jesus including publications, evangelistic literature, multimedia, evangelistic ads, and interviews in the secular media. She also serves as the second in charge to their executive director, David Brickner. She also put together an adult coloring book, The Glory of the Messiah, with Bethany House Publishers. It focuses on messianic prophecy (Old Testament verses with New Testament fulfillment).

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    Ted & Ann Powers
    Mission to North America (PCA)

    Ted is the church planting coordinator for Mission to North America (PCA), and also the denomination’s Midwest regional coordinator. He assists in planting and vitalizing churches. In the Midwest Region he serves in a resourcing, recruiting, and training capacity. Ted and his staff sponsor training events and conferences on topics of interest for church planters, as well as serve as a resource to them in a variety of areas. He also oversees the assessment process and coaching for church planters.

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    Michael & Leslie Rebholz
    CRU — Athletes in Action

    Athletes In Action’s dream is to see Christ-followers on every team, every sport, and in every nation. It has been a year full of new opportunities they never imagined! Mike and Leslie will serve in Leadership Development and Human Resources – Mike has stepped up to be the Co-Interim Director. Leslie has taken the role of New Staff Ministry Partnership Development Coordinator in addition to being a support coach.

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    Gary & Marilyn Reedy
    EFCA ReachGlobal

    Contact Gary & Marilyn

    Gary and Marilyn serve in Ames, Iowa, where they minister to international students at Iowa State University. They seek to meet students’ practical needs and develop friendships in which they can share the gospel. In addition, Marilyn serves on the ReachGlobal English Teaching Ministry Resource Team that provides training and develops curriculum for churches stateside and missionaries overseas who teach English as an outreach ministry. The Reedys will be officially retiring from ReachGlobal at the end of 2024. They will continue in ministry as retired staff.

    Please pray:

    • For the Lord’s guidance as they connect with internationals in a variety of ways.
    • For continued spiritual growth for internationals who have come to Christ.
    • For Marilyn and her team to have wisdom as they teach online courses and 
      prepare resources to support those who teach English as a ministry.
    • For God’s hand on the lives of their adult children Anna and Benjamin (Jooyeon), and granddaughter Louisa.
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    Geordon and Marilyn Rendle
    Youth For Christ United Arab Emirates

    Welcome our new GPC global partner family, Geordon and Marilyn Rendle. We have enjoyed hearing him at our Global Impact Celebration a few times, and now Geordon and Marilyn get to be a part of our Grace family of global partners. We're thrilled to welcome them. Here is a description of their ministry, straight from them: "Our ministry is multi-faceted and GLOCAL (global and local). As the National Director for YFC UAE, Marilyn seeks to partner with the body of Christ, empower teenagers, and serve the community/country, reaching more than 600,000 teens of this nation with the message of hope in Christ. A significant strategy for activating this plan is uniting youth leaders. Once a month, we gather leaders via Zoom for prayer, training and fellowship. Geordon's ministry includes speaking, teaching, and coaching both in Christian and government settings. Both of us spend significant time counseling and mentoring missionary families and leaders, helping them with personal concerns, as well as with challenges such as engaging with ministry partners, schools, pastors, etc. The ultimate objective in every one of these outputs is that teens and their families would find salvation in Christ and that communities would be transformed through the Gospel."

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    Jim & Linda Rinella
    The Navigators

    Jim helps to direct training for young staff on campuses across the nation for The Navigators. He is also the Campus Director for the Navs at Colorado State University. The Rinellas share the gospel with college students and help young Christians grow through Bible studies and one-on-one discipling. Jim also enjoys speaking at conferences for college students.

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    Steve and Katie Ringelspaugh
    Beautiful Redemption

    Contact Steve & Katie!

    Steve leads a network of over 200 responding churches in the Colorado area that are aligned to serve child welfare agencies in the area through their technology platform called CarePortal. The Colorado churches can simply respond to kids in crisis through CarePortal, and the church has collectively served over 22,000 kids in the last few years!

