The Bennett’s main focus in Rwanda is helping the church be the body of Christ. They do this by engaging both children and adults in a variety of activities. Gary and Barb both teach at New Creations Ministries, an organization whose focus is to teach both pastors and lay leaders in the native Kinyarwanda (Pastoral Training Bible School) and in English (University level program called Christian Leadership Institute of Rwanda). Gary helps with finances, construction and an subsistence agricultural demonstration area with an emphasis on livestock and the use of more modern agricultural techniques. In this way, pastors have an avenue to meet the needs of their rural communities both physically and spiritually. Barb teaches music at their local church to children and adults. This program has proven to be a great form of outreach for their church to schools and communities throughout Kigali. Barb also helps with the Children’s Church worship time.

Pastor of Reformation Bible Church in Lilongwe, Malawi. Newton is a graduate of Christ Seminary in South Africa where global outreach partner Dave Beakley is teaching. Newton and Vanessa were both born in Malawi, but have lived significant portions of their lives in South Africa. Now they have returned to their native country with a burden to see the lost saved and churches planted and growing.

Rachel grew up at Bethany Baptist Church and she has several family members that remain here. She began to understand that God was calling her into vocational ministry of Bible translation at an early age. Rachel earned her bachelors degree at Moody Bible Institute and has additional training from CANIL studying linguistics. Rachel joined Wycliffe in August 2019 and transitioned to Nigeria in 2021. Rachel is passionate for people to be able to read God’s Word in the language of their heart so that God will be worshiped by people from every tribe, tongue, and language. Rachel’s first term in Nigeria involves cultural orientation and learning Hausa, one of the major trade languages, and then she’ll be assigned to a primary project where she will focus on learning the language and culture of that people group while doing some linguistics and translation work.

The McIntires worked in administration with Wycliffe for 27 years in the predominantly Muslim country of Senegal. In 2021, they transitioned back to Senegal but began working with the organization associated with Dakar Academy, the school their children formerly attended in Dakar. Lora works full-time in finance office for Dakar Academy, while Guy does outreach and networking with unreached peoples groups in the surrounding area.

Kondi is a 2005 graduate of Christ Seminary in South Africa. He and his family returned to their native Malawi in 2006 to work in an international church in Lilongwe, the capital city. He began to see the need for a national church as he worked with Malawian young men who did not fit very well in the international church. In 2014 his Bible study group organized into a national church that they named Grace Bible Church. Kondi has continued to lead the church as its pastor. The church is focused on training leaders, reaching college students with the gospel and meeting their needs with biblical counseling. Given the demographic of the church and the people they are reaching, Kondi has found that marriage counseling is one of his significant responsibilities. Dave Beakley continues to work with Kondi & Newton to provide an accredited bachelor degree from Christ Seminary in Lilongwe through distance learning.

Kwacha and his family strengthen the church in Africa by training pastors and church leaders at Christ Seminary in Polokwane, South Africa. This ministry produces pastors who are diligent to divide the Word of God with accuracy and model it with their lives. Kwacha and Amanda are in a supportive role to Dave and Carol Beakley who have been serving in South Africa for over 16 years. Kwacha is one of the first students that the Beakleys were able to see graduate from Christ Seminary. He later earned a MDiv at Master’s Seminary in California where he met and married his wife Amanda.

John and Esther have lived overseas since 1996. Before coming to ICP, John was the founding pastor of Hope Church in Donetsk, Ukraine, and taught in a Christian university there as well. They also lived in Prague, Czech Republic, where John served as pastor of the International Church of Prague. They moved to West Asia in 2014 to pastor an international church and finished their time there in 2023. John finished his doctorate in 2024. They currently serve in Manila where John teaches at the Int’l Graduate School of Leadership, which trains pastors/leaders from countries in Asia, as well as the Asia Graduate School of Theology, which offers degrees for those teaching in Asia.

Sam and Jamie Hornbrook started their ministry in Mexico City in 1991. They helped a veteran missionary couple plant Maranatha Baptist Church and bringing it to its graduation as an independent, autonomous church in 2002. An institute for training pastors was also established in that church and continues to operate under national leadership. In 2003 the Hornbrooks began a new church plant which met in their home for 5 years. For the next 6 years the church continued to grow in rented facilities, and then they were able to purchase property in 2015. The church will graduate to an autonomous church at the end of 2022, when Sam, who also has a ministry of training pastors and church leaders in Biblical Counseling throughout Latin America, will focus on that objective more fully and they will return to the US for this next phase of ministry.

Sergiy and his family have served in their homeland, Ukraine, which became open to the Gospel after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Sergiy serves as a director at the REALIS center which he founded soon after returning with his family from the States in 1995. REALIS is a Christian center that trains missionaries and evangelical leaders, produces publications and presents seminars in the areas of apologetics, ethics, and counseling: www.realis.org.

Jim and Kathy are involved in ministry to internationals in the city of Grand Rapids. Their efforts include personal ministry as well as organizing families and churches to reach out to international families. They began full-time ministry in Austria with ministry to Farsi speaking refugees. When Austria closed to refugees from Iran, they ministered to the same people group in Los Angeles, California. They moved to Michigan when the refugee influx concentrated there.

