our mission is to spread the gospel
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20.
As children and disciples of Christ, we are instructed to tell others of the good news of Jesus - and what a blessing that is! Our church currently supports mission work across the globe, with ministries in the United States, Mexico, Honduras, Ukraine, Haiti, and England. 2024 has been a particularly challenging year for many of our mission works, yet we are staying the course and moving forward in faith. We know God is doing great things and has even more great things in store for our numerous mission fields, and we are excited to support them and work with them to further the Kingdom in 2025.
M.E.S. is November 3rd. Help us fund our 2025 mission work.
Our mission work is not possible without the generous financial support of our congregation. As we prepare for our annual M.E.S. we ask that you prayerfully consider giving to our ministry. Funds are used for things such as providing food, medical, and other basic nesscessities, build homes and shelters, and more. Most importantly, we talk to all we can about Jesus and let them know that they are deeply loved. If you would like to contribute to this work, please select “PLEDGE FORM.”
MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS
Reyes and Chanita Medina, Ensenada, Mexico
Reyes Medina has been faithfully serving as the lead minister at the Colonia 89 Church of Christ in Ensenada, Mexico, since 2007. Throughout the years, Reyes and his family have become cherished members of the community, guiding the church through both good times and challenges. Reyes and his wife Chanita continue to serve the Colonia 89 Church of Christ with dedication, fostering a strong and supportive church community in Ensenada.
Roberto and Betty Zepeda | Toluca, Mexico
Roberto and Betty were here July, 2024 to report on the work in Toluca. Roberto and Betty were baptized in 1992 and have been faithfully serving the church in Toluca and IILEB since that time. Roberto is the Director of the Bible Institute, Betty oversees the women’s programs. As you can see from the photo they have a beautiful family. Joselyn and Adam live in Toluca, Mexico, Alin and Yann also live in Mexico and Jaret and Shimwe live in South Africa.
As a church we support the Latin-American Bible Study Institute (ILEB) by providing part of the salary for Roberto Zepeda, funding for a teacher, and scholarships for several students. Roberto was one of the first to work with the missionaries, starting and growing the Toluca church, and currently serves as one of the Shepherds. Roberto, as the director of ILEB has been able to celebrate many graduates who have become missionaries and preachers throughout Mexico and three other countries.
Kim Solis
Toluca, Mexico (currently living in Portland, Oregon)
Raul Solis, originally from Toluca, Mexico, transitioned to his heavenly home on May 4, 2024, surrounded by love and grace. In his final weeks, hundreds of people whose lives were deeply touched by his radiant spirit and unwavering faith had the chance to express their gratitude and affection. Raul’s life was a living testament to the power of one person’s dedication to growing God’s Kingdom. His legacy of faith, service, and boundless passion continues to inspire all who knew him.
Kim remains devoted to her work with ILEB, where she teaches remotely and manages the online platform that connects students and faculty. As she navigates this time of profound transition, our community stands ready to offer her unwavering love and support. Though this year will be a challenging one, Kim’s resilience and commitment to her calling remain steadfast, and we are honored to walk alongside her as she continues to make an impact in the lives of many.
Coco and Tish Serrano | Oaxaca, Mexico
After serving for 20 years as a preacher in local Oaxacan congregations and ministries, Jorge Serrano and his wife Latisha have recently recognized the emerging need to sow seeds of hope within the migrant community in Oaxaca, Mexico. Migrants from all over the world pass through this southern state in hopes of attaining amnesty in the USA, fleeing extreme poverty, unaffordable healthcare costs, political unrest, or crime in their home countries. In 2024 alone, Oaxaca has seen half a million migrants pass through, with a large percentage traveling through the state capital.
Jorge and Latisha provide food packs, used clothes, water, vitamins, over-the-counter medications, prenatal and women/baby care (Latisha is an International Certified Midwife), and are on call to help transport emergencies to hospitals or find lodging for families. Their 8-year-old daughter, Violet, plays with the migrant children to provide them with a sense of normalcy.
As a family, their ministry is based on the greatest commandment found in Matthew 22:36-40 and the example of sowing seeds as Paul described in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9. When asked how they feel about not being able to completely meet so many needs, they responded, “We follow the example of Peter and John: ‘We have no silver or gold, but what we do have, we give in the name of Jesus Christ.’” (Acts 3:5).
