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a heart for the nat i ons global campuses updates mi ss i ons real i ty 2018 alumnus of the year wall of fa i thful stewards
A l e t ter f rom Don Lough, J r.
Since the inception of Word of Life, there has been a passion to reach young people around the world with the precious life-changing message of the Gospel. This issue of the Experience Magazine is on Global Impact, and we are highlighting the second-year students at Word of Life Bible Institute. Each student experiences missions personally through a trip that allows them to engage in ministry at a deeper level. The results often bring about radical impact. Many of these students make decisions to go even deeper through our two-year Cross Cultural Internship program, and some have become career missionaries. It is truly amazing to see what God is doing in these young lives! Perhaps you have always wanted to take part in a short-term missions program. We pray the enclosed articles will challenge you, and, if God leads, we encourage you to contact us and find out how you can be a part of a life-changing short-term missions opportunity! We are excited about all that God is doing in this ministry and we pray that as you sense God’s hand at work, you will be encouraged to participate with us in . . . Holding Forth the Word of Life. With a grateful heart, DON LOUGH, JR. (‘84) Execut ive Di rec tor
where are they now? Blast from the past Reverb hi story Alumni Gather ings alumni news
major contributors
Wr i ters – Don Lough, Jr., Todd Kinzer, Mark Strout, Mike Bush, Taylor Hurlbert Des i gner – Kortni Steltz Edi tor – Beth Black Di rec tor of Alumni Re l at ions – Mike Bush The Experience is a publication of Word of Life. We want to build a community where you can find longtime friends, share testimonies of what God has been doing, encourage others with stories of change, and learn how you, too, can be involved with the mission of Word of Life. ©Copyright 2018 — Word of Life Fellowship. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission.
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A Heart for the Nations BY DR. TODD KINZER
G od’s heart is for the nations! One of my first realizations of this truth was when I attended Word of Life Bible Institute as an 18-year-old student. It was there that God began to deepen my understanding of His love for me and for the world. As a young student of the Bible, I began to see that God’s heart for the lost on a global scale is a consistent theme throughout the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul emphasizes God’s global focus in his description of the Fall in Romans 5, where he writes that sin entered the world in a localized way (through one man) but that the implications of sin spread to the whole world (global). Thus, if God’s purpose in history is to glorify Himself by redeeming that which was lost (Luke 19:10), His focus must not be on one person, country, or people group but on the world globally. This global focus of God’s redemptive plan is on full display when God called Abraham and announced not only that he would be the father of a great nation but that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This global theme continues to develop through the key figure of Abraham and his children early in the Exodus narratives. As the Hebrews left Egypt following the miraculous plagues, a “mixed multitude” left with them (Exodus 12:38). No doubt these were Gentile Egyptians who had become convinced that Yahweh was indeed the true God. One of the primary roles of the emerging Jewish nation in the years to follow was to function as a light to the Gentile nations. According to the prophet, Isaiah, this function would find its perfect expression in the Messiah Himself, “The Servant,” who would serve as a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6). This similar phrasing occurs later in Isaiah, when the prophet writes, “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved one
of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Isaiah 49:6). It was this very passage that Paul and Barnabus quoted in Acts 13 during their first missionary journey. The gospel was making major inroads in Antioch in Pisidia, so much so, that Luke observes that the whole city came to hear Paul preach the gospel! However, the jealous response of the Jews and the opposition to the gospel that resulted led Paul to cite this passage from Isaiah and to announce that the light of their gospel ministry would shift from the Jews to the Gentiles. This paradigm change not only marks a key transition in the Book of Acts but also gave Paul’s ministry a much more global impact in the years that followed. The ultimate fulfillment of God’s global focus emerges in the brilliant worship scene in heaven in Revelation 5. The four living creatures and twenty-four elders worship the Lamb by proclaiming, “You are worthy to open the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation . . . .” This profound expression of worship is affirmed by believers numbering “ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands.” Truly God’s heart for the nations and the beauty of the gospel will be on full display on that day! These events naturally invite believers in the church today to evaluate the focus of their lives. Whether we’re a Bible teacher, a plumber, a housewife, or an engineer, do we share the same global focus as the Scriptures? Does our heart for the nations mirror that of God Himself? Is this reflected in our time, priorities, and finances? My prayer is that these comments will challenge, equip, and encourage us to live a life of global impact, a life that prioritizes the spread of the gospel . . . to the nations!