    Please Pray:

    • That they can spread to surrounding counties in the Denver area so they can serve more children.
    • For support for their church network through adding churches and strengthening existing ones.
    • For their children, Judah and Zoey.
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    Jeff & Jean Ringenberg
    Youth for Christ — Peoria

    Contact Jeff and Jean!

    Jeff serves the Kingdom effort at HOIYFC in development and legacy giving ministry. YFC continues to trust the Lord to raise the financial and people resources needed to provide sustainable, fruitful ministry.

    Please Pray:

    • For God’s people to find joy in their stewardship through generous and tax-wise giving to Church and Kingdom causes.
    • For continued favor from those in positions that permit access to youth in detention centers, facilities, and schools.
    • For new, young believers in the detention centers to make significant life changes.
    • For teens. Many are discouraged, lonely, and depressed.
    • That many will say “yes” to Jesus.
    • For YFC leaders to pursue authentic, Christ-sharing relationships with lost teens.
    • For their children Amy (Marcus), Laura (Tom), Katie (Bill), and eleven grandchildren.
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    Gary & Judy Roseboom
    Rural Home Missionary Association

    Contact Gary & Judy

    As Associate Director (Gary) and Bookkeeper (Judy), they work at the Morton, Illinois, home office to help oversee and coordinate various ministries. He is also involved in the day-to-day care of the missionary family. RHMA missionaries go into small towns and rural areas across America to plant new churches and restart dying ones.

    Please pray:

    • For Adam Kipp, their new Executive Director, as he takes the reigns of leadership.
    • For a renewed emphasis on church planting in rural America. Much of their work in recent years has been in strengthening existing churches.
    • For wisdom in how to best encourage, equip, and care for the missionary family across rural America–some in very discouraging and isolated places.
    • For their children Laura (Ian), Elizabeth (Dave), Adam (Allison), and eleven grandchildren (ages 14-24).
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    Sheridan
    Arabian Peninsula

    Sheridan is getting ready to return to the Middle East long-term! She just completed her training with her sending organization, and she’s now shifting gears to support raising. She is also working full-time with a company that is very supportive of her return to the Middle East to serve the Lord. After another 6-12 months, Sheridan will be able to take her work back to the field with her, giving her much-needed legitimacy among the people she will serve. She is also taking time to grieve in the wake of her mother’s death in July, after caring for her for the past two years during her battle with dementia.

    Please pray:

    • For God to provide all support needs in His timing.
    • For direction, that Sheridan will keep her focus on a return to the field while also grieving well.
    • That Sheridan’s work will continue to be supportive of her long-term goals and that her relationship with the company will remain strong.
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    Chase & Jess Smith
    Campus Outreach

    Contact Chase & Jess.

    Chase, Jessica, their son, Bennet, and soon to be twin girls Jaclyn and Jordyn, work on campus at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with Campus Outreach. They have been on staff with CO for just over 7 years and are entering their 4th year at WMU. This semester their focus is first to share the gospel broadly with many students. Secondly, they are focusing on reaching Greek life (fraternities and sororities) with the gospel. These organizations tend to be places where most ministries won’t go and are often left untouched by the gospel.

    Please pray:

    • That their team would have favor on the campus and form many friendships that would lead to gospel conversations.
    • That many fraternity guys would put their faith in Christ for the first time this fall!
    • That many Greek life students would commit to intentionally grow in their faith this year.
    • For their son Bennett and twin daughters due this fall.
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    Martin & Dana Smith
    Intervarsity Christian Fellowship

    Martin is area director for InterVarsity in western and central Illinois. He oversees the IV chapters at seven campuses: Millikin University and Richland Community College in Decatur, Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan Universities in Bloomington, Bradley University in Peoria, Knox College in Galesburg, and Augustana College in Rock Island. He is also the supervisor for five staff and many volunteers.

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    Joel & Stephanie Swanson
    Mission to the World (PCA)

    Joel is currently interning with a French pastor in the small town of Le Vigan in the Cevenes mountains to grow in his understanding of their partner denomination and to improve his French. He serves the church in evangelism, discipleship, prayer meetings, a Bible study, and in creating a website. He is also continuing his weekly French class. Stephanie handles much of the English-language part of their ministry, freeing Joel to focus on working in French. They enjoy loving and raising their growing one-year-old Pascal. They have moved to Toulouse to help their team plant a church in concert with French pastors, and to revitalize the existing downtown church.

