Missions
Stuart Bell
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Stuart Bell grew up in Springdale, Arkansas. His conversion and call to ministry occurred during his high school years.
Further education includes: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, John Brown University (1983); Master of Religious Education, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (1987); Doctor of Ministry in Expository Preaching, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2016).
Stuart and Lisa have shared life, marriage, and ministry since 1983, serving churches in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, before moving to the Pacific Northwest. Also, they have enjoyed international ministry in Eastern Europe, India, Greece, and Cuba. They have two children: Emily, with husband Matt, and grandsons Samuel and Calvin, living in East Asia; and Lucas, with wife Kyla, living in Kansas City, Missouri.
Ramnicu Valcea, Romania
Brother Cristi
I am Constantin Ciuculescu, but people know me as Cristi. I was born in an orthodox family, but in 1992, at the age of 13, God changed my heart. The local pastor asked me, after I got baptised, to have 5 minutes before the church. Since that moment, I don't remember a week in which I was not preaching. God called me to became a pastor though I wanted to study music. So, in 2002 I started pastoral theology at the Emanuel University of Oradea. I graduated in 2006 and in 2007 I married my beautiful wife Irina. Together we have Miriam and Lisa and they are a tremendous blessing to us.
In 2007 along with Harrod family (from Hermitage, Arkansas,) we planted a church. The first two years were so hard. Nobody came to church. Still, we continued to serve faithfully and God blessed our dedication. We are so blessed to serve in the least evangelised place of Romania. I love and I am very focused in what I am doing. All glory to God!
Indonesia
Phillip Chia
Philip Suciadi Chia received his D.Th from Evangelical Theological Seminary of Indonesia (ETSI) and Ph.D from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Currently, he serves at ETSI as a Director of Doctoral Studies, an adjunct professor of Reformed Theological Seminary of Indonesia, and an associate pastor at the Bible Church of Indonesia. His passion is to reveal the beauty of the Scripture to people. This passion is channeled through his articles, books, teaching, and preaching. He also loves to invite westerners to visit Indonesia both to share the Gospel to unbelievers and to equip their fellow believers.
Africa
Dave and Amanda Earnst
Cameroon, Africa
In 2021 we spent two weeks visiting Dave and Stacey Hare in the Kwakum village where they live and work. On April 22nd we were officially invited to join World Team Cameroon. We have great peace in our souls about serving alongside Dave and Stacey. The tremendous need for the visual translation work that David will be doing was very clear to us. We also realized that this highly technical work can only be done here in the United States—where we have reliable internet and electricity and can transfer large data files—so we won’t be moving. We are pursuing this new and exciting ministry right here in Oklahoma. Visual translation (Read more about that here!) is groundbreaking in many ways and we are so excited to see how God uses it.
Jeff and Stephanie Bys
Kenya, Africa
Jeff and Stephanie Bys have been married for 19 years and they have 10 children and 1 Granddaughter. They are originally from the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex. Jeff and Stephanie are now full time missionaries, serving with their 7 youngest children in rural Western Kenya. They are overseeing Mercy Ministries-AFM Africa and the various ministries that fall under that. Jeff and Steph have big hearts for orphans and fully believe that God led them to take His call for them in Africa.
Arkansas
Harold Smith
Brother Harold serves as a missionary of West Park Baptist Church in Ozark, AR. He is engaged in church revitalization, Christian literature distribution, interim pastorates, pastor enrichment, and itinerate preaching. Bro Harold also hosts Backwoods Baptist Podcast and writes about the subject of healthy churches.
Most Saturdays Harold can be found at the Backwoods Book Co located in the historic district of Van Buren, AR where he gives away free books, Bibles, and tracts. The rest of the week he is usually about the Lord's business somewhere in the backwoods.