Dr. Todd Kinzer (‘98-99)
Dean of Students at the Word of Life Bible Institute New York Campus & Assistant Professor B.S. Baptist Bible College (2001) M.Div. Capital Bible Seminary (2004) Th.M. Capital Bible Seminary (2006) Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary (2017)
Executive Dean and Professor of Global Campuses Mark Strout (‘82)
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ONTARIO, CANADA 19 Students QUEBEC, CANADA 16 Students NEW YORK, USA 407 Students FLORIDA, USA 128 Students
JEJU, SOUTH KOREA 31 Students
TÓALMÁS, HUNGARY 54 Students KAMPALA, UGANDA 26 Students
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL 72 Students BELÉM, BRAZIL 41 Students RECIFE, BRAZIL 30 Students
Global Campuses
Accredited Bible Institutes Non-Accredited Bible Institutes Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
BY MARK STROUT
H ow many Word of Life Bible Institutes exist around the world? The official answer is 16! The first began in 1965 near São Paulo, Brazil, and the most recent campus opened near Kampala, Uganda, in the Fall of 2014. All of them offer the foundational one-year program with its unique emphasis on Study, Life, and Ministry (Know- Grow-Show). Some offer up to three additional years of Bible and ministry training. Of these 16 campuses, ten are more closely connected to one another due to their participation in the TRACS* accreditation recognition which the New York campus achieved in 1997. This recognition can be extended to the first-year programs of other Word of Life Bible Institute campuses that offer the same curriculum and that comply with accreditation standards. These campuses are formally known as Teaching Sites. So what are the benefits of this arrangement? They include accountability to educational standards of excellence, formal academic recognition, and
improved ministry alignment. This also enhances our ability to partner together on projects such as the annual Israel Study Tour and the publishing of books as well as the sharing of faculty, expertise, and other resources. Finally, it provides us with a great opportunity to model for our students a God- honoring spirit of partnership and cooperation. Recently, this was powerfully demonstrated in our first-ever Word of Life Bible Institute Global Chapel service which connected all ten campuses by VideoLink. The program included pre-recorded video updates from each campus, a time of prayer, and a devotional challenge from God’s Word. What an incredible experience it was to come before the Lord as one worldwide student body. Students were encouraged to see that they are part of a global family of young men and women who are investing a year or more of their lives to study God’s Word in a rigorous academic and immersive discipleship atmosphere to prepare themselves for a life of maximum impact for God’s glory!
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Missions Reality
BY TAYLOR HURLBERT
Students Sharing Across Borders Missions Reality is a semester long class that exposes students to God’s heart for the nations. Each spring, the Second Year class from the New York Bible Institute sets out on a ten- day adventure to discover what God is doing around the world. Before the boarding passes come out, students spend the semester preparing. They learn practical ministry skills, such as building a ministry team and sharing the Gospel across cultures, as well as experiencing all the prep work it takes to get a missionary on the field. Missions Reality is more than a class; it’s an eye-opening experience. For many students, this is the first opportunity they have to travel overseas and to see how the rest of the world worships. “ONE OF THE COOLEST EXPERIENCES I HAD WHILE I WAS THERE WAS WHEN WE WERE AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND HEARD THE PEOPLE SINGING PRAISE SONGS IN ZULU. I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, BUT I DID KNOW THAT THEY WERE LIFTING UP AND SINGING PRAISES TO OUR KING! IT JUST GAVE ME A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF HOW I THINK HEAVEN WILL BE ONE DAY, EVERY TONGUE, TRIBE, AND NATION, ALL COMING TOGETHER TO WORSHIP JESUS.”
Taylor Hurlbert (‘10)
Freelance Writer for Word of Life Marketing To learn more about life-changing short term mission trips: wol.is/studentfusion
Lindsey Schumaker (‘17-18) SOUTH AFRICA TRIP
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Chris Dreger (‘12-13) Assistant Dean of Men SOUTH AFRICA TRIP LEADER why we go With all the work that goes into sending 180 individuals around the world, all the money that needs to be raised, all the hours spent in the classroom, and all the visas, passports, and paperwork... is 10 days really worth it? Does Missions Reality really change anything? “WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT MINISTRIES THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN ALL YEAR, BUT TO ACTUALLY GO AND GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO APPLY WHAT ALL WE’VE BEEN LEARNING THROUGHOUT FIRST AND SECOND YEAR WAS SO AWESOME. IT SHOWED ME THAT ALL THE HARD WORK AND SCHOOLWORK I’VE DONE HAS ACTUALLY PAID OFF, AND I AM REMEMBERING ALL THAT I’VE LEARNED AND STUDIED!” On Missions Reality, students are asked to put all that knowledge into action. This missions experience helps create a better understanding of the physical and spiritual needs around the world and opens doors for future ministry opportunities. It gives students a taste of the reality of support raising and living abroad, as well as equipping them to better pray for and financially support real missionaries whom they have come to know and love. BROKEN WORLD FILLED WITH SIN, AND PHYSICAL POVERTY IS AN INDICATOR OF THE BROKENNESS OF THE WORLD. SECONDLY, INSTEAD OF QUESTIONING GOD’S GOODNESS AND HIS GRACE, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK FOR IT. WHAT IF GOD’S GRACE IS HIM ABUNDANTLY BLESSING US SO THAT WE MIGHT DISTRIBUTE OUR RESOURCES TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED?” Lindsey Schumaker (‘17-18) SOUTH AFRICA TRIP
