Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Acts 13:2-3 ESV
"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off."
Names: Rob and Breanna Berkheiser
Favorite Bible Verse: Matthew 9:36
Organization that you are serving with: Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) campus ministry at Grand Valley State University and the Grand Rapids area.
How did God lead you into missions: We have always loved college students. They are so unique and strategic. While we were at Grace we were blessed to be able to lead the college group and just felt a growing desire in our hearts to invest in students with our primary energy and hours full time rather than on a volunteer basis. College is quite possibly the most formative years for a person. Most statistics say that the decisions and life choices that are made in these four years will impact someone for the rest of their life. Students are truly harassed and helpless by the countless other types of competition for their hearts and minds. As well the "nations" are on our university campuses. If we are able to make a difference in a student's life for Christ while they are on campus, we believe that the world truly can be changed as they go out after college.
What are some goals and plans for your future ministry: Our specific goals are to reach, equip, and mobilize the 50,000 college students in the Grand Rapids area and at GVSU to be able to take the gospel wherever they go after college. We also partner with international missionaries to send students and leaders to take the gospel to a city in the Middle East with over 15 million people, 500 thousand college students, and less than 0.05% Christian.
How can we pray for you: Grace Church can pray for us in many ways. We post a monthly update and prayer request report. If you wish to join us in prayer you can find our requests HERE.
Newsletter: Click Here
Contact E-mail: Click Here
Names: Shawn and Penny Clapp
Favorite Bible Verse: Matthew 6:33
Organization that you are serving with: Northwest Baptist Missions
How did God lead you into missions: I (Shawn) grew up living on the mission field where my parents served in Uruguay, S.A. I lived the missionary life, served God faithfully as a child and teenager with my parents on the field but I was not necessarily interested in serving the Lord in that way myself. One thing my parents were faithful in teaching me, was to be sensitive to the Lord's will concerning my life. After one year of Bible College, Penny and I got married. After sitting out a year, God really got ahold of my heart and I realized He wanted me to serve him full-time. I could handle that but I did have one request, that God take me somewhere where it was warm. :) The Lord began to move more specifically and put on my heart to serve Him as a missionary. Soon we visited Mexico and God confirmed that this would be where he wanted us to serve. As we look back, it is very clear how God has always prepared us for each stage of our ministry, and even now as God has led us to serve the Lord reaching Hispanics in this Utah mission field, we see how God has used 18 years in Mexico to prepare us for this ministry. If there is one thing that I would challenge young people to do, it would be to be sensitive to God's leading. Don't make your own plans, there is joy in serving Jesus, where ever it may be!
What are some goals and plans for your future ministry: We want to help establish Anglo churches to reach Hispanics throughout Utah. We desire to train young couples for bilingual ministries. We pray God will help us establish a network of Spanish and bilingual ministries for furthering the Spanish Ministry outreach.
How can we pray for you: Grace Church can continue to pray to the Lord of the harvest for new couples to surrender to serve Him full-time. We especially need prayer for those who are bilingual and bicultural.
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Names: George & Joyce Irungu and their children Winnie, Ruthie, Joy and Willie
Favorite Bible Verse: 1Timothy 1:12 and Philippians 4:6-7
Organization that you are serving with: Commission to Every Nation (CTEN)
How did God lead you into missions: We felt called to Ministry before we were married. While still studying in college, we felt God wanted us to serve Him in Kenya. We started praying about it as we attended church and served at Grace Church with kids ministry and in the mission team. We shared our desires and had more people to pray together with us. In 2012 August, with great love and support from Grace Church and friends we left for Kenya. We have experienced His grace and we are so thankful to the Lord that Grace Church is our sending church. We have seen God do great things for almost seven years we have been serving the Lord in Kenya.
What are some goals and plans for your future ministry: In Kenya we have been serving in training men and women for ministry in a Moffat Bible College as well as serving in a local church and in the community. While serving we have realized great needs for children and youth. We have a goal to start a different ministry focusing on the next generation which we are calling “Hope for Next Gen”. Our focus will be on a children’s center for the orphans and traumatized/abused children, and a youth center that focuses on a trade school and a counseling center. We pray and hope to be able to raise support to purchase 10 acres of land for this ministry.
