Missionaries

Gene & Marilyn Ahrens North Carolina  
Gene and Marilyn serve at the JAARS Center with Wycliff Ministries. Currently they are serving in Papua New Guinea. There are managing the the Wycliffe Center there.

Ken and Connie Bott Pennsylvania
Ken and Connie work at the headquarters of Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) in Pennsylvania. Ken helps to manage the President’s office, coordinates the interaction of the President with different ministry divisions and serves the board group the President interacts with.

Dan and Kelly Cook Brazil
Dan and Kelly are serving with ABWE in Recife, Brazil. They are involved in leadership training for church planting movements and camp ministry. Kelly helps lead the greeter's ministry at Koinonia Baptist and also works with the couples ministry called Ankorados. Dan is the training coordinator for the Good Soil Project in Brazil which takes him all over Brazil for leadership training. He is also the director of Camp Paradise which is situated 50 km north of greater Recife. Cooks have three children.
Website

Kurt & Gail Dillinger LIFE International
Kurt Dillinger serves as President of LIFE International which is a evangelical Christian organization. Kurt travels globally to help establish and support Pregnancy Crisis Centers where abortion services are rendered. Kurt is passionate about fulfilling the great commission by entering the global mission field created by abortion. Kurt & Gail have three grown children.

Noah & Jen Filipiak Lansing, MI  
Noah and Jen are serving at Crossroads Church which ministers to local students and families who are unchurched and at-risk. They recently moved into a bigger building to accommodate their growing needs. Community Groups are meeting throughout the Lansing area for Bible discussion and prayer. Through these groups and relationships, people can connect and worship at Sundays gatherings.

Tim & Michele George Mozambique 
Tim and Michele are in Mozambique with Serving In Missions where they are involved in training national pastors with the Yao people. Tim and Michele have three young children and another one due in Feb 2012. Visit Tim and Michele's blog.

Antonio & Betty Gomez Mexico 
The Gomez Family lives in Torreon, Mexico. Antonio heads up the Spanish American Mission. They supervise and help with preaching and administration in other churches in the Torreon area. Antonio also oversees the school of special education. They have six grown children and four grandchildren.

Joel Groat Grand Rapids, MI
Joel serves as Director of Ministries for the Institute for Religious Research – a non-profit, non-denominational Christian ministry. Joel overseas both domestic and international ministry for IRR and travels globally, teaching and training pastors and leaders, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. Joel is passionate about fulfilling the great commission by equipping Christians to share and defend their faith, especially in response to the challenge of heretical groups like Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Joel and Lois are members of BHBC and have eight children.

Bob & Sandy Hanna Costa Rica 
Bob and Sandy serve with TEAM training leaders for the evangelical church. Their primary work is writing and publishing discipleship materials and study tools for pastors and students. Most recently they launched a website for training students. They have four children and one grandchild.

Jeff & Joyellen Hazard Kenya
The Hazards serve with Africa Inland Mission at Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya. Jeff is the Dean of Students and soccer coach. Joyellen does some coaching and teaches girls on Sundays.  They have three children. Blog

Jason & Lisa Hovingh Kenya 
Jason and Lisa serve with Heart of the Bride Ministries. HOB is a ministry working with  orphanages, preparing the children to become future Christian leaders among their own people. Jason and Lisa have three children.

Leland & Marcia Hovingh Grand Rapids, MI 
Leland and Marcia have served with Africa Inland Mission in Kenya since 1976. In April 2007 they returned home to Michigan. Now they are with AIM's African Ministries and working to establish relationship with Africans living in the Grand Rapids area.

Lauren and Ron Markel Kalamzoo, MI
For Lauren there is no greater joy than seeing people come to know the Lord and her passion is to be the mouthpiece for the gospel in the campus mission field. She is on staff with Inter-Varsity at WMU. She will be working with student leaders and coaching them as they reach their peers. With Ron alongside of Lauren, their desires to show college students that the things of this world will never satisfy but that there is one who can change their lives forever...Jesus!

Lisandro & Michele Montenegro Costa Rica 
Lisandro, a Costa Rican native, and Michele, originally from Indiana, serve with International Teams in San Jose. They are active in a disciple-making movement and training local youth workers. They have one child.

Bob & Patty Nosker Venezuela 
Bob and Patty have been working with the Pemon Indian Tribe of SE Venezuela since 1974. In 2005 Bob and Patty left Venezuela due to the political unrest and are now doing translation and teaching work with the Pemon via the internet. They continue to work with nationals, Pino and Rosa, helping them with evangelistic outreach.

Brian & Linsey Smith Wisconsin
Brian and Linsey are serving with Athletes in Action at the University of Wisconsin Madison. They are involved in discipleship, leading Bible studies, and organizing group outreach. Brian, grew up at BHBC and is one of the original Blythefield Basketball Assoication (BBA) founders. Brian and Linsey have two children.

Chad & Marlana Smith Guatemala
Chad and Marlana are serving with Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel (AMG). They have been working on several projects; one of which is developing a child protection to confront and prevent child abuse of every kind. The Smith's have four children.

Gaia Stenson Ann Arbor, MI
Gaia came to know the Lord while she was attending the youth group at BHBC. When she graduated from the University of Michigan Gaia returned to U of M to minister with New Life Church. She is currently discipling students leaders to in-turn share Jesus on campus.

Jonathan & Hannah Victor India
Jonathan and Hannah Victor are national missionaries with Bibles International and Baptist Mid-Missions. Jonathan works as a consultant checking Bible translations and takes part in translation workshops. Hannah teaches children in the local schools. They also have a Bible Study in their home. They have two children.

Josh and Sara Whitman Italy
Josh and Sara both grew up in Italy. After completing their studies in the States they returned to Italy in 2007. They want to increase the awareness of the need for Christ in Europe, especially Italy. They planted a church and are working with youth and have started outreach programs. They desire to train Italians to reach Italians. They have three children.

SHORT-TERM MISSIONARY
Jessica Gates Dominican Republic
Jessica grew up at BHBC and has lead two mission trips while in college at Bethel. She has a heart for missions and for the Dominican people. She is working through Students International, ministering to youth, particularly girls, by running sports clubs (baseball and volleyball). Her passion is to show girls their true identify in Christ.
Blog

SEMI-RETIRED MISSIONARIES
Ron & Rita Young Brazil
Ron and Rita are independent missionaries working with Igreja Batista Central Baptist Church in Fortaleza, Brazil, leading a Sunday morning program for older adults. They are also involved with counseling, and service projects.

Larry & Bev Smith Kettering, OH
Larry and Bev have been missionaries with ABWE since 1964 and have served the Lord in Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua and Canada. In mid 2007 they returned to the states for semi-retirement. They serving in a new ministry with ABWE in Cuba.