breaking down walls Not only do these trips help create a bigger vision of how God is working, but they also create a connection between our American students and their brothers and sisters around the globe. For those who have never traveled outside the United States, Missions Reality plays a huge role in breaking down stereotypes and giving students a real, clear picture of what it looks like to be a part of the global Body of Christ. “WHAT SURPRISED ME MOST ON THIS TRIP WAS HOW MUCH HOSPITALITY WE RECEIVED. I WENT TO PARAGUAY, AND THE CULTURE ABSOLUTELY BLEW ME AWAY. EVERYWHERE WE WENT, WE WERE GREETED WITH KISSES AND LOVE. THE LOVE WE RECEIVED FROM COMPLETE STRANGERS IS SOMETHING I CAN’T FORGET.” In 2018, Second Year students could choose from trips to the Philippines, South Africa, Paraguay, Austria, Czech Republic, Quebec, Urban Missions, or Local Church Ministries. Each Missions Reality trip looks different, depending on the culture and Word of Life ministry in that particular country. While each team will return to New York with unique stories and experiences, each student will return with their own stories of how God worked through them using the unpredictable and unfamiliar. the learning never ends Each trip is led and supervised by Word of Life staff members who often come away from trips just as impacted as the Second Year students. “I LEARNED THAT GRACE DOES NOT ALWAYS LOOK LIKE THE WAY WE THINK IT SHOULD. WHEN YOU ARE CONFRONTED WITH PHYSICAL POVERTY ON A LARGE SCALE, IT’S EASY TO QUESTION GOD’S GOODNESS. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD REMIND US OF TWO REALITIES. FIRST, WE LIVE IN A Marley Slay (‘17-18) PARAGUAY TRIP
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Alumnus of the Year
DON LOUGH, JR. (‘84)
W ord of Life Bible Institute alumni all over the world have embraced the challenge of reaching this generation with the gospel of Christ. As a ministry, we take great joy in seeing students launched from this place, who, regardless of where they serve, are committed to fulfill their primary role as ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Each year we single out an alumnus to honor and, more importantly, to present to you as a prime example of what God can do in and through a life that is yielded to Him. This year’s Alumnus of the Year graduated from the Bible Institute in 1992 and later earned his Ph.D. at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. With a burden to see Muslims come to faith, he and his wife served for a period of time as missionaries in Southeast Asia. He later became the College Pastor at Homestead Heights in North Carolina. In December of 2001, this same church voted to call him as Lead Pastor of what was relaunched as The Summit Church. He immediately cast a vision to engage the Raleigh/Durham (RDU) area with the gospel. Under his pastoral leadership, Summit has become known for its gospel focus and sending culture. Considered one of the fastest growing churches in America, the church today ministers to 10,000 people every weekend in multiple locations. Over the last 10 years, the church has sent out more than 650 people to engage with church planting teams in North Carolina, across the United States, and around the world. He has authored a number of books and has a passion for preaching the Word of God. He and his wife, Veronica, are blessed with four “ridiculously cute kids” and live in Raleigh, North Carolina. J.D. was recently elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention.
J.d. Greear (‘92)
Pastor at The Summitt Church, B.A. Campbell University, Ph.D. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
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Wall of Faithful Stewards
BY DON LOUGH, JR. (‘84)
T he Word of Life ministry has been marked by the lives of so many faithful men and women who share a passion for reaching young people with the gospel of Christ. Reflecting back over the years of our rich heritage, there are certain individuals who literally embody the spirit and heart of what this ministry is all about. In short, they are “Word of Life”! We would like to recognize one such couple. It is biblical to honor and to appreciate those who serve the Lord with fruitfulness and faithfulness. The Apostle Paul writes in I Thessalonians 5:12-13, “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake . . .” Our 2018 inductees into Word of Life’s Wall of Faithful Stewards have been used of God to encourage and to influence lives in virtually every area of Word of Life for 53 years . . . 35 years as staff members.
wayne & ruthanne lewis
Whether it was serving as a missionary with Local Church Ministries or as leadership over Word of Life Canada, Camps, The Pines, the Bible Institute, this couple has invested their lives in a Hebrews 10:24 kind of work . . . “stirring up love and good works in others”. It is my honor and privilege to introduce to you two of my dearest friends and advisors as our newest inductees into Word of Life’s Wall of Faithful Stewards, Wayne and Ruthann Lewis.
