Testimony:

I was born and raised in a Christian home in Illinois. I went to an evangelical church in my hometown Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings and Wednesday nights. I knew a lot about God but did not understand the Gospel as it related to me.

In the summer of 1960 at age 15, I went to a Christian youth camp at Lake Geneva, Wis. During an evening message that week I understood that my sin had separated me from a Holy God and His demand of perfection, and I had no hope for salvation except through Jesus Christ.

At the end of that meeting, I repented of my sins and trusted Christ as my Savior and Lord! Immediately I started reading the Bible non-stop. I just could not put it down. My life changed. I had a new desire to not only read the Bible but obey and share it! That was 56 years ago and I still love reading, obeying, and sharing the Word of God.

At Augustana College, a four year Lutheran college, I met Barbara my senior year and we were married in January of 1968. In 1967 I became Director of Choral Music at Morrison (Illinois) Community High School. For 3 summers we attended Columbia University in New York City where we received our Master of Arts degree. While in New York we attended a Billy Graham Crusade and rededicated our lives to Christ. Teaching music became less and less fulfilling. God showed us new places of ministry. I served Him as Director of Worship and Discipleship at Fresno First Baptist Church for 11 years, then Agoura Bible Fellowship in Agoura Hills, CA, for 16 years.

In 1995 I was invited on a mission trip to Russia. God used that and subsequent trips to call me to be a missionary helping church planters plant reproducing churches. In 1998 I joined International Interns as Director of Russian Ministries and took American teams to assist Slavic and Turkic church planters in Russia, Moldova, and Turkey. In 2009 I joined Encouragement International continuing my ministry helping to plant churches in Russia, Moldova, and Europe among Slavic peoples.

Barbara and I have two children and five grandchildren who are all following the Lord.

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ…” (2 Cor. 5:20)

Ministry Responsibilities: 

To assist global Slavic church planters by:

  • Encouraging, strategizing, resourcing and praying for them through regular 
  • personal Skype and email communication
  • Bringing trained Americans to participate in short-term team ministries of 
  • evangelism and discipleship  
  • Mentoring American and Slavic young men for spiritual growth and ministry 
  • development