Central Ministry Focus: To be a catalyst in establishing healthy and reproducing churches resulting in transformed lives and communities.
God is calling us to return to the Visayas region of the Philippines to continue the disciple making and church planting work we started 32 years ago.
About us:
We both grew up as missionary kids of WorldVenture missionaries; I, in Pakistan and Christine, in the Philippines.
I initially came to the Philippines as a short-term missionary from 1983-85 following Bible college and sensed the Lord’s call to return on a full-time basis. Chris had felt the Lord’s call to be a missionary during her teen years. I returned in 1989 as a church planting missionary, working with Chris’ parents. She came out to visit her parents a few summers later and ended up spending more time with me. We were married in August 1992 and were back in the Philippines in September.
We planted New Life Community Church in Mandaue City in 1996 on the island of Cebu. This was done with Filipino partners. Although the lack of numerical growth in the church has been discouraging, we are greatly encouraged with the eight from our church who went on to Bible school and are now in full-time ministry, and the 10 pastors/church planters that the church has raised up. It is also thrilling to see the church plant two daughter churches, Community Gospel Church in Umapad, Mandaue, and Curva Lighthouse Community Church in Lilo-an, Cebu.
In 2008, in order to develop the whole region and to maximize our gifting, we shifted our vision from focusing on a single church to focusing on the whole region of Central & Eastern Visayas in the central part of the Philippines. This area comprises 7 major islands, 10 provinces, 2 language groups, and over 10 million people. We served as Church Planting Coordinators for our national church association in this area. We desired to break the cycle of poverty by empowering people through micro enterprises and livelihood projects and transforming lives through an anti-human trafficking ministry. We were also passionate in seeking the next generation of missionaries through hosting short term teams, individuals, and interns.
We served as Global Directors for Asia/Pacific from January 2020-December 2024. We appreciated the opportunity to see our global workers succeed as followers of Christ, discipling the nations, seeing transformed lives, impacting families, communities and nations.
We love the church and we believe that the best way to evangelize the lost is by starting new churches. So, our desire is to have a part in seeing new churches started and seeing existing churches become healthy and reproducing. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing lives and communities transformed by the power and love of Christ seen through His people.
Blogs and Articles:
* A Long-Term Solution To Short Term Missions
* Hope After Haiyan