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where are they now? BY MIKE BUSH (‘81)
Describe a highlight or two from your time on staff? When Connie was pregnant with our son, Stephen, Kay Butler, wife of MA Butler who worked with Bible Clubs at Headquarters, was also expecting. Marge Wyrtzen believed if pregnant gals ate a Chinese meal they would give birth shortly thereafter. Jack and Marge took all four of us out for a Chinese meal, and the next night both Connie and Kay had baby boys about 45 minutes apart at the Glens Falls Hospital. What were your ministry responsibilities after leaving Word of Life? After leaving Word of Life I became president of Citadel Bible College in Arkansas where I ministered for 13 years and then became pastor of Tulsa Bible Church. After that, I was involved in a counseling ministry for a number of years in private practice and on a church staff. I served as a hospice chaplain for four years. Where are you now and what are you currently doing? Currently I live in Greensboro, North Carolina, where I spend most of my time writing. I authored a book in 1981 entitled The Danger of Self-Love , which was published by Moody Press. I published a book in 2016 entitled Counterattack, Why Evangelicals Are Losing the Culture War and How They Can Win . I am currently working on a second edition of that book. I also post weekly to a blog at hopethatsreal.com. I offer a free book on the blog that I wrote related to the Rapture entitled This is the Generation . What words of encouragement and/or exhortation for our alumni? Continue your commitment to the Scriptures, and constantly seek to identify what it actually says, which may not correspond to the contemporary evangelical consensus.
an interview with paul brownback
Tell us about your immediate family. Connie and I currently live in Greensboro, North Carolina. Our daughter, Stephanie, and her family also live in Greensboro. Our son, Stephen, and his family live in Richmond. Steve attended the Bible Institute for two years. He was a dorm supervisor, was in charge of the counselors on The Island during the summer, and had a leading role in a couple of the plays for the Word of Life tours. Connie and I have four grandchildren. How did you get connected to Word of Life? I attended West Point. Jack Wyrtzen liked to have cadets involved in his rallies and invited me to participate in several. Connie and I were stationed in Germany when the Word of Life German quartet was starting their ministry. We got to know them, and Connie played the keyboard for their first recording in Frankfurt, Germany. During my last year in seminary, Jack invited me to start and head up the Bible Institute in Schroon Lake. What were your ministry responsibilities at Word of Life Bible Institute? Your wife’s? I was the first Dean of the Bible Institute when it opened in 1970 and was there through the 1974 school year. Connie was in charge of the music program, including training and leading the Collegians.
paul brownback
This picture is of Connie and me with our daughter and son, Stephanie and Stephen (‘97). They were both born in December, during snowstorms, while we were on staff at Word of Life.
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BY MIKE BUSH (‘81)
Mr. & Mrs. Bible Institute We met each other in February, 1968, at a Word of Life Bible Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which was a ministry of Tennessee Temple University. During the summers of 1968 and 1969 we worked together in the STC program at The Island. On May 22, 1970, we were married. We heard that Word of Life was starting a Bible Institute in September 1970, so we both applied and were accepted for the first class. In October, we were voted in as the class president (Mark) and class treasurer (Betty). It was enjoyable to plug into the program and all the activities the school had to offer. In May of 1971 the class voted us Mr. & Mrs. Word of Life Bible Institute. We accepted this trust and were honored to serve, represent the school, and give back all we could with our testimonies and time. In 1972, after serving as the business manager of the Bible Institute, Ranch, Ranger Camp, and Snowcamp, we moved back to Chattanooga. Mark started a construction business in the area. As the years went on, the Lord blessed our lives with 4 children (all grown and married) and 13 grandchildren. Other family members are also Word of Life Bible Institute alumni: Mark’s sister Dorothy Caye Cabeen Mitin (’71), our daughter, Mary Anna Cabeen Coleman (’97), her husband, Chris Colman (’88) and our daughter- in-law, Lynette Agee Cabeen (’92). We currently live in Ringgold, Georgia, and are members of Woodland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Mark & Betty Cabeen (‘71)
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Reverb History BY LOCAL CHURCH MINISTRIES STAFF
FOR OVER 30 YEARS REVERB HAS BEEN REACHING THOUSANDS WITH THE GOSPEL EVERY YEAR
REVERB USES THE POWER OF FUN TO BREAK DOWN WALLS AND THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL TO BRING STUDENTS TO JESUS
REVERBNIGHT.COM
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R everb is an all-night activity with one goal — sharing the gospel with unsaved students. It’s an awe-inspiring night that kicks off with a professional sports game and heart-pounding rally with prizes and games. Everything pauses for a clear gospel presentation and call to trust in Jesus. The rest of the night is filled with activities spread throughout great venues in the host city including sports complexes, bowling alleys, jump facilities and more. Reverb began as a Thingamajig which was a crazy gym night with a Gospel Rally. Bowling after midnight was added, and it became a Superbowl. In 1985, Area Missionary, Doug Bagg, added a Dallas Maverick’s game prior to the Gospel Rally, and then it was expanded to roller skating and a fun center along with all-you-can eat pizza and soda. The Mid-Atlantic staff ran the largest single Superbowl with the Philadelphia 76ers. 8,000 were in attendance. The Superbowl was renamed Reverb in 2014 as the purpose of the event is to have the gospel reverberate throughout local communities. Reverb now happens all over the East Coast. Due to the generosity of many donors, we were able to offer 624 scholarships to unsaved students so they could attend Reverb and hear the gospel. Word of Life has produced a video which shares the gospel, Experience Hope . This year at Reverb, we also challenged the Christian students present to share this video with their unsaved friends back at home. There were 4,217 views on the video during the Reverb season. So the gospel went out to the Reverb crowd as well as to unsaved friends of Reverb attenders who could not come. Please pray that these Christian students will continue having conversations with their friends so the gospel will reverberate throughout their neighborhoods. Pray for the churches as they follow up on these students who made decisions.
