Team Expansion
(Founded 1978)
4112 Old Routt Road, Louisville, KY 40299
www.teamexpansion.org
Doug Lucas, President

Team Expansion is serious about prayer. The ministry began as a movement of prayer when President Doug Lucas was a student at Kentucky Christian College (now Kentucky Christian University). In addition to raising support, team members also recruit prayer partners—an average of 200 for each individual or family! And Emerald Hills, the ministry’s training center, is “a prayer center first,” says Eric Derry, vice president, mobilization.

Team Expansion’s Spencer Garner prepares to help baptize a woman in Mongolia.

From those first prayers almost 35 years ago, Team Expansion has grown to more than 300 full-time workers serving in 48 countries around the world, with a focus on unreached people groups.

“Out of every dollar given to missions today, 99.5 percent goes to areas with
already-reached groups,” Derry says. “Just a penny or less goes to ministry among unreached people. It haunts us that there are people who live their whole lives without hearing the gospel while so many are pouring energy and money into other places.”

The ministry estimates 6,900 people groups still need to hear the good news of Jesus. The acronym THUMBS summarizes the biggest needs: tribal people, Hindus, the unreligious, Muslims, Buddhists, and Sikhs. From Europe to Japan, and Tunisia to Thailand, missionaries work to reach these groups, make disciples, and pass the baton of leadership to the native people.

“Our team in Venezuela is a great example of this,” Derry says. “God’s doing amazing things there! They’re sending out their own missionaries and extending the kingdom of God through church planting.”

This “church planting DNA” is central to Team Expansion’s work. The Venezuelan team has launched a dozen churches with plans to start 120 by 2020; the original Ukrainian ministry has grown from one church in 1991 to more than 60 throughout the country.

In addition to supporting its missionaries, Team Expansion works to educate American people about the worldwide needs. The website offers prayer guides (of course!), VBS curriculum, and many other resources as well as detailed training for potential forwarding agents.

“In the last two years we’ve also trained 1,100 people using the Kairos missions curriculum,” Derry says. “It’s accessible material that allows people the immediate chance to become facilitators who help lead the course for other participants.”

Team Expansion also participates in the Jonathan Project, a loose partnership of organizations and individuals committed to mobilizing and training “Jonathans” for church planting among the unreached.

“These are people who have character like Jonathan displayed in 1 Samuel 14,” Derry says. “This includes faith, teachability, and a willingness to be used even in the most difficult places in the world. The two-week intensive course is led by several of the partnering organizations to focus on people God is raising up for this mission.”

Much of the training happens at Emerald Hills, Team Expansion’s 61-acre retreat and training center in Louisville. In addition to the rooms for offices, group gatherings, and training, the property features a ropes course, a maintenance building—and miles of wooded prayer trails.

Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www.seejenwrite.com.

TCM International Institute
(Founded 1957)
P.O. Box 24560, Indianapolis, IN 46224
www.tcmi.org
Tony Twist, President

It takes a one-time Master of Arts scholarship investment of $16,000 to equip an international leader for a lifetime of service and ministry in his home country. Compare this to the $60,000 or more needed annually to send a U.S. missionary overseas (where service is usually less than four years), and it’s obvious: equipping national leaders to reach their own countries for Christ is both effective and cost-effective.

TCM International Institute students pray at Haus Edelweiss in Austria.

TCM exists to develop bivocational “international disciple makers” throughout Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and central Asia. Students attend one- and two-week intensive courses at Haus Edelweiss, TCM’s main campus in Austria, as well as 10 other locations.

The TCM International Institute
(TCMII) is the only institution working entirely outside the U.S. that is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities. It’s also one of the few accredited graduate schools in Europe with a primary focus on practical ministry.

TCM estimates at least 50,000 people have been served by the hundreds of students who have attended classes. More than 50 percent of graduates are preachers or church planters; other graduates teach in colleges and universities, work with youth, and pursue other national and international ministries.

As TCMII consistently develops leaders “focused on fulfilling the Great Commission,” interest continues to grow in TCM’s programs. They project an enrollment of 1,200 students by 2014 and a growing number of students from central Asia and the Middle East. Despite the strong atheistic and Muslim influences in these regions, “TCM students and graduates have been faithfully and strategically used by God to share Christ with their own people,” the ministry shares. TCM anticipates opportunities to develop more international influence, build a presence at European universities, and discover more opportunities for partnerships.

TCM also makes it possible for Amer-
ican Christians to support the work with time and financial resources. Each year, teams of people from across the U.S. travel to Austria as short-term workers on the main campus. These teams maintain the grounds, do landscaping, clean the buildings, cook and serve meals, and perform many other behind-the-scenes tasks so students can focus on their coursework.

Through TCM’s Great Commission Initiative, many individuals, families, and small groups also provide tuition scholarship assistance for the students ranging from the cost of one class ($1,000) to a complete Master of Divinity degree ($32,000).

“The typical TCM International Institute student is 37 years old, well-educated, involved in local ministry in his or her community—and earning a monthly income of $400 or less,” the ministry writes. “Scholarship assistance allows these national missionaries to respond to God’s call on their lives to more effectively reach their countries, cultures, and churches for Christ.”

Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www.seejenwrite.com.

Pioneer Bible Translators
(Founded 1976)
7255 West Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, TX 75236
www.pioneerbible.org
Greg Pruett, President

Pioneer Bible Translators does not exist just to translate the Bible. Instead, its mission is “discipling the Bible-less,” a holistic approach that includes working with native people groups, developing literacy, investing in the community, and planting churches.

A missionary with Pioneer Bible Translators shares Scripture in West Africa.

“The end goal is not just translated Scripture, but churches using Scripture,” says President Greg Pruett. “We consider a project completed only when we have helped to create networks of growing believers and multiplying churches.”

The ministry began with a vision to combine the genius of Cameron Townsend (founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators) with that of Donald McGavran (a leader in the church growth movement). Today more than 300 team members live out these ideas in Asia, Africa, the South Pacific, and other areas.

The organization’s leaders are also discovering gaps in the availability of Scripture and developing “pioneering” strategies to meet these needs.

“About 900 minority languages have no written Scripture and very few churches,” Pruett says. “International church planters often work in gateway cities and urban centers with more common languages, and translation ministries often want to empower local churches to complete the work themselves. These are both great strategies—but who will reach the rural areas or the places without established churches?”

To meet these needs, PBT is developing multidisciplinary teams with elements of translation, literacy, church planting, and community development. Incarnational ministry is a core value for the ministry, and these teams will focus not only on developing translations but also developing relationships with the local people.

Pioneer Bible also offers the Pioneer Mission Institute, a weeklong intensive event to help people encounter God, learn more about what he’s doing in the world, and discover how they might be able to partner with PBT. As interest has grown, PBT has developed similar regional events. College campuses host these “Discovery Intensive Seminars” where students and others can learn about Bible translation theory, spiritual warfare, and many other aspects of serving as a Pioneer Bible team member. The ministry offers two monthlong internships and recruits short-term workers for terms of six months to two years.

Although the ministry is planning for the future, Pruett says unified prayer is the key.

“We have seen miraculous growth and a great movement of the Holy Spirit since we increased our commitment to prayer,” he says. “We focus on praying the prayers Jesus promised he would answer—prayers that are consistent with his character and plan of salvation for the world. Prayer is the fuel for anything that happens at Pioneer Bible Translators.”

Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www.seejenwrite.com.

FEBRUARY POSTINGS

Mark Messmore ended an associate ministry with The Christian Church of Jasper, IN, on Feb. 26. Messmore, who had served CCJ since August 2006, is moving to Ohio with his wife, Kara, and son, Ian, where he will become lead preaching minister with Troy Christian Church. Ryan Heathco, Jasper’s youth minister since April 2008, will become associate minister. He and his wife, Lynn, have one son, Hayden, and one daughter, Carrigan. CCJ is currently searching for a new youth minister. Until then, Heathco will handle both associate and youth minister responsibilities. For more information on CCJ, visit www.ccjasper.com (where app downloads are available) or call (812) 481-2410.

New Missions Systems International
(Founded 1989)
2701 Cleveland Ave., Suite 7, Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.nmsi.org
Laura Clancy, President/CEO

Every word of NMSI’s name is intentional: the organization looks for new ways to help people fulfill the missions they feel called to, while using systematic approaches to planning and implementation and maintaining an international focus across the ministry.

People worship at a church planted by Impacto Latino (impactolatino.org), an NMSI cross-cultural church planting team in Pachuca, Mexico.

“Our niche is supporting missionaries to fulfill their calling,” says President Laura Clancy. “We look for ways to support people who can identify and articulate their call, and we focus on opportunities where we can add unique value. This might be church planting, business as mission, community development, health and education, or another ministry.”

This could also mean NMSI may not be the best organization for every missionary.

“If other groups are doing something well, we encourage you to join them,” she says. “For instance, one of our projects in Chile is working with urban students, because no one else was reaching that group. But if someone wanted to work with students in England, we would suggest a conversation with CMF, who is already doing that very well.”

NMSI’s unique focus has led to a range of mission initiatives around the world. YouthHOPE works in 13 countries to equip the church to reach the needs of young adults. New Missions Systems also partnered to develop AfricaHope to provide holistic help for the Maasai people in Kenya, and ImpactoLatino as a growing ministry in Pachuca, Mexico.

“Each story is different,” Clancy says. “The team in Pachuca was an independent ministry that joined with us. They have planted three churches in the city and will begin work on the fourth this year. In Africa we’re expanding water wells and agricultural projects and training farmers in techniques that yield a greater harvest during rainy seasons. In Myanmar, YouthHOPE is opening the Opportunities Now Entrepreneurial School to offer education to underprivileged youth. Students will attend a 20-week program that will equip them with skills to join an existing company or start their own business.”

A focus in 2012 will be developing an emphasis on business as mission, a strategy that includes training and supporting missionaries to enter the Muslim world as employees of secular businesses instead of church workers.

Although the projects are different, the “systems” in New Missions Systems remain consistent: orientation, training for fund-raising and placement, and help with raising support.

“We’ve also divided the work by both region and demographics,” says Clancy, “so people can work with leaders in both areas.”

NMSI also offers short-term trips and eight-week internships. Other students will participate in yearlong apprenticeships designed for both their specific interests and missionary needs.

“We want to walk with you in the ministry God’s given you to do,” Clancy says. “Our strategies must constantly adapt, but our unchanging mandate is spreading the gospel.”

Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www.seejenwrite.com.

(THE MOST RECENTLY RECEIVED OBITUARIES ARE LISTED TWICE—AT THE TOP AND ALSO IN THE ALPHABETICAL LISTING BELOW)

Leroy B. Mills, 96, died Jan. 15, 2012, at his home in New Mexico after a brief illness. Memorial services were conducted Feb. 4 at Covenant Christian Church, Rio Rancho, NM. He was born May 17, 1915, in Kansas. His parents moved to Anaheim, CA, where he was raised with four brothers and one sister. He graduated from Anaheim High School and Pacific Bible Seminary. He married his college sweetheart, Mary Kay Friend, in 1936 in Albuquerque, NM. The two became church planters, starting three churches in Southern California. In 1940 they moved to Texhoma, OK, to minister with First Christian Church. In 1943 they purchased an old saloon-dancehall in North Albuquerque, NM, and started a church. The dancehall was made into a sanctuary and the saloon area, along with the kitchen, became their home. He ministered there for 19 years. He then ministered with a church in Grants, NM, and then, in 1965, started a church that eventually became Rio Rancho (NM) Community Christian Church, which he served until his retirement in 1980. After retirement, he moved up to Parachute, CO, to minister with a Christian church there. In 1991, he retired again. He had his wife were founding members of Covenant Christian Church in Rio Rancho; she died of colon cancer in 1991. He later married a widowed close friend of theirs, Marilyn Nolan, in 1993, and they enjoyed one another’s companionship until 1997, when she also died of cancer. He volunteered as dean, counselor, and teacher at Sandia Christian Camp in the Sandia Mountains. He supplemented his income by starting a tile and floor covering business called Mills Tile. Survivors include three daughters, Robyn Story of Cortez, CO, Carol Mills of Rio Rancho, NM, and Lois Mills-Brogan of San Marcos, CA; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Christian Church, Hospice of New Mexico, Hope International University (formally Pacific Bible Seminary), or to www.MercyCorps.org, which serves poor populations around the world. (posted 2-21-12)

Lucille Stanley, 90, a veteran missionary to Africa, died Jan. 2, 2012, at the Mbango Retirement community in Port Shepstone, South Africa. She was born on Aug. 19, 1921, to Orrin and Bessie (Pickett) Stanley. She married Lynn Stanley in 1942, while both were students at Minnesota Bible College. In October 1953, after ministries in Minnesota and Indiana, along with graduate studies for her husband and the births of five boys (one of whom died in infancy), the family moved to serve in Africa. The focus of their ministry for more than 40 years was equipping a national leadership for the church in South Africa. They lived first in Kimberley (where a daughter was born), and then on the south coast near Port Shepstone. Mrs. Stanley was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn, in 1999; two sons, David (in infancy) and Darrel; one brother, Merton Eaton; and one sister, Evelyn. She is survived by three sons, Michael of South Africa, and Duane and Larry of the Twin Cities in Minnesota; one daughter, Debbie Neethling of near Port Shepstone, South Africa; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one sister, Phyllis Masterjohn of Washington. While South Africa was their adopted country, and they retired there, they always considered “home” to be Kimball, Minnesota, and their gravestone is in the Maine Prairie Cemetery. (posted 2-4-12)

