Darcy Smith ’89 lives in Tennessee, where she owns and operates Mountain View Pet Care, a business that allows her to combine care, responsibility, and compassion in her daily work. She attends Boones Creek Christian Church in nearby Johnson City. 1990s Mike Moser ’91 lives in Oregon, where he serves as project director at Catalyst Partnerships NW, a nonprofit providing critical home repairs for low-income homeowners across the Portland metro area. After an earlier season in retail management, Mike spent several years in ministry leadership at the Portland Rescue Mission, working with men facing addiction and homelessness. His work continues to blend operations, discipleship, and hands- on service. Mike and his wife, Beth, are both active in ministry and attend Grace Chapel in Wilsonville, Oregon. They have one adult son, Jaden (22). Laurie (Shoemaker ’91 ’92) Tilson and her husband, Bill, live in western New York and are active members of Wheatland Community Church. Laurie serves as the Care Team Coordinator and teaches Awana TNT, while she and Bill also volunteer with Open Door Mission, where Bill often preaches. They have three grown children, two married. Reflecting on her time at Word of Life Bible Institute, Laurie shared a few nostalgic memories: “Walking from Asia Dorm to Town Hall at the Ranch for classes in the winter – and the one pay phone we had per floor!” Becky (Moore ’93) Banks wears many hats in both life and ministry – she is a professional organizer, homeschool mom, and mental health coach, combining her gifts for structure, care, and encouragement to serve others well. She and her husband, Bill, live in New Jersey and attend Landmark Church in nearby Ocean City. They have two children, Brayden and Brianna. At church, Becky serves on the Care Team as a women’s mentor and also on the Hospitality Team. Georgi “Gina” (Blair ’94) Dyer has been a stay-at-home mom, homeschool teacher, and now realtor – while raising her family
be closer to family. The couple met while attending Word of Life Bible Institute, graduating together in 1982, and have been married for 42 years. They are the proud parents of two adult children – Nolan (32) and Lisa (28). BJ continues his ministry as an evangelist, sharing the gospel and encouraging believers wherever the Lord leads. John Hales ’84 and his wife, Christina, make their home in North Carolina, where they share a deep commitment to serving the Lord together – “24 hours a day,” as John describes it. Though he is now disabled, John continues to live out a life of devotion and gratitude for God’s faithfulness. Beth (Fuller ’84) Dawson retired in 2020 after many years of faithful service at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Florida. She and her husband, Steve, now live in Georgia, where they attend Poplar Springs Baptist Church. Beth stays involved through the church choir and enjoys time with her growing family, including five grandchildren. Reflecting on her time at Word of Life Bible Institute, Beth recalls her joy in traveling on the Genesis and Revelation tours and, with a smile, adds one memorable word to describe that year: “Collisions.” James Johnson ’88 resides in Texas with his wife, Andrea, and their 15-year-old daughter, Ella. After graduating from Word of Life Bible Institute, James dedicated time to evangelism in Texas and missionary work in India. For the past 23 years, he has been an IT engineer and business analyst at Texas Instruments. Additionally, for two decades, he has served part time with Campus Crusade for Christ.
with her husband, Paul, in sunny California. They have three adult children: Emily (22) and Angel Sanchez (29) – with grandson Roman (1); Ethan ’25 (21) and Emma ’25 (18), both students last year at the Word of Life Bible Institute – Florida Campus. They attend Faith Bible Church, where Gina has previously served in children’s, junior high, and high school ministries. She fondly remembers her time at Word of Life Bible Institute for its friendships and spiritual growth, foundations that have shaped her life and ministry ever since. Recently, Gina began a creative and encouraging outreach she didn’t even realize was becoming a ministry at first:
“I started sending cards of encouragement to college students – mostly WOLBI
students – and added fun stickers to the cards. It began with about 10 and now is up to 50+.” What began as a small act of kindness has grown into a ministry of encouragement – reminding others that God often multiplies the simplest gestures of love. Jeffrey Luchun ’95 serves as senior pastor at Mt. Hope Congregational Church in Livonia, Michigan, where he is passionate about revitalizing the church for the glory of God. He and his wife, Melinda, are raising their three sons – Kenan (24), Elam (11), and Judah (9) – and remain deeply committed to serving their local community and encouraging believers to grow in their walk with Christ. Bethany (Aspin ’98) Gibbs and her husband, Stuart, make their home in Virginia with their two children, Julianne (17) and Jackson (14). She works with World Help, a Christian humanitarian organization committed to meeting physical and spiritual needs around the world.
“Looking back, that year was one of the best of my life – aside from meeting my wife.
Life in Portugal Dorm was unforget- table, surrounded by brothers who shaped my faith and my future. It’s where I met Scott Woods; six months in India, five years working together in Nacogdoches, and a lifetime of stories. I still think about the real Council Hall, the passion for the Great Commission that filled the air, and the beauty of Schroon Lake – the mist curling off the water and the trees ablaze with color.” – James Johnson ’88
Looking back on her time at Word of Life Bible Institute, Bethany shared,
“Traveling with the Colle- gians was such a sweet experience and still one of my best memories from my time at Word of Life Bible Institute.” – Bethany Gibbs ’98
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The Word of Life Experience
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