“MASON made a decision at Reverb 2015. He asked leaders to pray for his Mom and sister, Madison. The family had no church background so they were reluctant to accept invitations to church. At Reverb 2016, Mason’s sister, Madison, accepted Christ. Madison and Mason started attending youth group regularly that year. In August, Mason and Maddie with their Mom volunteered at VBS at the church. At that VBS their Mom became a believer. The church had its first teen-led service, and Mason preached sharing his testimony. God is using Reverb to reach students and adults!”
Reverb Testimony CHURCH IN RHODE ISLAND
2017 REVERBS
ATTENDANCE DECISIONS SCHOLARSHIPS 1,150 1,277
ROCHESTER, NY SPRINGFIELD, MA ALLENTOWN, PA LYNCHBURG, VA ORLANDO, FL KALAMAZOO, MI PROVIDENCE, RI BINGHAMTON, NY GLENS FALLS, NY ATLANTA, GA TOTAL
59 76 27 37 58 43 68 116 96 44 624
83 35 33 21 57
670 830
1,245 1,492 1,089 1,872 1,194 910 11,729
157 109 116 48 15 674
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Alumni gatherings
FOUNDERS BIBLE CONFERENCE
MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE
come see us at the alumni weekend
come see us at reverb
AT THE WORD OF LIFE LODGE WITH DR. JIM JEFFERY OCTOBER 5-8, 2018 DURING THE FALL FAMILY RETREAT
CITIES
DATES 11.2.18 11.2.18 11.2.18 11.2.18 11.9.18 11.9.18 11.9.18 11.16.18 11.16.18 11.16.18 11.30.18 TBD
SPRINGFIELD, MA ROCHESTER, NY PORTLAND, ME LYNCHBURG, VA GLENS FALLS, NY BINGHAMTON, NY KALAMAZOO, MI PROVIDENCE, RI HERSHEY, PA ATLANTA, GA CLEVELAND, OH ORLANDO, FL
ALUMNI DISCOUNT OF 25% OFF PLUS THEIR KIDS (17 & UNDER) STAY FREE! TO MAKE RESERVATIONS, CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 518.494.6000 OPTION 1.
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Alumni News
where Darrell works with at risk students at Lifeline Youth Ministries. They have three adult children: Rachel (‘06) , Kyle (‘10) , and Emily (‘12 ) (Argentina campus) . Helen Ross ‘82 lives in Pennsylvania where she works as an Accounting Supervisor with the Chester County Department of Community Development. She is also a Junior High Sunday School teacher. James ‘83 and Tammy (King) ‘86 McMahon live in Pennsylvania where Jim is a US Army Aviator, and Tammy works for a family business. They have three children: Josh (25), Kaylee (23) 14 & ’15 , and Kelsey (18) (confirmed for Fall class of ’19). Kimberly (Coston) Miles ‘84 lives in New York where she works as a Critical Care nurse. She has two children: Joelle (29) and Shane (17). John Hales ‘84 and his wife, Christina, live in North Carolina. They have three children: Benjamin (27) ’12 , John-Mark (25) ’12 , and Ian. He works the soundboard at church. Sherrie (Dickinson) Farnsworth ‘84 and her husband live in Kentucky. They have four children: Donnie (26) ‘11 , Kelsey (24) ‘13 , Caleb (20) ’17 , and Savannah (16). She is a tutor for the Classical Conversations Challenge and has a home business called Gifts Galore. Charles ’84 and Kathy (Howland) ’84 & ’85 Roughton live in Kentucky where they work at Oneida Baptist Institute, a boarding school for grades 6-12. They have four children: Stephen ’05 & ’07 , Benjamin, Rebekah ’14 & ’15 (also married to an alumnus, Jonathan Self ’14 ), and Rachel Razeeq. Tim Lindblad ‘87 lives in Connecticut where he is involved in his church as a Sunday School teacher and plays bass guitar on the Praise Team. Lori (Kinzer) Rasberry ’88 and her husband, Ryan, live in Texas. They have four children: Rylie (21) ’16 & ’17 , Braydon (19) (a current student ’18) , Landri (17) (Confirmed for Fall class of ’19), and Jesse (15). Ryan is on the pastoral staff of Pantego Bible Church. Doreen (Phillips) Murray ‘89 and her husband, Chris, live in Oklahoma. She is a homeschooling mom and serves in children’s and women’s ministries at church. They have four children: Lauren (26), Turner (16), Claire (12), and Jenna Kate (8). Heather (Helt) Fraccica ’89 and her husband, Adam, live in New York where she has been a nanny for the same family for 21 years. Gary Rogers ‘89 and his wife, Beth, live in Ohio where Gary
