Our City

We regularly pray for our City of Deer Park community leaders:

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT

We are joyful members of the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce:

“And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you... Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7 NLT

Global Missions

Marcus & Renee Brainos
Europe/Middle East, France

Marcus and Renee Brainos are graduates of Texas Bible College, where they met and married. He taught ExCell Bible College classes (an extension of Texas Bible College) for eight years. Brother Brainos grew up in France and has always had a burden for the country and to be able to minister to the people. In March of 2004, Brother and Sister Brainos received their missionary appointment to France. Upon their arrival on the field, he began teaching in the Bible school, working on French literature, and participating in all facets of church ministry and outreach. The Brainos family was also furlough replacements in Chatellerault, France, during the Brochu's deputation. Renee Brainos has been consistently involved with Sunday school ministry; and after attending language school, is teaching Sunday school in French. The Brainos children, Christopher, Philippe, and Morgan have been active in youth, music and Sunday school ministries. Brother and Sister Brainos look forward to planting a new church upon their return to the field.

KEN & KAY BURGESS
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST, SPAIN

Ken and Kay Burgess were appointed missionaries in October, 1991 after 27 months on the AIM program, and began their 5th term as Career Missionaries in Argentina in February, 2010. Shortly after their return to the field, Bro. Burgess felt it was time to step down as President of the work in Argentina where he had served for the past 7 years. Subsequently the Burgesses transferred to the tiny, but revival-packed nation of El Salvador in the Central American Region. As Missionary Supervisor in El Salvador Bro. Burgess serves as Director of the Pentecostal Bible Institute and on the National Board of El Salvador.

Since moving to El Salvador, they have been involved in all aspects of the National Work, including the remodeling of the current National Offices building. They were also instrumental in the purchase of a new facility which will house the National Offices and the Bible School, which will be remodeled and hopefully completed by the end of 2012. Plans are also underway to re-open the Cathy Killoren Memorial Clinic and to establish a Children’s Home in El Salvador.

Sis. Burgess was recently named Director of a National Pastors’ Wives Ministry and manages the National Bookstore. Together, they travel throughout the nation teaching, preaching, and speaking in special events and local churches. The Burgesses have one son, Kameron, who is currently attending Indiana Bible College.

LONNIE & GAIL BURTON
SOUTH AMERICA, VENEZUELA

Lonnie Burton first arrived in Venezuela as a nine-year-old boy accompanying his missionary parents, James and Martha Burton. Fourteen years later, in 1976, Lonnie and Gail Burton, alumni of Conquerors Bible College, received their appointment as UPCI missionaries to Venezuela. Arriving in Venezuela in November 1977, the Burtons settled in the eastern side of the nation. At that time the area only had four works. Today it has over 40 works and is divided into two sections. Lonnie Burton is the director of the Bible school in Valera. Much of the growth of the Venezuelan church can be attributed to its ministerial training programs. Lonnie and Gail Burton pastor in Valera and are responsible for the development of many new works in their area.

FILIPPO & BRENDA CIULLA
EUROPE/MIDDLe EAST, BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG

Filippo and Brenda Ciulla received their missionary appointment to Belgium in 1985. Arriving in Brussels in 1986, they assumed a church with a small group in the city of Brussels. As of now, they have five churches, 15 licensed ministers, a Bible school and training seminars. Sister Ciulla has been involved in music ministry, ladies ministry and counseling ministry, and teaching ladies seminars. When returning to the field, the Ciullas will continue their training program and start new churches in Belgium.

JIM & KAREN CRUMPACKER
AFRICA, KENYA

Jim and Karen Crumpacker with their son Jason arrived in Kenya in 1982 to work in the Bible school as AIMers. Nine months later a door opened for them to serve as furlough replacements in Malawi for 15 months. They received missionary appointment to Malawi in October 1984. Arriving in Malawi they found a young church that was immature but very evangelistic. In the next 20 years the number of churches grew from about 40 to about 400 with 30 churches started in Mozambique refugee camps along their border in Malawi. A Bible college was also built and established. When the war ended in Mozambique, the refugees returned home taking their new Pentecostal experience with them. As a result the Crumpackers were able to start many new churches in Mozambique and register the church with the government. The Crumpackers made many trips into Mozambique teaching in seminars and conferences. They were able to see a regional missionary sent from Brazil live in Mozambique, the Moraes family. Jim Crumpacker served as area Coordinator in Central Africa and later for both South and Central Africa while living in Malawi. In 2003 the Crumpackers returned to Kenya as missionary supervisor and area coordinator for East Africa, leaving behind their beloved Malawi and Mozambique and returning to where their missionary service began. In Kenya Brother Crumpacker directs the Bible college in Nairobi, and both Crumpackers teach in the college. Sister Crumpacker works with Ladies Ministries. As area coordinator, Brother Crumpacker works in countries without missionaries, helping with church registrations, does leadership training, seminars and visits their conferences. They live in Nairobi, Kenya. Jim Crumpacker: 11-29, Karen Crumpacker: 3-2, Anniversary: 9-2

AMBER DAVENPORT
AFRICA, TOGO

SHANE & DENA HAYES
SOUTH AMERICA, CHILE

Shane and Dena Hayes accepted an AIM assignment to San Andres, Colombia, in 2003. In 2004 they received intermediate missionary appointment and returned to San Andres to continue their work of establishing a self-supporting church and raising up leaders. After accomplishing this, they began to feel the Lord directing them to Chile. They were able to move to Chile in January 2010, settling in the city of Concepcion. It was here that they lived through the epicenter of the 2010 8.8 earthquake. Brother and Sister Hayes coordinated with Compassion Services International for the relief and rebuilding efforts. Brother Hayes is currently the Chilean national Vice-President as well as the South American representative for Global Association of Theological Studies (GATS). Sister Hayes is involved in Ladies Ministries and is a gifted teacher.