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    Bill & Sue Tell
    The Navigators

    Bill now serves as national staff development specialist, his dream job of mentoring the next generation of leaders in the New Testament-helping them understand it right so they can live it right, and then pass it on to the next generation right. Sue now serves with the Encore mission of The Navs. She writes a weekly devotional blog to encourage women along their faith journeys: Echoes of Grace. She also enjoys facilitating Sabbath-Living retreats that help women listen well to God. Bill and Sue both write regular blogs encouraging their readers to live in the freedom of the gospel. Bill's Laying It Down, can be found at billtell.com. Sue's Echoes of Grace, is at suetell.com. In the next 2-3 years, Bill will travel eight different times to Europe, Africa, Singapore, and Indonesia to bring the message of grace to the leadership of Trans World Radio. Sue partners with Trueface ministries serving as adjunct faculty for the High Trust Leadership program, leading small groups of women through this online course on living out the gospel of grace.

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    Mike & Kathy Uno
    CRU City (A Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ)

    Mike and Kathy have joined Cru City, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ which is focused on reaching cities both here as well as internationally. They are currently working in the Greater Peoria area focusing on reaching internationals, immigrants, and refugees. Their desire is to reach out into these target groups through events and activities that both meet their physical needs as well as lead to conversations about the gospel of Jesus Christ and to help develop disciples from these three groups who can continue to have an impact into their specific cultural group. They are also directing the new ESL ministry at Grace.

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    Lisa Velpel
    Child Evangelism Fellowship of Illinois

    Contact Lisa.

    Lisa helps coordinate volunteers for the office special projects as well as doing some behind-the-scenes work so that field ministry and events can happen. When she is not doing behind-the-scenes work, she helps teach Good News Clubs during the school year and  5-Day Clubs during the summer. She also passionately leads a Moms in Prayer group for the moms of Glen Oak Learning Center and other local elementary school students.

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    Tomas & Melody (Walker) Vidal
    Multiply

    Tomas and Melody serve at the Matthew Training Center in Guadalajara, Mexico, which hosts discipleship programs that serve as transcultural experiences living in community, making disciples as Jesus did. It also serves as a retreat center for church events. Tomas now preaches online for churches and youth groups, and is learning the ropes of becoming the director at MTC.

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    Nelly Vos
    Mission to the World (PCA)

    Nelly works with a Protestant Reformed Evangelical denomination in France as the Coordinator of Evangelism through the Arts. She will be visiting most of the 30 churches and encourage them to be more pro-active in terms of reaching out to the French people, and specifically through the talents God has equipped them with. She is hoping to be very active in the six churches in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, helping in organizing concerts, photography exhibits, paint shows, and conducting creative workshops in relation with social justice and ethics.

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    Dean & Kim Waldenmaier
    Bridges International

    Dean and Kim minister at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dean leads and trains a team to evangelize and disciple international undergrads, especially Chinese students, while also discipling a group of young college guys. Kim leads a college women’s Bible study and assists with personal development for staff moms in their five-state region.

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    Gordon & Linda Warriner
    Black Buffalo Global Missions, Inc.

    Contact Gordon & Linda

    Gordon is responsible for carrying out the vision of the organization, primarily in Uganda, Africa. The Village of Joy has 12 classrooms, a library, a medical clinic, a cookhouse, a teacher residence, a children’s home, and new washrooms. They provide meals, an education for 400 children from pre-school to high school, medical care, a children’s home that now has 240 orphans, and daily chapel services.

    Please Pray:

    • For finances to be able to complete the high school, meet monthly budget, and for them to make yearly trips to Uganda.
    • For Linda and Gordon as Senior Pastors, ministering to “senior” members of their congregation in Kelowna, B.C.
    • For new monthly partners.
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    Megan Weeks
    TEAM

    Contact Megan

    Megan is serving with TEAM to provide special education services at Faith Academy in the Philippines.  She is serving in the elementary school division to teach, disciple, and care for students of missionaries.  By partnering with missionary families, she hopes to serve God’s Kingdom work in Southeast Asia.

