World Outreach

    Bill was born, raised, and educated in Chico and eventually graduated from Chico State with a BA in Sec.Ed. in 1959 (later earned an M.A. in 1974. He is a Korean War vet. He graduated from New Tribes Bible Institute in 1961. It was at NTBI that he met and married his wife Shirley. Shirley was a daughter of NTM missionaries to Paraguay where she participated in tribal ministries with her parents and siblings. Bill and Shirley completed NTM's comprehensive missionary training and language institutes in 1963 and were assigned to Bolivia the same year. Bill was formally ordained as minister/missionary and Shirley as missionary. Their ministries in Bolivia were primarily at the school for missionaries'; children—Jr. and Sr. high teachers, dorm parents, and administrators; and Shirley was also the school nurse. Bill was active in evangelism and teaching at the local Bolivian church. Bill has taught Jr. and Sr. high school in Wisconsin, Nebraska, and California, pastored two churches, and operated a professional sign painting business.

    In 1987 Bill and Shirley were assigned as NTM's West Coast representatives to Jr. and Sr. high schools, colleges, universities (secular and Christian) and churches. They were also leaders of NTM's "Destination SUMMIT" the mission's short-term branch that does work projects on isolated tribal stations in a variety of countries. In 1994 the Pittengers accepted the responsibility of establishing the office of NTM ( Asia) in Singapore. In 1997 Bill's parents'; asked Bill and Shirley to return to Chico because of his mother's declining health. That year Bill discovered he had colon cancer that required surgery and chemotherapy as well as atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure; therefore, the mission leadership suggested the Pittengers accept retirement status.  From 1998 to Feb. 2006, Bill and Shirley cared for Bill's parents but remained active in ministry locally, via telephone, e-mail, teaching, and personal evangelism.  Much of the ministry now is "follow-up."

    We met at the University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!!!), through our involvement in Campus Crusade for Christ. The Lord used the ministry there to develop us both individually, while instilling a strong desire to serve Jesus on college campuses around the world. Though He was clearly calling us both into full-time ministry individually, we soon saw that He was also calling us to run that race together. From there, it has been quite a ride. We graduated from college in 2002, and were married the following week. Two weeks after our honeymoon, we went through a two month training program in preparation for joining staff with Campus Crusade full-time. Finally, we learned that we were assigned to the campus of Chico State, and we soon moved north.

    We have been on staff at Chico State University for four years, and we have been so privileged to be a part of what God is doing there.   Our vision as a staff team is three-fold.

    We seek to:  1.) Be people who are Responsive to Jesus, 2.) Send Laborers into every corner of the world, 3.) Pursue God’s glory everywhere.

    As a family, we are continuing to experience God's profound grace, as we have recently learned that Kyra is carrying triplets.  She is five months into the pregnancy (as of 4/07), and the Dr. says that everything looks great.  We have moved to Phoenix, AZ. to be under the care of a multiple-birth specialist, as triplets are considered to be an extremely high risk pregnancy.  Dave is taking care of Kyra most of the time, who is now on "At-home bed rest", and is also working to expand our ministry support team in light of our growing family.  After the babies arrive we will be returning to our dear friends and church body in Chico. We continue to be committed to our call of raising-up followers of Christ who are responsive to Him...on college campuses everywhere, and now in the context of our own home. Please pray for us as we experience first-hand what it means to trust the Lord one-day at a time.

    I was born on Jan 12 of 1961 in the city of Karaganda, Kazachskaja SSR, SU. In 1982, I graduated from Moscow Timiriazev Agricultural Academy with a Master of Science in Agriculture. In 1987, I married Svetlana Bobryshova, the active member of Kursk ECB church. Now we have three boys: Victor, 13, Andy, 10 and Cornil, 4. I attended S-Petersburg Theological Academy and graduated from there with Bachelor in Religion and Mission degree in 1993. In 1995 my family and I came to Jacksonville, TX so that I could study in Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary. I received Master of Divinity degree in 1998.

    After my family and I came back from the US in 1998, I was elected to be a Senior Pastor of Grace Evangelical Christian Baptist Church, Kursk. It is the biggest evangelical church in the Kursk area. In 2001 my 3-year term as a senior pastor in Grace church was over. I did not run for the next term election because I got the invitation to study on D. Min Level in DTS and on PhD level in TEDS/TIU. I just defended my dissertation and am getting ready for a "Great Finale" in May. I continue to coordinate the Kursk Ministries, including facilitating connections between US and Russian churches and individuals in summer camps, prison ministries, orphanage ministries, newspaper, US short term mission trips, etc.