GARY & KRISTI LANDAW
CENTRAL AMERICA, CARIBBEAN, PUERTO RICO, TRINIDAD/TOBAGO

Gary and Kristi Landaw first went to the Caribbean in 1978 as furlough replacements for Bro. and Sis. Lloyd Shirley. It was there that they felt a call for Trinidad and Tobago and also developed a love for Puerto Rico. From 1981-1984 the Landaws based in Puerto missionary profile Rico and worked in several Caribbean Islands. In 1984 they moved to Trinidad and Tobago. From 1984-1990 the Landaws established the main church as well as planted other churches and started the Bible school. From 1991-1997 the Landaws' returned to Puerto Rico where they did evangelism and Bible school training. During that time they also worked with the church in Cuba teaching and preaching in several areas . In 1997 once again the Landaws moved back to Trinidad and worked in Bible school training, planting churches and giving leadership . In 2011 Puerto Rico became the focus of missionary work and this term they have been working with the church to see new works established and have worked to see the Bible school program become a part of the Global Association of Theological Schools. Bro. Landaw is also currently the Coordinator of Leadership Development of the Central America and Caribbean Region. Both Bro. and Sis. Landaw enjoy teaching in seminars and Bible school and have taught throughout the Caribbean.

TERRY & CINDY MCFARLAND
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST, IRELAND

Terry and Cindy McFarland received their missionary appointment to Ireland in March 2004. Their appointment followed six years in Ireland as Associates in Missions. Amid some of the worst religious violence in Irish history, they established the only UPCI church in Northern Ireland. While AIMers they began holding meetings in an "old wee barn" and at other locations when God miraculously provided a three-acre property with a warehouse and shop located just outside of Belfast.

They worked diligently, and over the next five years God helped them to establish a headquarters church in Northern Ireland with a part-time Bible School. The doors that have opened potentially lead to beginning works in Dublin, Belfast, Galway and Cork.

STEVE & YVONNE NIX
CENTRAL AMERICA/CARIBBEAN, NICARAGUA

In late 1995 the Nixes transferred to Nicaragua, where they have served from 1996 to present. Steve has been the director of the Bible school in Nicaragua since their arrival in 1996, and with a vision of expanding and improving its program, successfully initiated the GATS curriculum. As sub-regional coordinator for GATS, he has worked closely with Regional GATS Coordinator Brad Thompson, participating in many teacher-training seminars in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Puerto Rico. He has also been a guest speaker for other GATS teacher-training seminars in Chile, Argentina, Peru and Spain. 

Steve served as advisor to the Nicaraguan national church officers in helping to modernize the national church administration and has served as national treasurer since 2000. In 2016 he began training a national pastor to take over the job of the national treasurer so that he may dedicate more of his time to the Bible school and national travels upon their return to the field during their next term. 

Bro. and Sis. Nix have been involved with four major crusades in Nicaragua where, in total, more than 4,000 received the Holy Ghost. Yvonne also worked along with national ladies’ ministries leadership to host two national ladies’ conferences, which had an attendance of more than 4,000 ladies in each conference. In these two conferences, nearly 600 ladies received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. 

In conjunction with national leadership, Steve assisted with the acquisition of seven acres of property. The construction of the Nicaraguan church's national offices and Bible school building has been the fulfillment of his vision and dream for over fifteen years. The building was dedicated in October 2014, and the vision continues! They are praying for the Lord to provide funding for a large tabernacle on the property in which national events can be hosted without having to rent other facilities. 

Steve has traveled extensively throughout Nicaragua by every means possible – car, public bus, riverboat, horseback, jungle walking and airplane . . . in cities, villages and jungle river churches. In twenty-one years of ministering in Nicaragua, the Nixes have personally seen literally over a thousand receive the Holy Ghost. They have taught many seminars at church, district and national levels. Additionally, Steve has traveled throughout Central America by invitation to teach in the various countries, as well as in the annual Central American Seminar. He has served as the secretary of the Central American Council since 1999 and has also served as the recording secretary in the last three Spanish Summits. 

In 2010 Steve had the privilege of teaching and preaching in one of the first public seminars of the recognized church in Cuba. Since his appointment as Area Coordinator in Central America he has traveled to various Central American countries to strengthen and support leadership and represent Regional Director David Schwarz whenever necessary. 

CHRIS & PAULA RICHARDSON
AFRICA, MADAGASCAR

Chris and Paula Richardson are both MKs (missionary kids). He is the son of former missionaries and former regional director, Jerry and Vickie Richardson; she is the daughter of former missionaries, Don and Linda Clenney. The Chris Richardsons started working in Madagascar as AIMers in 1994 and then received full missionary appointment in 1996.

As the only missionaries currently appointed to Madagascar, they are involved in many phases of the work. He oversees and teaches in the Bible school, works closely with and advises the national board, and works with the leadership of the national departments/ministries. She teaches the Bible school student wives, works with the national ladies ministries, develops new literature for the Malagasy church, and manages the national printing department.

Both of Chris and Paula have responsibilities in the Africa Region as well. He is the coordinator for Leadership Development Africa (part of LDI) while she is the coordinator for Reaching Africa’s Children & Youth.

Their children, Richae (daughter) and Jared (son), were the fourth generation of Richardsons to live in Madagascar. Richae was born in Madagascar while the Richardsons were serving under AIM and she now has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO. Jared was born during the Richardson’s first deputation after receiving their full missionary appointment and he is currently enrolled in Urshan College. Both of them desire to be involved in overseas work whether it be in aid programs or missionary work.