Thomas Richard “TR” Todd Sr., 91, died on Nov. 10, 2011, at the Oklahoma Veteran’s Center in Talihina, OK. He was born on Oct. 13, 1920, at Quinton, OK, to Cecil William Todd Sr. and Emily (Cent) Todd. He completed the eighth grade at Nashoba, OK, and later a 17-month mechanic’s course. He graduated from Clayton (OK) High School with the class of 2002, and was honored as their oldest graduate. He served with the Civilian Conservation Corps, the U.S. Army (Pacific theater during World War II), and later, the U.S. Air Force. He was wounded in combat on Okinawa; enemy artillery fire partially penetrated the metal-covered Bible in his shirt pocket. He was the recipient of three Purple Hearts and one Silver Star. His brother Cecil led him to the Lord, baptized him into Christ, and later ordained him into the gospel ministry at the First Christian Church, Clayton, OK. While attending San Jose (CA) Bible College, he began a “street ministry” in San Jose and San Francisco. He made several missionary trips to India and led tens of thousands of people to Christ and baptized them. His efforts in India helped lead to the establishment of several churches, a children’s home named for his mother, and The Thomas Todd Evangelistic Team. He served as minister with Christian churches at Quinton, OK, DeQueen, AR, and Two Mile, near Talihina, OK. While residing in Clayton, OK, he was a member of the American Legion post (serving as chaplain), the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and was an active member and leader in the Clayton Christian Church. He was preceded in death by one brother, John Daniel Todd Sr. He is survived by two sons, Thomas Ray “Tommy” Todd of Dallas, TX, and Thomas Richard Todd Jr. of Santa Rosa, CA; two sisters, Lucy June Joslin and Marie Josie Young; seven brothers, Gaston Hershel “Bill” (who died 10 days after TR died), Robert “Bob,” Cecil William, Harry Price, Lee Albert, Grady Clyde, and Donald Wayne “Don”; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. The funeral service was conducted at Clayton High School. Among those participating in the service were brother Cecil Todd (who presented the eulogy); brothers Bob, Lee, Grady, and Don Todd; and Ava Kasich. His interment was at Blackfork Cemetery, Nashoba, OK, with Grady and Don Todd, along with Johnny Joslin, participating. (posted 2-4-12)

_____________________________________

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF OBITUARIES

Connie Lynn Bolinger, 58, of Nashville, TN, died May 22, 2011, after an extended illness. She was born Feb. 12, 1953, in Gary, IN, the daughter of Elwood and Bonnie (Starks) Bolinger. She grew up in the First Christian Church of Hessville, Hammond, IN. A graduate of Morton High School in Hammond, she attended Indiana University and Saint Brieuc in Brittany, France. After moving to Nashville, TN, in 1990 she became staff assistant at First Christian Church, later Aspen Grove Christian Church, of Franklin, TN, a position she held for 21 years. She was a gifted musician and writer. In addition to serving on the church praise team, she was also an accomplished studio musician who participated in many private and professional recordings. She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, David. She is survived by one brother, John of Colorado. A celebration of life service was conducted at Aspen Grove Christian Church on June 4 with Clinton J. Holloway and Cathy Coulter officiating. Her ashes were interred in Colorado.

Richard “Preacher Dick” Boroff, 80, of Eaton, OH, died Jan. 21, 2011, in Eaton. He was born June 14, 1930, in Findlay, OH, to the late Clayton and Mary Iola (Patterson) Boroff. He graduated from Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary in 1958, and was ordained by his home church in Findlay that same year. He was married soon after graduation to another CBS graduate, Velma LeFever, in Danville, IL. He served numerous churches in West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. He retired in 1996 from the Church of Christ, Eaton. He was a member of the Eaton Kiwanis and Preble County Council on Aging. He was preceded in death by one brother, David. In addition to Velma, his wife of 52 years, he is survived by one son, Mark of Vandalia, OH; and one sister, Donna LeMay of Tempe, AZ. Funeral services were conducted Jan. 25 at the Church of Christ, Eaton, with Paul Nickols and Alan Keesling officiating. Burial was at Mound Hill Cemetery in Eaton.

Ed Bousman, 92, of Lynchburg, OH, a radio and television evangelist for 49 years and a minister for more than 68 years, died May 16, 2011, at his home. He was born Oct. 1, 1918, in Matewan, WV, the son of William Edward and Delpha Smith Bousman. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cincinnati (OH) Bible College and Seminary and a master’s degree in communications from Xavier University in Cincinnati. In addition to his radio and television ministries, he served churches of Christ in Hartford, KY, and Genntown, Hollowtown, Lynchburg, Allensburg, and Marshall, OH. He began the God Is Just A Prayer Away radio ministry in 1962; this November would have marked the ministry’s 50th year. In 1984, he started the Preaching Christ television program. In 1997, he started Bible Voice Europe, a shortwave radio program reaching all European countries, including Russia. Also in 1997, he began Shortwave Radio Africa, directed at more than 140 million English-speaking people in three former British Colonies: Nigeria, Ghana, and the Cameroons. In 1999, he started broadcasting into India and neighboring countries to reach a potential audience of more than 1 billion people. In 2003, GIJAP began broadcasting into western Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria. In 2006 he began broadcasting to a potential audience of 344 million via a transmitter in northern Africa. He is survived by his widow, Naomi Angel Bousman, whom he married Dec. 18, 1982, at Madeira (OH) Church of Christ, one daughter, Melanie Rightmyer of Holtville, AL; one son, Eric Vail of Edgewood, KY; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Roberta, on July 4, 1980; one sister, Lucille Livesay; and one brother, Jay. Services were conducted May 21 at the Allensburg Church of Christ, Lynchburg, with Lee Mason and Bob Stevens officiating. Burial was at Lynchburg Masonic Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to “God Is Just a Prayer Away” Radio Broadcast, P.O. Box 511, Lynchburg, OH 45142. For more information or to send condolences, visit www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc.

Janice L. Burdick, 82, of Blue Springs, MO, died Feb. 19, 2011, after a brief illness. She served in ministries with her husband, Bruce, for more than 55 years in seven different locations. In addition to Bruce, she is survived by two sons, Eric of Arizona and Scott of Kalamazoo, MI; one daughter, Pamela Price of Missouri; and five grandchildren. Bruce Burdick may be contacted at 1621 SW Sixth St., Blue Springs, MO 64014 or (501) 984-1135.

Don Butler, 91, a Christian church minister since 1941, died Feb. 24, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, CA. His wife of 67 years, Gwen, 91, died a few months later, on June 3 in Grove, OK. Mr. Butler was born in Middletown, OH, and enrolled in Cincinnati (OH) Bible College in 1941. There he met Gwendolyn Koss of Decatur, IL. They were married June 22, 1943, after she graduated. He graduated in 1945 and went on to earn a master’s degree while the couple took their first ministry in Sherborn, KY. In 1948 he was asked by the Southern Michigan Christian Fellowship to start a new church in Detroit. After that church was successfully established and a new building was completed, the Ohio Ministerial Association invited him to begin a church in suburban Toledo, OH, and he started that work in 1955. While planting the Garden Park Church of Christ, Mr. Butler was also promotional director of the Lake James Christian Assembly, active in organizing new churches in the northern Indiana and northern Ohio area, and helped establish Great Lakes Bible College in Michigan. In 1960, he was asked by First Christian Church in Yuma, AZ, to lead the church in a major building and growth program. During his time there he became involved with the Christian Mission for Mexican Evangelism, eventually joining the board. In 1967, Regan Flannery and Ralph Dornette invited him to lead a newly formed church in Newbury Park, CA, under the auspices of the Southern California Evangelizing Association and Church Development Fund; this became his longest church ministry. In 1978, the couple sold their home in Newbury Park and Mr. Butler started promotional work for Rancho de los Ninos, an orphanage in El Provenir, Mexico, that had been established while the couple was in Yuma, AZ. He promoted and directed this work until 1995, when he was 76. During his time there, more than 2,000 Mexican orphans received care in a loving family environment. After retiring from Rancho de los Ninos, he conducted a seniors ministry in El Centro, CA, for two years, then fully retired at age 78. Mr. Butler’s services were conducted at Newbury Park (CA) Christian Church, and Mrs. Butler’s services were held at Grove (OK) Christian Church. Burial is at Mason (IL) City Cemetery, an old family cemetery.