How can we pray for you: Grace Church can pray for wisdom and discernment as we serve. Pray for God’s provision for the “Hope for Next Gen” provision of land and finances to purchase it and buildings. Pray for our Kids, especially Winnie and Ruthie, as they look forward to attending college very soon and provision for their college.
Contact E-mail: Click Here
Names: Rob & Michelle Myers and their children Jon, Mason, Elliot, and Luke
Favorite Bible Verse: Michelle's verses (Phil 1:9-11, Hebrews 11:6, Romans 2:4) Rob’s verses (John 13, Phil. 2:1-13, Rom. 12:1-2)
Organization that you are serving with: DOOR International
How did God lead you into missions: Our involvement with the Deaf locally began in 2005 when Rob met Joey and Jennifer Kutcka, Deaf faculty members teaching American Sign Language (ASL) at Bethel College. We began to learn about the need among the Deaf globally for God's Word and for resources to equip Deaf believers. As we sought God's direction, we became more acquainted with Bible translation through a Wycliffe Associates banquet. They passed our information on to the partners in Wycliffe Global Alliance, and through that organization we got connected with DOOR International.
What are some goals and plans for your future ministry: Training our new international directors’ team and ensuring that the transition of our new ministry structure goes smoothly (this includes some international travel to explain the changes to staff on our campuses). Assisting our new International Translation Director with establishing four new sign language translation starts (two in India, one in Nepal, and one in Israel), in addition to three other translation projects that have asked for DOOR’s assistance. Assisting our new International 2-by-2 Director with new church planting starts in three new countries (in eastern and central Asia). Assist in fundraising toward this year’s budget of $4.4 million. Work on hiring staff in certain critical areas (following the acquisition of additional funding)
How can we pray for you: "Myers Prayer Team" Facebook Page is where we post regular prayer needs and praises, trips, activities and details. We welcome you (anyone at Grace) to join!
Facebook Prayer Page: Click Here
Newsletter: Click Here
Contact E-mail: Click Here
Names: Marc & Charin Patton and their daughter Hannah
Favorite Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:7
Organization that you are serving with: Global Faith Mission Agency
How did God lead you into missions: My call to missions came while I was in Bible College back in 1988 or so. A visiting missionary preached on "Breaking nets and Sinking Ships," and the Lord used that to stir my heart for foreign missions. I finished college in 1990 and God used the fall of communism and the opening on Eastern Europe to lead us to Hungary. We moved here in 1993 and have been here ever since.
What are some goals and plans for your future ministry: We are currently involved in planting a new church in Budapest. We are building a core group with plans to launch in September. It is my prayer that God will use this church as the foundation to start a church planting movement in Hungary that will lead to dozens of new churches being planted in the next 20 years.
How can we pray for you: Grace Church can pray for the new church plant in Budapest. We are praying that the Lord would bring us the right people to join our church planting team. We are also praying about the future location for the launch of the church.
Blog: Click Here
Contact E-mail: Click Here
Name: "R"
Favorite Bible Verse: Luke 4:17-21, Psalm 86:9
Organization that you are serving with: Please reach out if you would like to learn more!
How did God lead you into missions: As a child I grew up in the unreached world among people who had never heard the name of Jesus. I saw the lack of hope and perpetual fear in which they lived. Even in the midst of suffering, I saw the peace and unexplainable (apart from Jesus) joy that overflowed from those who had given their lives to Jesus. This helped me decide to follow Jesus and also to desire to go and work among people who have never had a chance to hear, to serve both their physical and spiritual needs. God confirmed that desire through experiences in each season of life. In particular He gave me a love for the Middle East, which, until He took me there and changed my heart, was a region of the world I would not have chosen. God also has grown my love for the world through growing my love for the Bible and giving me a better understanding of how it consistently demonstrates His desire for people from every nation and tribe to know and worship Him.
What are some goals and plans for your future ministry: To know Jesus more and represent His love and power to heal among my neighbors and community through everything I do.
How can we pray for you: Please pray that I would Love God and my neighbors and that He would provide a support team. And when I move, that He would help me Learn the culture and language of the community as I begin living in a new place.
Is there any additional information that you would like Grace Church to know: I cannot do this work alone. I am dependent on God and the work He does through your prayers. I would love to share more specifics about how you can pray.
Contact E-mail: Please click Here to receive my contact information.