Catharine is the fundraising as well as partner and curriculum developer for a ministry with kids-at-risk called Hope Alive!, which reaches out to orphans, child-headed households, and children from fragile families. After spending 33 years in Uganda developing the ministry of Hope Alive! and serving as the executive director, she moved to her new role in 2022.

Katrina serves as the State Director for Child Evangelism Fellowship of Illinois. In this role, she oversees 25 part-time and full-time workers in CEF of IL, including 6 Local Chapter/Areas, Camp Good News and the State Office.

Don and Jodi were involved with Family Life, a branch of Campus Crusade for Christ International in the country of Slovenia for 20 years. In the fall of 2016 they transitioned to ministry in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, with Cru’s Faculty Commons. In 2023 they made another ministry transition to Cru Church Movements. Cru is called to help fulfill the Great Commission by winning, building, and sending in the power of the Holy Spirit, and helping the body of Christ do evangelism and discipleship. They picture transformative, multiplying churches in every segment of the city that communicate and demonstrate the gospel to every person, so that every man, woman and child would know the gospel and experience the love of Jesus Christ.

Mike Hanson is a biblical counselor that desires to strengthen the Church’s discipleship ministry through Biblical Counseling. His goal is to come alongside likeminded churches in the Peoria-area to help them build their discipleship-counseling ministry. He hopes that eventually Peoria can have a Biblical Counseling Center providing resources for churches that choose to be involved.

Jill has been working with CEF since 2001. CEF’s three-fold purpose is to Evangelize, Disciple, and Establish children into local Bible-believing churches. Jill’s role is to oversee the development of the Central Illinois chapter of CEF, which includes teaching and training, 5 Day Clubs in the summer, and Good News Clubs during the school year. Jill also helps with the ministries at Camp Good News.

Jerad is on staff with PACM which, through the on-campus Cru-Peoria ministry, exists to give every student in Peoria an opportunity to know and follow Jesus Christ. PACM staff and interns foster relationships with students and faculty at ICC and Bradley to share Jesus Christ with them. Jerad leads the team that ministers specifically at the ICC campus and in communities that students are from.

The Marlatts have trained leaders in Denver's inner city through the ministry of Urban Academy (URBACAD). URBACAD is a spiritual leadership training program of Theological Education by Extension (T.E.E.). The URBACAD T.E.E. curriculum they teach is the Practical Theology Major of the University. The Marlatts seek to come alongside Denver's urban churches with discipleship and leadership training, to impact and raise up a new generation for Christ. They have organized a consortium of other inner-city ministries in Denver to start a Christian Liberal Arts University called American Pathways University (APU). Larry transferred the leadership of APU in 2020 after 20 years of leadership.

After graduating from Bradley University in 2008 with her degree in graphic design, Amanda worked with Cru for two years in Berlin, Germany, seeking to launch Christ-centered movements of university students there. She and Matt married in 2014 and they are now on staff with Cru together. They ministered in Indianapolis until summer of 2018. They transitioned to Germany to help lead the campus outreach in Berlin until 2020. After a stint in Florida in 2021, they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana to serve with Cru City with a focus on ministering among immigrants.

The Shaws have served with WorldVenture since 1983, with over 20 of those years in Japan. Following that they served as the Asia Director and lived in Singapore as their base for travel. In 2013, Marty was appointed the Vice President of International Ministry and they now live stateside in Colorado.

Jessie has been ministering with CEF here in Peoria since 2013 and transitioned to the West Central chapter near the Quad Cities in 2024. She serves as their Ministry Coordinator and is responsible for pioneering the CEF ministry with churches that desire an outreach ministry to children but have not developed such a ministry of their own. She also oversees Good News Clubs, 5-Day clubs, CYIA, Party Clubs, teacher training, social media, and publications.

Lindsey ministers with Cru which partners with the Peoria Area Campus Ministries (PACM), a ministry of Bethany Baptist Church to reach college students. She currently is focused on students at Bradley University and co-leads the team with Jerad Koch. The vision is to win, build, and send college students to walk with the Lord for a life time. Her responsibilities include evangelizing, discipling and training students, leading Bible studies, and equipping local churches to reach college students.

Ray and Marge currently serve with OC Int'l, focusing on leadership development and mobilization. As consultants and networkers for OC, they serve on the IMT (International Ministry Team). Ray has also been teaching for many years. He retired in 2010 from Golden Gate Seminary but is still senior adjunct faculty in the missions and intercultural studies department. He is also a vice president and faculty at Olivet University (teaching Korean, Chinese and international students from various other countries). They currently reside in the US, but travel often internationally.

Cesar and his family minister to the poor of Ecuador by planning and implementing clean water systems for villages in Ecuador. This humanitarian effort opens doors for church planting evangelism and other related ministries in many unchurched villages. Nancy & Cesar both work with church leaders to train and prepare them for more effective service.

Pablo and Judi formerly served with Leadership Resources International in the discipleship and training of key pastors through a process called Training National Trainers (TNT). In 2013 they transitioned to working in Ecuador with United World Mission where they have been involved in discipling, starting new churches in Quito, helping other missionaries and churches with their discipleship, and developing a network of churches with that same focus.