“I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN ARE WALKING IN THE TRUTH.” – John 3:4
1970’S Bill Shuman ‘71 and his wife, Linda, live in Michigan. He recently completed a ministry in Christian education and is looking to see where God leads next. They have five adult children: Allison, Billy, Clayton, David, and Erik. Sylinda (Birchard) Alfred ‘78 and her husband, Rob, live in Pennsylvania. They have five adult children (three are BI alum): Paul, Sean, Katy ‘12 , Carl ‘13 , and Levi ‘17 . Sylinda homeschooled all five of their children. Charlene (Johnson) Kreider ’78 and her husband, Michael, live in Georgia. Charlene is retired, and they have one adult son, Derek. Timothy Kramer ‘79 lives in Pennsylvania where he is a Right of Way Administrator with the PDOT. He has two adult children: Angela and Nathan. Frank Rice ‘79 and his wife, Becky, live in Pennsylvania. He is the Senior Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church where he has been since 1995. They have seven adult children and a dozen grandchildren. He recently earned his Doctor of Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary. Steven Otten ’79 and his wife, Holly, live in Rhode Island where he is a structural engineer. 1980’s Elaine (Bishop) Channon ‘80 and her husband, Mark, have two adult children: Olivia and Diana ’13 . Mark is the Operations Director of a radio station in Connecticut where they have been involved in radio and broadcasting for many years. Bill Kirchberger ‘80 and his wife, Karen, live in New York. They have six children: Billy, Andrew, Jonathan, Kirstin, Rebecca, and Jacklyn. Darrell and Leslie (Yeip) Peterson ’81 live in Indiana
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Heather (Whiteman) Howell ’93 and her husband, Barry, live in Florida where they both work for Lighthouse Ministries, a ministry to homeless and/or displaced men, women, and children. Heather is the Director of Human Resources and Food Ministry. She also serves as a Case Manager, Event Coordinator, and oversees some maintenance. Jody and Kristen (McCullers) Sarno ’93 live in Pennsylvania where Kristen works as an Administrative Assistant at Alive! Community Church where she is also on the Worship Team. They have three children: David (21), Robert (9), and Alexander (6). They also have two grandchildren: Hayley (4) and Andrew (1). Sarah (Whiteman) Brooks ’93 and her husband, Lt. Mark Brooks, live in Maine. Sarah is a real estate appraiser, and Mark is a Maine State Trooper. They have two daughters: Julia (15) and Hope (12). April Hickory ’93 lives in Virginia where she works as an art director. Marty Schubert ’94 & ’95 (Impact Team ’96) and his wife, Jennifer, live in South Korea. He is a U.S. Army Chaplain. They have two children: Noah and Abigail. Thomas Obunde ’94 & ’00 and his wife, Faith, serve as missionaries with Word of Life Uganda. They have four children: Vanessa (22), Matthew (20) ’17 and a current 2nd year student ’18) , Simon (17), and Tandy (8). Ginger (Adkisson) Mazur ’95 and her husband, Michael, live in New Jersey. Lee Lounsbury ’95 and his wife, Teresa, live in New York where he is a business owner. They have three children: Desiree Parker ’08 & ‘10 , Chelsea ‘09 , and Phil (a current 1st year student ’18) . Jennifer (Beams) Nichols ’96 and her husband, Scott, live in Delaware where she is a warranty administrator for multiple car dealerships. They have two children: Abigail (14) and Kylie (11). Jennifer is involved in the Junior and Senior High youth group and is the Awana Director at her church. Mark and Alicia (Banker) Redmond ‘96 live in Virginia. Mark is retired from the US Army. They have four children: Mark III (20) ‘16 & ’17 , Alanna (18) (a current 1st year student ’18) , Kimberly (12), and Krista (9). Carmen (Simons) Grant ‘96 and her husband, Shane, live in Bermuda where she is an accountant and an Olympian Leader in their church. They have a daughter, Cashayna (12).