    These days we are really praying and discussing whether God wants our family to stay in US for a while so I will be able to continue to videotape and translate more courses in the best US seminaries, or not. May be He allowed us to get in this situation to move us back to Russia. So far we think If we do not get Religious visa within two months or so, we will move back to Russia by fall or by the end of this year.

    Bob and Joan were both born in Seattle, Washington. Joan was raised there but Bob was raised in Japan. They were first introduced to each other by mutual friends nearly 38 years ago. They will celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary on June26 th. They have 3 grown children and one son, Andrew, who is 18, still at home with them. They have been blessed with 5 grandchildren.

    Bob and Joan first arrived in Japan with their two oldest children in December of 1977. They have served as church planters in Tokyo, Nara and for the last 13 years in the Fukuoka city area on the island of Kyushu.

    Lee Hotchkiss is Executive Director of Barnabas International. Lee has experience in both the pastorate and personnel development in missions. He has served as Senor Pastor in Evangelical Free churches in Oregon , Illinois, and California. He has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School . He served the Evangelical Alliance Mission as the Director of Pastoral Care and Counseling and was active in member care, leadership training, team building, teaching seminars, counseling, and conference speaking. He has a special interest in teaching stress management from a Christian perspective to those serving in difficult places.

    Lee and his wife Bev have been married 39 years. They have served together as missionaries in Bolivia with the Andes Evangelical Mission, where their two daughters were born. Three of their five grandchildren, are missionary kids, whose parents serve as church planters with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship in Japan.

    Ben Beckner grew up in Bristol, Tennessee and attended Asbury College.  Jeanne Aiken grew up a "PK" and an "MK" in Zaire, and attended both Trinity Western College and Trinity College.  After short term missions experiences in Mexico and Belgium, respectively, Ben and Jeanne met in Belgium in 1978, and were married in California in 1980.  After attending the French Evangelical Free Church seminary in Paris, France, Ben finished his seminary training at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, and Ben and Jeanne left for Belgium as career missionaries with the Evangelical Free Church International Mission (recently renamed "ReachGlobal") to do church planting and evangelism in 1984.  After planting two churches in Charleroi and Brussels, Belgium, Ben was asked to become the area director for West Europe in 1996.  This neccessitated a move to a more central location, and so in August of 1997 they moved to the Lyon, France area.

    Ben and Jeanne have been involved in ministry in a small church plant locally, as well as in hospitality ministry, mission strategy planning, and personnel training and overseeing, for the past almost 10 years.  In 2005 Ben stepped down as area director and became the Europe missions regional consultant.  In addition to this role, he has been instrumental in the founding of a French non-profit organization which promotes international missions involvement.  All four of the Beckner children have grown up bi-lingual and bi-cultural, and except for Rachel, are now in the US working and pursuing further education.  In May 2007 Ben was granted his Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.  Ben and Jeanne look forward to many more years of implementing their years of missions experience and education to the furtherance of the Gospel in Europe.

    Andre Zaichenkov is the pastor of New Testament Church in Kursk, Russia. He and his wife Irina have 4 children, ages 1-17. Andre graduated from Trinity Bible College in 2000 and Irina in 2002. In 2000 they planted New Testament Church beginning with a core group of believers doing evangelism door-to-door and inviting people to evening concerts and the Sunday service. In the summer of 2001 they had their first baptism. The church rented facilities for 4 years until it moved into the building it now shares with the Bible college. The church has had a partnership with Chico EFC since 2003. Thanks to Chico's support Andre and Ira are studying journalism with plans to develop Christian articles and programs for mass media. Today the church has 40 regular attenders, a children's Sunday school program, ministers in 3 orphanages, organizes summer youth camps each year, and provides space for a 12 step meeting in the building. Church leadership is working to define a vision statement and to develop a strategy for spiritual growth and evangelism.

   Henry and Alice Mutua and their two grown children live in Nairobi, Kenya. Henry works at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology where he teaches, pastors, mentors and supervises students in field ministry. Alice and Henry are also currently trying to open their rural home as a feeding center for orphaned children whose parents have died of AIDS.

    I love serving with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Chico State and Shasta College. InterVarsity is an evangelical campus mission serving students and faculty on college and university campuses nationwide. InterVarsity has a rich tradition of campus witness, thoughtful discipleship, and a concern for world missions. Our vision at Chico State is to see students and faculty transformed, the campus renewed, and world changers developed. I recently married Michael Kibbe (7 weeks!) and love camping, hiking, reading, and spending time with friends.