Missionary Training at ABWE
Trainers
ABWE's Center for Excellence in International Ministries (CEIM) is in the process of building a pool of trainers and educators, some from within the ABWE team and some from other organizations. These highly qualified men and women have agreed to assist ABWE field leaders and regional administrators with on-field in-service training events. ABWE leaders who want to request the services of these trainers should contact them personally in order to make arrangements for an upcoming training seminar. Arrangements should include the negotiation of a time for the training event, coverage of travel expenses, and possible training fees or honoraria.
Larry Gaither
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Larry graduated from Western Bible College and attended Denver Seminary. He and his wife, Karen, served with Cadence International for ten years, as Directors of the Subic Servicemen’s Center at Subic Bay, in the Philippines, and as Missionary Recruiters. He also served as a Southern California Representative for Trans World Radio. Larry is a staff associate with the Center for Leadership Studies in Escondido, CA. CLS is the home of Situational Leadership. As a lay minister, Larry is heavily involved in a church planting effort in the Escondido area. |
Mike Gendron
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Evangelist Mike Gendron, a 1992 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, is an author and a popular conference speaker. Mike is the Director and founder of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry, an evangelistic outreach to Roman Catholics and those lost in religion. His stimulating book Preparing Catholics for Eternity is not only a comprehensive teaching on Roman Catholicism, but also, an excellent discipleship tool for Catholics. |
Jim Grier
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Two pastorates in Michigan provided nine years of ministry. He served as Associate Professor of Philosophy at Cedarville College for thirteen years where he also served eight churches as interim pastor. He was Vice President and Dean of Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary for 16 years where he continues to serve as the Distinguished Professor of Philosophical Theology. |
Larry Haag
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Larry is in his 43rd year of ministry. The last thirty-three of those years have been in world missions. Larry and his family served as missionaries to Brazil for ten years. It was in Brazil, in the 1970s, that he began to realize the need for developing “saints” of God to perform effectively their ministries in local churches. Thoughts and activities began to emerge in his mind and heart that have become the overwhelming burden of his ministry. This work is his personal response to the Great Commission and the focus of his life on three continents. |
Wayne Haston, Ph.D.
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After six years as Director of ABWE Media Ministries, in July 2001 Wayne was appointed to lead ABWE’s international training efforts. Prior to his ministry with ABWE, he served for twenty nine years in a variety of local church staff roles, primarily in the areas of Christian education and youth ministry. Wayne was a seminary teacher for twenty two years and chaired a seminary Christian Education department for twenty of those years. He holds graduate degrees in theology and education. |
Bobby Hile
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Bobby has been serving in Durban, South Africa, since 1994, in the area of church planting and church development. In addition to serving as a missionary pastor in a local church, he is heavily involved in youth ministry, media ministry, basketball ministry and leadership training by teaching at the Baptist Bible College in Kwazulu-Natal. Bobby holds a graduate degree from Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary and is currently enrolled in PhD studies through a University in South Africa. |
Cheryl Irish, Ed.D.
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Cheryl serves as Assistant Professor of Education at Cedarville University. Her B.S. degree is from Western Baptist College, M.S.E. (special education) from the University of Wisconsin, and Ed.D. from the University of Cincinnati. Cheryl, and her husband, Jim, have three children and one granddaughter. Before coming to Cedarville, she worked at Shepherds Home and School, Heritage Christian School and the Greendale Public Schools in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. |
Mark Nelson
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In July 2002, Mark was appointed as Director of Regional Development for Western Europe. Now, from his office in Spain, Mark is focusing his attention on ABWE’s Western European fields, but continues to assist other regions of the world. |
Timothy Royer
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Timothy earned his Doctorate in Psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology. He completed his internship training at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Dr. Royer is a licensed psychologist in the State of Michigan. He is an affiliate member of the medical staff at the DeVos Children's Hospital, where he also serves as Director of Psychological Services. |
Jim Ruff
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After 4 terms of serving as a missionary in Japan, Jim returned in 1999 to serve as an associate in developing the Intercultural Training Center at the ABWE Home Office. He has recently been asked to develop a Missionary Resource Center at ABWE. He is involved in the Doctor of Ministries program at Baptist Bible Seminary, and he received an honorary doctorate in January, 2003. |
Wally Stephenson
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In 1991 Wally joined ABWE and served as a church planter in Cape Town, South Africa. While on furlough in 1993, Wally's wife and only daughter were killed in a car accident. As part of the healing process, Wally began writing what has become the book Through Tears to Triumph. Wally has since developed "Helping Hurting People" seminars, which give practical advice and a scriptural foundation for working through grief and loss. |
Jeannie Stephenson
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In 1995 Jeannie assumed the position of Director of Publications for ABWE. That followed twenty-three years of ministry in Bangladesh where she began the Literature Division in 1969. Jeannie is the writer/compiler of 22 books, which have been translated into Bengali, and six books in English. Today Jeannie conducts writers’ conferences, seminars on "Mobilizing Children to Serve the Lord," and speaks in churches, schools, and women's conferences around the world. |
Mark Zook
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Mark Zook and his wife, Gloria, spent 14 years, as a New Tribes missionary, working with the Mouk People in Papua New Guinea. Mark has translated the entire New Testament and portions of the Old Testament, developed an extensive Bible teaching curriculum in the Mouk language, and trained Mouk believers for the ministry, which has been documented in the videos EE-TAOW, and EE-TAOW, the Next Chapter. Most recently, Mark co-founded the Worldview Resource Group (WRG), which provides training in cross-cultural church planting methodology with an emphasis on a worldview approach to ministry. |