    Please Pray:

    • For joyful dependence on the Holy Spirit in learning how to live in a new culture, work in a new environment, and be away from family and friends.
    • For wisdom and flexibility in collaborating with parents, other teachers, students, and staff to meet students’ various needs.
    • For the community of Faith Academy to continue to empower God’s Kingdom and create disciples.
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    Jonathan & Katie Welch
    Camp of Champions U.S.A.

    Contact Jonathan & Katie

    Jonathan, the Executive Director of Camp of Champions USA, is driven by a deep passion for guiding campers, families, and staff into transformative, gospel-centered experiences. He finds his greatest joy in crafting moments that not only deepen their connection to Christ but also inspire a profound love for His creation within the fun and safety of a Jesus-centered day camp.

    Please Pray:

    • That families in need are drawn to camp, where the relationships they build will powerfully connect campers, staff, and families to God’s love and grace.
    • For the 2025 summer staff, that they fully embrace the divine calling on their lives, stepping into the incredible opportunity to make disciples who make disciples.
    • For the camp and its church partners, that their partnership will impact eternity, by transforming the communities they serve for Christ.
    • For their children David and Addison and Jonathan’s parents Doug & Jeri.
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    Randy & Sandy Weyeneth
    The Navigators

    Contact Randy & Sandy

    The Weyeneths serve with The Navigators’ Encore Mission. They are involved with a personal discipling and counseling ministry helping people apply the gospel to daily life challenges. Sandy continues a long, very difficult health recovery journey from a host of major physical problems, plus severe burnout and related issues. 

    Please pray:

    • For complete healing of Sandy’s health.
    • For creative ways resulting in fruitful evangelism.
    • That God would transform lives through biblical marital counseling.
    • That hundreds of quality discipleship resources shipped overseas would change lives.
    • For their children Alicia, Mirachelle (Noah), Merrilee (Jason), and six 
      grandchildren.
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    John & Karen Winkelman
    CRU — FamilyLife

    Contact John & Karen

    John and Karen have served FamilyLife for 25 years. John guides and trains their staff as they learn Cru’s core distinctives and translates those to winning, building and sending people for Christ in the marriage and family sphere wherever they live. Karen serves in support of the FamilyLife Today broadcast team. They also serve on ministry prayer teams when opportunities become available.

    Please pray:

    • That each family member would seek God first and bring glory to Him in all that they do (school, ministry, relationships, etc.).
    • That God would equip them to balance their roles at FamilyLife, church, and home with wisdom and grace.
    • For wisdom as they honor, stay connected with, and care for their aging moms.
    • For their children Hannah (Andy), Mary, Grace (Josh), Kara, and six grandchildren.
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    Bill & Jackie Wright
    PowerQuest WorldWide

    Contact Bill & Jackie

    Bill and Jackie serve the Lord assisting missionary hospitals around the world.  Using his engineering background and experience, Bill formulates designs, sources equipment, and then installs appropriate technology and cost-effective systems such as medical gas, radiology, and alternative energy for the GLORY of God. Jackie is involved in Women’s Bible studies, mentoring a college student, and gardening. 

    Please pray:

    • For wisdom on how PowerQuest WorldWide can serve the missionary hospital community around the world.
    • For wisdom to know when international travel will be appropriate with scheduling projects once equipment is on site.
    • As they walk through these uncertain and unpredictable times, please pray they will walk in His peace as they trust Him for the future.
    • For provision for volunteers to assist in the installation of equipment.
    • For their children Brent (Meredith), Kari, and Janell, and three grandchildren. 
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    Siddhant & Beulah Yogi
    World Team

    Originally from India, the Yogis have been church planters in Trinidad among unreached people groups of south Asian origin since 1980, having been instrumental in starting five churches. He also trains, mentors, counsels, and disciples nationals. Beulah continues to facilitate women’s Bible studies, through which many have come to know the Lord. After six years of prayer and networking, they have started a new church in Corinth Hills in Trinidad.