Gene Stratton Carter. 84, died June 22, 2011, after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born in Dawson, IL, on Aug. 4, 1926, the youngest of 10 children of George and Edna Carter. The family moved to Springfield, IL, before he entered school. The World War II veteran served in the Navy and saw duty in the South Pacific. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary in 1950. He also completed a master’s degree in higher education from Michigan State University, Lansing, and a master’s degree in ministry from Pacific Christian College, Fullerton, CA. Hope International University in Fullerton awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. He ministered with Franklin Street Church of Christ in Grand Rapids, MI; Brookport (IL) Christian Church; Woodview Christian Church, Wyoming, MI; Kentwood (MI) Christian Church; University Christian Church, Los Angeles, CA; and First Christian Church in Long Beach, CA. He also served as board chairman of the North Burma Christian Mission for 20 years. At Pacific Christian College, he was the assistant to the president, served on the board of trustees, was founding director of the EXCEL program, and was a professor in that program when he retired. The longtime Lions Club member served as chaplain, president, district governor, and board member of the International Lions. He served on the boards of many community agencies and was the honorary mayor of Westchester, CA. He met his wife Mary Kent at Cincinnati Bible Seminary. They were married for 64 years and had six children—Edward, Mary Gene, Rebecca, Carol, Wendy, and Margaret—17 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

John Milton Carter Sr., 95, a resident of Mason (OH) Christian Village and a longtime editor with Standard Publishing, died April 28, 2011. He was born Dec. 6, 1915, in Buffalo, IL, the son of George and Edna Carter. He was raised in Dawson and Springfield, IL, where he was a member of West Side Christian Church. In addition to his widow, Fern Carter, he is survived by five sons, John Jr. of Anaheim, CA, James of Batavia, OH, Lawrence of Grand Ledge, MI, Gerald of Wyoming, OH, and Robert of Waxhaw, NC; 22 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Albert and Gene. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Freda Linn Carter. In 1947 (at age 32), he was valedictorian at Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary. He served as a minister with West Side Christian Church, Springfield, IL, Madisonville Christian Church in Cincinnati, and Moscow (OH) Church of Christ, and also as a Sunday school teacher. He was an editor with Standard Publishing for 34 years. Services were conducted May 2 at Christ’s Church at Mason. Interment was at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, IL. Memorials may be made to Mason Christian Village, 411 Western Row Road, Mason, OH 45040.

Charles E. Cook, 84. died Jan. 11, 2011, at Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, MD, after a seven-year battle with lung cancer. The influential Christian leader and retired church minister served most recently (1984–2005) with Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD, the first 10 years as senior pastor. At MCC, he oversaw the growth of what is now the largest nondenominational Bible-based church in the Northeast. After retirement, he was named pastor emeritus. The son of a coal miner and grade school teacher was born in Christopher, IL, and grew up in the nearby towns of Elkville and Du Quoin. He began serving in ministry in 1945, at age 19, as a student pastor with a tiny rural church in Glen Elder, KS. In 1947, he received a bachelor’s degree in ministry from Manhattan (KS) Christian College. He was awarded a graduate divinity degree from Phillips University in Enid, OK, in 1952. That same year he married Barbara Jean Gregory, from Hennessee, OK, his wife of 58 years. From 1952 to 1954, he and his wife served with the Barnes-Cook evangelistic team, touring numerous states while leading revival meetings. An accomplished cornet player, he co-recorded several contemporary renditions of traditional Christian hymns while also performing vocal and instrumental duets with his wife in churches and revival meetings across the Midwest. During his lifetime, he established and pastored several small- and medium-sized churches into thriving congregations in Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, and Arizona, including Central Christian Church in Mesa, AZ, which is now one of the largest nondenominational Christian churches in the Southwest. From 1979 to 1984, he was professor of pastoral ministry at Manhattan Christian College. He was a founding board member of Christian Missionary Fellowship International, and served more than five decades in such capacities as director, chairman, and president. He served as president of the 1993 North American Christian Convention, St. Louis, MO, and also served on Standard Publishing’s Publishing Committee from 1986 to 1997. He visited churches and missionaries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Among the many honors he received during his lifetime was the James A. Garfield Award from the Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, TN, and an honorary doctorate degree from Pacific Christian College in Fullerton, CA. In 2005, Mountain Christian Church designated its former worship center as the Cook Auditorium. That same year, CMFI established the Cook Conference Center in honor of his 50 years of leadership and service. In 2006, the Emmanuel School of Religion established the Cook Institute for Excellence in Ministry. In addition to his widow, Barbara, he is survived by one son, Kevin of San Jose, Costa Rica; two daughters, Charlesa Kay Mullin of Bel Air, MD, and Leah Ann Crussell of Indian Hills, CO; one sister, Lowenn Land of Fullerton, CA; and six grandchildren. Funeral services were conducted Jan. 14 at the Cook Auditorium of Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, MD.

Ransom E. Ebersole, 95, of New Carlisle, IN, died on Aug. 3, 2011, at Hamilton Communities in New Carlisle. He was born June 6, 1916, in Elkhart, IN, the son of Edward and Maude Ebersole. He had lived in New Carlisle since 1969. He was a graduate of Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary. He served as minister with the Prairie Garden Christian Fellowship Church, New Carlisle, for 20 years, retiring in 1989; he also held ministries in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. He is survived by two daughters, Valinda Westman and Judy Cox; one son, Ransom; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two brothers; and one sister. He was preceded in death by two wives, Bea (Smith) Ebersole and Ruth (Hennen) Ebersole, and six brothers. Burial was Aug. 8 at the New Carlisle (IN) Cemetery.

Robert C. Ellenberger, 77, of Reynoldsburg, OH, died March 19, 2011. He was born in Punxsutawney, PA. He was a member of Benfield Christian Church, Columbus, OH. He was an ordained minister who had been married to Fayetta Little Ellenberger for 55 years. He received a BA in religious education from Kentucky Christian College in Grayson. He served in ministry with eight churches for a total of more than 57 years, including 13 years with the Grove City (OH) Church of Christ and 14 years with Benfield Christian Church. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Miriam Kay. In addition to his widow, Fayetta, he is survived by three children, Christi Sweet of Florence, KY, Lisa Allen of Louisville, KY, and Felicia Davis of Indianapolis IN; four grandchildren; one sister, Louise Gschwendtner of Dubuque, IA, and one brother, Ronald of Sun City, AZ.