works in law enforcement and corrections as a Sergeant. They have four children: Rachel Tanedo (25) ’11 , Caleb (22), Joshua (21) ‘17 and current 2nd year student , and Noah (17). Keith Erickson ’89 & ‘90 and his wife, Wendy, live in New York where Keith is involved in photography, woodworking, youth ministry, and construction. They have a daughter, Kara. 1990’s Simone Spieker ‘90 is a nurse in North Carolina where she lives with her children: Katrina (18), Lisa (16), and Amanda (15). Edward Kirchberger ‘90 and his wife, Lillian, live in New York where Edward works as a landscaper and a real estate appraiser. They have two sons: Justin (19) (a current student ’18) and James (16). Marion Kessler ‘90 and his wife, Sheri, live in Ohio where he works as a financial analyst. They have two children: Timothy (19) (a current student ‘18 at the BI) and Sadie (15). Erica (Bolen) Luden ‘91 and her husband, Regis, live in Pennsylvania. They have two children: Marissa (21) and Jarod (17). She is a youth leader in their church. Robert Dorr ‘91 and his wife, Andrea, live in Virginia. He is a retired Navy Hospital Corpsman. He is currently studying to be a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Patrick and Rebecca (Coy) Kelly ‘92 live in Ohio with their two boys: Elijah (12) and Peyton (9). Sharon (King) Koronik ’92 and her husband, Paul, live in Maryland. They have two children: Alexander (16) and Ethan (9). Sharon is on the Praise Team at church and is also involved in their media ministry. Wesley Snell ‘92 is and his wife, Betsy, live in New York. He is a general contractor. They have seven children: Maddie (19) (a current student ’18) , Laura (19), Ben (17), Meghan (17), Mary (15), Lydia (11), and Wesley (9). Valerie (Detwiler) Wegner ’92 & ’93 and her husband, Bill, live in Virginia where she is a homeschooling mom to their four children: Angela (17), Zachary (15), Brenna (12), and Reid (9). Her husband is the Associate Pastor at Freedom Baptist Church in Chesapeake. Sonya (Hautala) Lee ’92 & ’93 and her husband, Ryan, live in Texas where she is a stay-at-home mom to their two children: Micah (8) and Sophie (6).
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2000’s Marjorie (Kelly) Weer ’00 & ’02 and her husband, Kevin, live in South Carolina where Marjorie is building her marital mediation career. She works with couples who are having a hard time communicating with each other and one or both parties are resistant to counseling or therapy. They have two children: Montgomery (3) and Evangeline (1). Jim and Heather (Gushee) Barbour ’01 & ‘02 live in Pennsylvania and have four children: James (12), Kiley (10), Lynndee (8), and Mollie (5). Faith (Wilkins) Torsey ’02 & ’03 and her husband, Philip, live in New Hampshire where she is a lead sales associate at Dollar General. Seth ’02 &’04 and Dina (Bulai) ‘04 (Ukraine) Heydinger are serving with Word of Life as missionaries in Poland. Betsie (Basa) Caban ’03 & ‘04 and her husband, Elias, live in California. They have two children: Evelyn (3) and Eliza (1). Heather (Morgan) Perry ’03 & ‘04 and her husband, Aaron, live in Indiana where Aaron is a seminary professor at Indiana Wesleyan University. Heather is a stay-at-home mom to their three children: Emma Beth (6), Wesley (4), and Donovan (1). Daniel Howard ‘04 andhiswife, Nicole, live inPennsylvania. He is a Student Pastor at Parker Hill Church. They have three children: Julia (7), Ava (4), and Ariana (1). Charlie ’05 (Owen Sound) and Lindsey (Stacey) ’04 (Owen Sound) Lyons live in Ontario where Lindsey is a stay-at-home mom to their three children: Caleb (8), Olivia (5), and Annie (3). Fernando and Mariah (Falcao) De Oliveira ’05 (Brazil) are officers in the Salvation Army in Pennsylvania. They have four children: David (7), Joy (4), Sammy (2), and Jonathan (1). David Bates ’03 & ‘06 and his wife, Anna, live in Rhode Island. They have three children: Stan (18), Zachary (7), and Brandon (6). David andSarah (Wright) Graham ’07 live in Pennsylvania. David is a firefighter, and Sarah homeschools their three children: Grace (8), Melody (6), and Jenna (3). Mary (Schrader) Miller ‘07 and her husband, Samuel, live in Pennsylvania. She is a full-time homemaker, and they have three children: Levi (5), Wesley (2), and Hannah (1). Justin ’11 and Alysha (Greenia) ’07 Farnsworth live in West Virginia where Justin is the Facilities Manager at
Greg ’96 & ’97 and Amanda (Young) ’96 Cintron live in Florida where Greg works as a Readjustment Counseling Therapist at Sarasota Vet Center, and Amanda homeschools their son, Ezekiel (8). Sarah (Johnson) Alexander ’96 & ‘01 and her husband, Albert, live in New York where Sarah homeschools their six adopted children: Virginia (14), Evan (14), Sophia (13), Ella (11), Caleb (10), and Easton (5). They also have an adult daughter, Ariel ‘11 . Tara (Eddy) Spurlin ‘97 and her husband, Kevin, live in Virginia. She is a stay-at-home mom to their daughter, Adlianne Grace (2). Michelle (Prado) Harris ‘97 and her husband, Benjamin, live in Virginia with their son, William. Michelle is the Clinical Director of an inpatient substance abuse facility. Sarah (Cane) Weymer ’97 & ‘98 is a busy mom to her two children: Sadie (4) and Silas (3). She works at a Christian preschool and serves in her church. Timothy ’97 & ’98 and Bethany (Wittmer) ’98 & ’99 Raymond live in Indiana where Tim has been Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Muncie since 2006. Bethany is a stay-at-home and home educator for their 5 children... 3 boys and 2 girls between the ages of 3 – 12 years old. Dan Desmarais ‘98 and his wife, Mary Anne, live in New Hampshire where Dan serves as the chairman of the board of Rumney Bible Conference. They have one daughter, Emma (13). Heather (Houck) Ashwell ‘98 and her husband, Tommy, live in Virginia with their adopted son, Daniel (10). Heather is a massage therapist and a volunteer EMT-1 firefighter. They desire to adopt another special needs child from Bulgaria. Beth Gallant ’98 & ’99 lives in Pennsylvania where she works as a preschool teacher. She is also a Sunday School teacher and Awana leader. Kevin Hansen ’98 & ‘99 and his wife, Rachel, live in Illinois. They have four children: Kate (12), Emma (9), Ava (7), and Jack (5). Kevin owns a real estate company in the western suburbs of Chicago. He is involved at his children’s Christian school. Bill Yuhasz ‘99 is a pastor at Grace Church in Allen, Texas. When Bill isn’t at church, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and enjoying life. He also travels and speaks to all types of people through his ministry, Known Legacy, to help inspire people to live the legacy to which God has called them. This past year he traveled with the band, Unspoken, as their Road Pastor.
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Rebecca Morgan ’12 & ‘13 is continuing her education and serving in her local church as a nursery worker, Sunday School Teacher, teen program leader, and kid’s program leader. Brandon ’13 & ‘14 and Mackenzie (Young) ’12 & ‘14 Good live in Pennsylvania where Brandon is working as a general contractor and part owner of the contracting company. Mackenzie is a pre-school teacher. Sarah Marchand ‘13 & ‘14 lives in Indiana where she is involved in ministry and working several odd jobs. Denny Purdy ‘15 and his wife, Deanna, live in Ohio where Denny works as an HVAC/R instructor at the University of Northwestern Ohio. They have two children: Abigail (16) and Matthew (14). Dorrie LeMaster ’15 & ‘16 lives in Florida where she is a housekeeper at Pioneers and serves in her church as a youth leader and leading worship. Jason Bertrand ’16 is a senior wedding coordinator at a resort in Vermont. He is also the head cook at River of Life summer camp as well as the coffee/snack supervisor. Jonathan Wyatt ’16 lives in Delaware where he works as a Telecommunications Network Technician I at Delaware State Police Headquarters. Grace Cruz ’15 & ’16 is working on her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling at Lancaster Bible College. Caralina Gwartney ’16 & ‘17 is studying at Liberty University. She is majoring in Psychology and wants to be a Child Life Specialist.
Greater Beckley Christian School and Faith Baptist Church of Prosperity. They have four children: Spencer (8), Ezekiel (6), Nancy (4), and Jacob (2). Jessica (Brondyke) Higginbotham ‘08 and her husband, Dan, live in Michigan. They serve together in their church as youth leaders and leading worship. She is a stay-at- home mom to their children: Tyson (3) and Evelyn (2). Elizabeth Wallace ‘08 lives in New York and is working as a veterinary assistant and also in the children’s program at church. Caleb ‘06 and Alease (Haag) ‘10 Holden live in New York. Richard ’09 and Sanya (Wright) ‘01 Brown live in New Jersey where Richard is a truck driver, and Sanya teaches. They have four children: Richard (16), Abigail (13), Noah (9), and Joseph (7). Brianna Anspach ’09 & ’10 lives in Pennsylvania where she works as a medical claims repricer and as a systems coordinator at Hershey’s Chocolate World. 2010’s Elizabeth (Leland) Anderson ’10 and her husband, Dustin, live in Indiana. They have two children: Selah (2) and Dahlia (1). Ryan and Jackie (Schmidt) Gardner ’10 live in Alaska where they are teaching parents to troubled youth. They have a son, Lincoln (1). Nicholas and Sarah (Thompson) Ford ’11 live in Connecticut where Nicholas is planting a church, and Sarah is a stay-at-home mom to their two children: Paisley (3) and Wyatt (1). Ryan Herzog ’11 & ‘12 is a Student Pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Leah (Carpenter) Eddy ’11 & ‘12 and her husband, Nathaniel, live in Rhode Island. They have two children: Robert (2) and Nathaniel (1). Leah is involved in writing, puppets, and drama. Matt and Kaylyn (Buhler) Compton ‘12 live in New Jersey where Matt works as a financial advisor, and Kaylyn is a nurse. They are working together to establish an ESL ministry at a Spanish church in New Jersey. Sam Sturgeon ‘12 and his wife, Liz, live in Quebec where Sam teaches physical education and leads worship at church.
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