Charles R. Gibson, 79, of Joplin, MO, died Oct. 4, 2011, at his home. He was born March 8, 1932, in Miami, OK. He was a 1955 graduate from Ozark Bible College in Joplin. While in college he held ministries in Sherwin, Oswego, and Galena, KS. After graduation he held ministries in Enid and Tulsa, OK, planted a new church in Norman, OK, and then held ministries in Indianapolis, IN, and Amarillo, TX, where he retired in 1997. After retirement, he moved back to Joplin and held ministries at Hornet, MO, and Quapaw, OK. He served in ministry for 60 years. He married Barbara Poor on Dec. 18, 1955, in Galena, KS. In addition to his widow, he is survived by one son, Doug of New Braunfels, TX; one daughter, Sheri Mecom of Bedford, TX; seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one son, Dick; five brothers; and one sister. Services were conducted at Park Plaza Christian Church, Doug Gibson and Virgil Eubanks officiating. Burial followed at Edgmand Cemetery, Columbus, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to the building fund for Blendville Christian Church, 2201 S. Picher Ave., Joplin, MO 64804.

Francis Leigh Hargrave, 90, of Bristol, TN, died Feb. 9, 2011, after a brief illness. He was the fifth of seven children born to Ed and Ethel Hargrave; he was raised in Anna, IL. Early in life, he joined the entire family in singing and preaching to churches throughout southern Illinois. Later, he received bachelor’s degrees from Johnson Bible College, Knoxville, TN, and Milligan (TN) College (where he also taught for a short time), and a master’s degree from Lincoln (IL) Bible Institute. He was also certified to teach in public schools. He served many congregations over the course of 60 years, including: Forest Avenue Christian, Knoxville, TN; First Christian in Anna and Findlay, IL; and East End Christian and Central Christian, Bristol, TN, where he met and married Mary Emma Combs in 1946. Together, they worked with First Christian, East Gary, IN; Hampton (TN) Christian; First Christian, Griffith, IN; Avoca Christian, Bristol, TN; Camarillo (CA) Christian; First Christian, Lansing, IL; Hartford (KY) Christian; Central Christian, Winter Haven, FL; South Shores Christian, Decatur, IL; Huntsville (AL) Christian; Dothan (AL) Christian; Jasper (IN) Christian; Harmon’s Chapel Christian, Shady Valley, TN; and Central Church of Christ, Johnson City, TN. His work included church planting, rebuilding congregations, constructing new facilities, teaching, and discipling. Areas of emphasis also included music, church camp, youth outreach, revivals, and global missions. At 78, he became a greeter at Wal-Mart in Bristol, TN, serving for 10 years before retiring after the onset of dementia. In addition to his wife of 64 years, Mary, he is survived by two daughters, Kathy Harless of Indianapolis, IN, and Andrea Braziel of Martinsville, VA; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; one brother, Bob; and one sister, Joy Johnson. Services were conducted Feb. 12 at Central Christian Church, Bristol, TN. Memorial gifts may be made to Johnson Bible College, 7900 Johnson Drive, Knoxville, TN 37998. Condolences/memories may be shared with Mary at 120 W. Cedar, Bristol, TN 37620.

John Calvin Hays, 74, of Columbus, OH, died Feb. 9, 2011. He was born May 5, 1936, in Lexington, KY, the son of Daniel Lewis Hays and Anna Bruce Monson Hays. He attended the University of Kentucky and holds bachelor and master’s degrees from Cincinnati (OH) Christian University. He was ordained in 1960 at his home church, Broadway Christian Church, Lexington. He retired after 50 years of ministry in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. In addition to his widow, Patricia Carringer Hays, he is survived by two daughters, Sue Anne Barnes of Grove City, OH, and Gay Lynn Alsop of Clinton, TN; one son, Philip John Hays of Arlington, VA; and three grandsons. He was preceded in death by one brother, Donald Lewis Hays. Activities included serving on the founding committee of the Kentucky Minister’s Retreat and the founding board of Sayre Christian Village (in Lexington), and participation on The Christian’s Hour radio broadcast, the North American Christian Convention, and Billy Graham Crusades. He also took mission trips to southwest India. His community activities included serving with chambers of commerce, hospital boards, Masonic organizations, and Kiwanis clubs. He was a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International. Upon retiring from senior ministry in 2001, he and his wife received a trip to Scotland, which was a lifelong dream. In 2006, he completed his professional ministry as chaplain at Worthington (OH) Christian Village, where the couple moved in 2007. Services were conducted Feb. 12 at the Amazing Grace Christian Church, Grove City, OH, with burial Feb. 14 at Lexington, KY. A memorial service was conducted Feb. 20 at Worthington Christian Village. Ministers who participated included Ed Wilson, Brad Walden, Ben Heskett, Rand Richardson, Jay Fabin, Ermal Allen, Ronald T. Sams, Chuck Shonkwiler, Jim McClaren, Frank Shaut Sr., and Glen Wheeler. Memorials may be made to Southwest India Christian Mission, c/o Bill Klarich, 3414 40th Terrace E., Bradenton, FL 34208 or Worthington Christian Village Benevolent Fund, 165 Highbluffs Blvd., Columbus, OH 43235.

James Beale Hunter, 89, of Joplin, MO, died at his home on May 26, 2011, after a brief illness. He was born May 4, 1922, in Parthenon, AR, to Andrew and Obedience Hunter. He graduated from Johnson Bible College, Knoxville, TN, in 1944 and Butler School of Religion, Indianapolis, IN, in 1947. He married Kathryn Reynolds of West Lebanon, IN, on June 9, 1947. Together they served in Christian churches in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio. They moved to Joplin from Millersburg, OH, after he accepted a teaching position with Ozark Christian College. He taught church history, Restoration history, and New Testament courses for 22 years. He was a member of College Heights Christian Church, Joplin. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathryn, on her birthday, Feb. 10, 2009. Survivors include one daughter, Joyce Smith of Carterville, MO; two sons, John of Webb City, MO, and Gary of Joplin; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Graveside services were conducted May 30 at Mount Hope Cemetery, Webb City, MO, with Rick Bushnell officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Ozark Christian College, 1111 N. Main St., Joplin, MO 64801.

Evelyn Jane Longdon, 76, of Indianapolis, IN, died of Parkinson’s disease on March 26, 2011. She was born Dec. 19, 1934, in Indianapolis to Arthur and Clemma Keys. After graduating from high school, she attended Lincoln (IL) Bible Institute (now Lincoln Christian University) for one year where she met and married Tom Corn, also a student there. They had two children: Andrea and Eric. Tom was killed in an automobile accident before the children turned 2. In 1958 she married Bob Longdon and together they had two children: Aaron and Athena. At the time of her death, the couple had been married more than 52 years and served in ministry together for more than 50 years. In addition to her widower, Bob, she is survived by her four children—Andrea Openshaw, Eric F. Corn, Aaron Longdon, and Athena Newcomb—eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Leroy B. Mills, 96, died Jan. 15, 2012, at his home in New Mexico after a brief illness. Memorial services were conducted Feb. 4 at Covenant Christian Church, Rio Rancho, NM. He was born May 17, 1915, in Kansas. His parents moved to Anaheim, CA, where he was raised with four brothers and one sister. He graduated from Anaheim High School and Pacific Bible Seminary. He married his college sweetheart, Mary Kay Friend, in 1936 in Albuquerque, NM. The two became church planters, starting three churches in Southern California. In 1940 they moved to Texhoma, OK, to minister with First Christian Church. In 1943 they purchased an old saloon-dancehall in North Albuquerque, NM, and started a church. The dancehall was made into a sanctuary and the saloon area, along with the kitchen, became their home. He ministered there for 19 years. He then ministered with a church in Grants, NM, and then, in 1965, started a church that eventually became Rio Rancho (NM) Community Christian Church, which he served until his retirement in 1980. After retirement, he moved up to Parachute, CO, to minister with a Christian church there. In 1991, he retired again. He had his wife were founding members of Covenant Christian Church in Rio Rancho; she died of colon cancer in 1991. He later married a widowed close friend of theirs, Marilyn Nolan, in 1993, and they enjoyed one another’s companionship until 1997, when she also died of cancer. He volunteered as dean, counselor, and teacher at Sandia Christian Camp in the Sandia Mountains. He supplemented his income by starting a tile and floor covering business called Mills Tile. Survivors include three daughters, Robyn Story of Cortez, CO, Carol Mills of Rio Rancho, NM, and Lois Mills-Brogan of San Marcos, CA; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Christian Church, Hospice of New Mexico, Hope International University (formally Pacific Bible Seminary), or to www.MercyCorps.org, which serves poor populations around the world.

Leah Moshier, lifelong missionary at Kulpahar Church of Christ Mission, Kulpahar, India, died on Nov. 4, 2011, in India. She was surrounded by her children and loved ones at the time of her death. She was buried that same day in the church cemetery beside the grave of Dolly Chitwood, who died in 1995. For 65 years, she was a dedicated worker for the advancement of education and Christianity in Kulpahar and throughout India. The mission began taking orphans in 1947 and has seen more than 800 students graduate from Kulpahar Christian School. Graduates of the school have become nurses, teachers, preachers, and business leaders. Many of these orphaned or abandoned children, through the ministry of the home and school, have been saved literally and spiritually for productive service for Christ and Indian society. A memorial service in her honor will be conducted Dec. 11 at Lincoln Heights Christian Church, 2121 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Memorial donations in her honor and to benefit the Kulpahar Church of Christ Mission may be made viawww.lincolnheightsphoenix.com/kulpahar or sent directly to Kulpahar Kids home, c/o Ann Huffman, P.O. Box 32574, Phoenix, AZ 85064. (posted 12-4-11)

Susan Sweeney Schultz, 92, died May 31, 2011, in Springfield, VA. She grew up in Lexington, KY, where her father, William Elza Sweeney, was minister with Broadway Christian Church during its “golden age” of growth in membership and attendance (1920-31). A gifted organist and pianist, she graduated from Transylvania College in Lexington. She met and married Robert F. Schultz in 1944, when both were officers in the U.S. Marines. They ultimately settled in Northern Virginia and raised three children. She played the organ at area churches. In addition to her children, she is survived by four grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Robert, her husband of almost 60 years, and her three siblings. She was buried with military honors on June 8 at Quantico (VA) National Cemetery.

George “Clark” Sloneker, 92, of Schertz, TX, died May 12, 2011. He was born Oct. 4, 1918, to George and Julia Sloneker. He was raised on a farm in Kuna, ID. He married Beryl M. Bassingthwaite on Sept. 2, 1943, at San Jose (CA) Bible College, where they were both students. During his 55 years of preaching, he held ministries in Vallejo and Fellows, CA; Jerome, ID; Chadron, NE; Santa Cruz and Aptos, CA; Arlington and Hetland, SD; and Schertz, TX. During his retirement, he was active in new church plants at New Oaks Christian Church in Cibolo, TX, and LifeBridge Christian Church in Schertz. He was preceded in death by Beryl, his wife of 65 years; one brother; and two unborn grandchildren. He is survived by three daughters, Lois Sloneker of Schertz, TX, Claudia Tyler of San Antonio, TX, and Carla Billingsley of Abilene, KS; one son, Mark of Carthage, MO; and two granddaughters. A memorial service was conducted May 29 at Castle Hills Christian Church, San Antonio, with Robin Thompson and Al Houk officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to LifeBridge Christian Church, Schertz, TX.

Lucille Stanley, 90, a veteran missionary to Africa, died Jan. 2, 2012, at the Mbango Retirement community in Port Shepstone, South Africa. She was born on Aug. 19, 1921, to Orrin and Bessie (Pickett) Stanley. She married Lynn Stanley in 1942, while both were students at Minnesota Bible College. In October 1953, after ministries in Minnesota and Indiana, along with graduate studies for her husband and the births of five boys (one of whom died in infancy), the family moved to serve in Africa. The focus of their ministry for more than 40 years was equipping a national leadership for the church in South Africa. They lived first in Kimberley (where a daughter was born), and then on the south coast near Port Shepstone. Mrs. Stanley was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn, in 1999; two sons, David (in infancy) and Darrel; one brother, Merton Eaton; and one sister, Evelyn. She is survived by three sons, Michael of South Africa, and Duane and Larry of the Twin Cities in Minnesota; one daughter, Debbie Neethling of near Port Shepstone, South Africa; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one sister, Phyllis Masterjohn of Washington. While South Africa was their adopted country, and they retired there, they always considered “home” to be Kimball, Minnesota, and their gravestone is in the Maine Prairie Cemetery.

Rolland Alvin Steever, 94, died on Dec. 3, 2011, at Mount Healthy Christian Home in Cincinnati, OH. He was born in Harrisburg, PA, to Walter and Edna Steever. He came to Christ at age 9 and was active in the Fourth Street Church of Christ. He graduated from William Penn High School in 1935, then went to Bethany (WV) College, transferring after one semester to Cincinnati Bible Seminary, where he graduated four years later. At CBS he met and married Ethel Sorrell, his partner in ministry and family for 72 years. He served churches in Columbus, Kokomo, and South Bend, IN; Granite City, IL; Elkins, WV; Savannah, GA; and Bel Air, MD. He also worked several years in the Estate Planning Department at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, MO. During his years of ministry in the East (1958–71), he spearheaded the effort to relocate Eastern Christian College in Bel Air, MD, where he served for a short time as president and many years as a professor. He planted and pastored the Creswell Church of Christ in Bel Air. He also helped start Indian Lake Christian Service Camp, Darlington, MD; Mid-Atlantic Christian Church Evangelism (a church planting agency); and the Eastern Christian Convention. He was a historian with an intense love for the history of the Christian churches/churches of Christ. In retirement he put together an innovative multimedia presentation of the history of the Restoration Movement that he presented in numerous churches. For 13 years, he wrote historical essays for The Restoration Herald. At age 90, those essays were published in a book called Looking Back to See Ahead. He is survived by his widow, Ethel, of Mount Healthy Christian Home, Cincinnati; three children, Dick, Norma, and Bart; and six grandchildren. A memorial service was conducted Dec. 6 at the Parkside Christian Church, Cincinnati, OH.

Astor Thompson Stevens, 83, of Amarillo, TX, died Jan. 6, 2012. She was born on June 28, 1928, in Pikeville, KY, to Trimble and Virgie Thompson, and was the ninth of 11 siblings. In order to take Bible classes in high school, she chose to attend, and later graduated from, Mountain Mission School in Grundy, VA. She attended Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary, where she met Everett Stevens; they married on Nov. 17, 1950. Together they served in various ministries in Cincinnati and Kentucky before graduation; they later served in Christian churches in Illinois, Texas, Kentucky, Colorado, and Kansas. Together they led in the establishment of Oak Dale and Highland churches in Amarillo, TX, and Falcon Christian Church in Colorado. She was the head cook at El Porvenir Christian Camp in Las Vegas, NM, for three years while her husband was manager there. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Judith Barclay; one son, James Harold; six brothers; and three sisters. She is survived by her widower, Everett; one son, Timothy Dale of Amarillo; two sisters, June Young and Betty Nichols of St. Clair Shores, MI; one grandson; and seven great-grandchildren. Services were conducted Jan. 10 at Church of Christ at the Colonies, Amarillo, TX, with Dick Marcier and Roy Wheeler officiating.

Dewey Anderson Thackston, 73, of Waterville, OH, died there on March 13, 2011. His more than 50-year ministry touched the lives of people across the United States and in Canada, Europe, and Asia. He was born in Mason County, KY, on Nov. 15, 1937, to Anderson Walker Thackston and Ella Hord (Walker) Thackston. He was valedictorian of White Oak High School, Mowrystown, OH. The Timothy of Sugar Tree Ridge Church of Christ, Hillsboro, OH, graduated from Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary in 1959. He also attended Goethe Institute, Universitaet Wien, Fort Hays State University, and Niagara School of Broadcasting. He was married to Barbara Lee (McElroy), who died in 1997. He is survived by his children, Jeffrey Allen of O’Fallon, MO, Col. John Michael of Tucson, AZ, and Joy Melinda Snell of Appleton, WI; seven grandchildren; two brothers, Ronald and Allen; and two sisters, Barbara Rendell and Evelyn Thackston. He served as evangelist/minister with churches in Dry Ridge, KY; Hays, KS; Tulsa, OK; Plainfield, IN; and Olney, IL. He also served as a missionary in Niagara Falls and Toronto, Canada, and behind the Iron Curtain with TCM International, Vienna, Austria. In addition, he was campus minister with Active Christians Today at Bowling Green (OH) State University. He also was a gifted vocalist and worship leader serving, among others, the North American Christian Convention and National Missionary Convention. He pioneered a radio news program called Crossfire in Niagara Falls, NY. While in Canada, he was editor of the Canadian Christian Harbinger. He was a member on many boards and advisory committees for church and missionary organizations, including the Philippine Mission Churches of Christ, Central Luzon. A memorial service was conducted at Sugar Tree Ridge Church of Christ, Hillsboro, OH, on March 19. Memorials may be made to the Center for Church Renewal, 1027 Commercial St., Appleton, WI 54914.

George A. Tietze, 96, of Phoenix, AZ, died Oct. 24, 2011, after battling cancer. He was an orphan who persevered through tough times, became a minister, and served churches in Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois for more than 70 years. He attended Minnesota Bible College (now Crossroads College), Rochester, MN; Butler Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN; and graduated with a BA from St. Louis (MO) Christian College. In 1945 his first wife, Nola Bell, died during childbirth; the baby, Larrimore, lived only five days. He was also preceded in death by his second wife, Stella Ashley Tietze, and two sisters, Alyce Williams and Esther Oliver. Memorial services were conducted at his home church, Chaparral Christian Church, Scottsdale, AZ, and at Christian Care/Fellowship Square in Phoenix, where he resided.

Thomas Richard “TR” Todd Sr., 91, died on Nov. 10, 2011, at the Oklahoma Veteran’s Center in Talihina, OK. He was born on Oct. 13, 1920, at Quinton, OK, to Cecil William Todd Sr. and Emily (Cent) Todd. He completed the eighth grade at Nashoba, OK, and later a 17-month mechanic’s course. He graduated from Clayton (OK) High School with the class of 2002, and was honored as their oldest graduate. He served with the Civilian Conservation Corps, the U.S. Army (Pacific theater during World War II), and later, the U.S. Air Force. He was wounded in combat on Okinawa; enemy artillery fire partially penetrated the metal-covered Bible in his shirt pocket. He was the recipient of three Purple Hearts and one Silver Star. His brother Cecil led him to the Lord, baptized him into Christ, and later ordained him into the gospel ministry at the First Christian Church, Clayton, OK. While attending San Jose (CA) Bible College, he began a “street ministry” in San Jose and San Francisco. He made several missionary trips to India and led tens of thousands of people to Christ and baptized them. His efforts in India helped lead to the establishment of several churches, a children’s home named for his mother, and The Thomas Todd Evangelistic Team. He served as minister with Christian churches at Quinton, OK, DeQueen, AR, and Two Mile, near Talihina, OK. While residing in Clayton, OK, he was a member of the American Legion post (serving as chaplain), the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and was an active member and leader in the Clayton Christian Church. He was preceded in death by one brother, John Daniel Todd Sr. He is survived by two sons, Thomas Ray “Tommy” Todd of Dallas, TX, and Thomas Richard Todd Jr. of Santa Rosa, CA; two sisters, Lucy June Joslin and Marie Josie Young; seven brothers, Gaston Hershel “Bill” (who died 10 days after TR died), Robert “Bob,” Cecil William, Harry Price, Lee Albert, Grady Clyde, and Donald Wayne “Don”; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. The funeral service was conducted at Clayton High School. Among those participating in the service were brother Cecil Todd (who presented the eulogy); brothers Bob, Lee, Grady, and Don Todd; and Ava Kasich. His interment was at Blackfork Cemetery, Nashoba, OK, with Grady and Don Todd, along with Johnny Joslin, participating.

Larry Lee Young, 70, died on Sept. 14, 2011, at Cedar County Memorial Hospital in El Dorado Springs, MO. He was born Oct. 1, 1940, to William Ernest and Beulah Esther Crider in Shoal Creek, MO. In 1960 he entered the U.S. Army and served in South Korea, Vietnam, and as a member of the ski and rifle team while serving in Alaska. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star and other service-related medals. On Nov. 2, 1962, he married M. Josie Todd and together they had three sons and one daughter. He started preaching in 1968 and served churches in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Ohio. He entered Ozark Bible College, Joplin, MO, in 1970 and later Midwest Christian College in Midwest City, OK. After ministering in Booker, TX, he started an 18-year career in law enforcement. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Howard, Ewell, and Donald; and two sisters, Nora Elizabeth Myers and Juanita Kemper. He is survived by his widow, Josie; three sons, Larry, Donald, and Michael; one daughter, Teresa; and eight grandchildren. Services were conducted Sept. 19 at Roscoe (MO) Christian Church, with interment at Concord Cemetery, Crocker, MO.

FEBRUARY POSTINGS

On April 5, Bryan and Lesley Keelin will begin their third year as relief homeparents with Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch, Kahoka, MO.

JANUARY 2012 POSTINGS

Roy and Donna Fancher will begin their 12th year as grandparents at Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch, Clarence, MO, this spring.

On Feb. 5, Ken and Beth Penfield began their 15th year as homeparents and Shiloh Christian School administrators at Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch, Kahoka, MO.

On Oct. 16, Tim and Marilyn Sipes began ministry with Northside Christian Missions/Ministries in Jonesboro, AR. Northside is an inner-city, multicultural ministry started by Eldon and Francis Richardson. The Richardsons are retiring, but will stay on ministry’s board of directors. Tim is a 1987 graduate of Johnson University.

DECEMBER POSTINGS

In January, Jay Craig began his 33^rd year as stewardship director at Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch, Shelbina, MO.

In January, Todd and Brenda Arp began their second year and Kirk and Dennae Moore began their eighth year as homeparents at Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch in Clarence, MO. Also in January, Robert and Karen Tuley began their eighth year as relief homeparents with the ranch.

SEPTEMBER POSTINGS

A reception July 23 honored Leonard and Thelma Wymore in celebration of his 90th birthday, 70 years in ministry, and their 66 years of marriage.  The event was sponsored by the Emmanuel Institutes of Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Johnson City, TN. The Wymore family, including their daughter, Kathy, and sons, Fred and Don, were joined by friends from the East Tennessee area. Leonard served 22 years as director of the North American Christian Convention, and many friends at this year’s NACC gave recorded greetings to the Wymores. Many of these messages were played at the reception, and Emmanuel Institutes Director John Wasem presented the Wymores with a disc that contained all the recorded interviews along with a collection of letters of congratulations. The testimonial video shown at the gathering may be viewed at http://bit.ly/owKHh1. The Wymores are members of the Hopwood Christian Church, whose members served a generous buffet of refreshments at the event.

MARCH

Alabama Christian Convention will be held March 16 and 17. The theme will be “Influencing our Culture for Christ—Matthew 6:9, 10.” The convention will be held at Piney Grove Christian Church, 388 E. Piney Grove Road, Falkville, AL. The main speaker will be Dean Collins, president of Point University in Georgia. Workshop speakers will include: John Bliffen of Mid-South Christian College; John Lancaster, senior minister, Huntsville Christian Church; Dr. Blythe Robinson; Andy Ellingwood, associate minister, Huntsville Christian Church; Pam Ross of Point University; and Mike Sikes, senior minister, Decatur Christian Church. Registration is $25 for an individual and $35 for a family. For more information, visit www.alabamacc.org or www.facebook.com/alabamacc; Twitter, www.twitter.com/alabamascc; e-mail info@alabamacc.org.

IDES
(Founded 1973)
P.O. Box 60, Kempton, IN 46049
www.ides.org
Rick Jett, Executive Director

Until 2005, International Disaster Emergency Service primarily received donations from churches and individuals and channeled the money to missionaries or U.S. agencies. When disaster struck, churches knew they could trust IDES to manage the gifts and ensure every penny went to the designated cause.

Volunteers prepare storage sheds for Joplin, Missouri, tornado victims last summer at West Side Christian Church. When disasters such as tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes occur, churches and individual Christians trust IDES to faithfully manage their donations.

Today IDES is still a “top of mind” organization for charitable giving, especially in response to earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters, and as much as 70 percent of its ministry is facilitating these gifts.

However, the IDES team is exploring new ways to serve churches, missionaries, and people in need.

“When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, people looked to IDES for on-the-ground help,” says Executive Director Rick Jett. “We began sending volunteers as well as finances, and even worked with local church planting agencies to start a new congregation. Today we’re working to mobilize more churches and build our volunteer base for future needs.”

And the needs keep coming. In 2011 IDES worked on three fronts in the United States alone; in addition to spring tornados in Mississippi and Joplin, Missouri, Hurricane Irene battered the East Coast in August.

Jett says another challenge is finding resources for the disasters that don’t receive major media coverage.

“In Southeast Asia and India there is a constant need for food, basic medical supplies, and clothing,” he says. “Other areas need wells for fresh water. That’s not going to make the news, but we want to meet the physical and spiritual needs of these people, too.”

The organization started its “God Always ProvIDES,” (GAP) program as one response to the food crisis; volunteers have helped IDES pack more than 300,000 meals for Haiti. The Manna Project and annual “40 Days of Hunger” initiative encourage participants to fast from all food, eat only rice and beans, or give up small luxuries like movies and donate the money to feed others.

IDES also participates in community development projects and assists with medical care and evangelism.

“We want to help the people in these areas develop commerce and start businesses,” Jett says. “It’s more than a handout.”

Some churches have caught the vision and committed to give money each month for these ongoing needs. Lincoln (Illinois) Christian Church coordinates a “Harvest of Talents” each year to raise money by selling handcrafted items, and the idea has spread to teams in other parts of the country.

Many more—at least 3,000 independent Christian churches—have given gifts to IDES at some point.

“We’re grateful for every partner—the ones who give financially and the ones on the mission field who use the money to help people,” Jett says. “It’s great to see how God uses the church to make a difference together.”

Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www.seejenwrite.com.

Good News Productions International
(Founded 1976)
P.O. Box 222, Joplin, MO 64802
www.gnpi.org
Mike Schrage, Executive Director

Many organizations exist to evangelize the world; the mission of Good News Productions International is accelerating the work with relevant, culturally sensitive media strategies.

According to GNPI, media produced by locals in their own heart language has proven to impact lives far deeper than anything produced in the U.S.

“We offer the church an opportunity to use first-world technology to reach Third World cultures,” says Executive Director Mike Schrage. “Our team in Joplin is just a small part of our ministry—we have regional production centers around the world and we touch a million people each week with our audio, video, and print projects.”

These initiatives are as different as the countries themselves. Good News began developing the “brick and mortar” regional centers in 1989 to produce video for local house churches, national TV, and everything in between. In Mexico the team creates programs for Spanish-speaking audiences that address issues like gang activity, alcoholism, and domestic violence. The center in the Philippines created “Asin at Ilaw” (“Salt and Light”), a weekly award-winning television broadcast focusing on practical issues and biblical living, with contact information for viewers interested in connecting with local Christians. In Eastern Europe a team shares print and video material using science and apologetics to combat post-communist atheism.

In addition to the 80 nationals leading these teams, Good News works with “NOMaD” teams, grassroots media production units designed to help the locals and missionaries already working in a region. This “National Outreach using Media and Discipleship” initiative allows small teams of three to work in less open countries like Vietnam, Egypt, and Uzbekistan.

Each team consists of “two preachers and a camera guy,” media-savvy nationals who are passionate about reaching their culture for Christ. “U.S. churches fund these teams and often provide equipment and training,” Schrage says. “A relatively small investment of $50,000 over three years can connect an American church with a ‘lean and mean’ team of locals creating content customized for the needs of their region.”

Last year GNPI also produced The Global Gospel, a series of 88 video stories, each 2 to 5 minutes long, that tell the life of Jesus.

“Years ago we worked with an artist who illustrated the life of Christ with hand-drawn pictures,” says Schrage. “These beautiful images tell the stories visually while two audio tracks share the narration. One track is sound effects—a hammer hitting nails, crowd noises. The other is the story, pulled 100 percent from Scripture.”

Because the pictures and sound effects communicate well with any audience, missionaries can simply record the biblical narration in their country’s language to create a high-quality, easily accessible resource to share the gospel. Good News plans to record narration in the world’s 25 most common languages, giving this version of the good news a potential reach of 3.6 billion people.

GNPI is also actively involved in creating apps to help people in North Africa compare the claims of Islam and Christianity, solar kits for areas without electricity, MP3 teaching materials for distribution among Buddhists in Southeast Asia, and other projects.

“The bottom line is taking God’s Word where white, American missionaries can’t easily go, and empowering nationals to lead the efforts,” Schrage says. “They can do it quicker and better than we can anyway! We’re here to help them.”

Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www.seejenwrite.com.