Bernabé and Jheidi Rosis, Ensenada, Mexico
Bernabé Rosis, along with his wife Jheidi, joined the Colonia 89 Church of Christ in October 2018. Initially supporting the congregation as members, they both balanced secular jobs while actively contributing to the church's activities. In 2022, Bernabé was hired as the youth minister and has been instrumental in organizing youth programs, marriage seminars, and other spiritual activities that have greatly benefited the congregation. Jheidi has been particularly active in supporting women’s and children’s ministries, complementing Bernabé’s efforts and enhancing the overall impact of their work.
Iron Rose Sister Ministries
Iron Rose Sister Ministries seeks to equip, encourage, and empower women to connect to God and one another more deeply in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and bilingual contexts. Wendy Neill works with this ministry and is our point of contact. For 2025, Bentonville is supporting the work of this ministry in Portuguese-speaking Brazil.
To provide women’s Bible studies simple enough for anyone to lead and deep enough for everyone to grow
To equip women's ministry leaders
To facilitate Christian sister relationships that will be like iron sharpening iron, encouraging and inspiring each other to be as beautiful as a rose in spite of a few thorns
To conduct seminars, ladies’ days, women’s retreats, etc.
To create a network of Christian women and women’s ministries across the Americas
Haiti MISSIONS
Jean Claubert | Bonnett, Haiti
We continue to be involved in our mission efforts in Haiti even though a group has not been able to go in person for a couple of years. Political unrest and now COVID have continued to disrupt our ability to travel to Haiti to serve with a medical mission team. However, individual members remain active in supporting the continuing efforts of our brothers and sisters in Haiti. We have continued to support the efforts of the Church of Christ in Bonnet in numerous ways. Jean Claubert preaches at the church and is also acting as the director of the Christian school there, which serves 450 students through the 8th grade. Aid has also been delivered to an orphanage to help with the drilling of a well to provide water to the children in the orphanage. Other individuals have remained active in support of the ongoing efforts of Wilguens Estavien and his ministries of education and health in Deyemon and Port-au-Prince. We continue to monitor the situation in Haiti and hope to make another medical mission trip there when the conditions will allow us to safely do so. Until then we continue to support them in prayer and in whatever other ways we can as opportunities present themselves.
WATCH NOW to hear a message from Jean Claubert.
Biodun Owolabi | Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
As a church, we support West Nigeria Christian College & School of Biblical Studies by providing the salary of their leader, Biodun Owolabi. The school focuses on training thousands of preachers and church leaders for the purpose of raising up leaders to evangelize and build the churches of Christ in Nigeria, as about 2,500 of these churches do not have a regular preacher. The students study the Bible as it was written in its original languages, Hebrew and Greek. There were 204 students this past year, and they are expecting 269 students this year. Due to COVID-19, they have started online classes and will continue with a hybrid approach. Students will be able to come to the school while they practice many safeguards around COVID. They got a new roof for a boy's dormitory, so it is now usable, and they recently got a new provost. They also learn vocational skills related to poultry, fish farming, agriculture (started a plantain program), computer skills and networking; these programs benefit the students and help provide revenue for the school.
UKRAINE MISSIONS
Volodya
“Praise be to God for EVERYTHING!” Meet Volodya and Arusik, courageous and kind men and women of God. Volodya sends his greetings from Ukraine where for the last twenty years he has a led a small church, despite receiving warnings of imprisonment and even death threats since his city (Makeevka, population 700K) was invaded by the Russian Army. Even though he faces immediate danger, Volodya happily and boldly continues to preach. Last year, Bentonville Church started supporting Volodya and his congregation. Recently due to the war, he is no longer able to receive funds. Your prayers are desperately needed. Arusik helps us translate during out tele-conversations with our Ukraine ministers; she and her family reside in Ohio. Learn more about Volodya and Arusik by watching their video now!
Arusik and Volodya
Sergei and Maryna Flegontov
(Now living in Bentonville, AR)
Sergei has been active in ministry in the congregation at Soborna for over six years. At the beginning of the war, he became lead minister of the congregation. He and Maryna are both passionate about sharing their faith. Due to the enormous number of refugees relocating to, or transiting through Dnipro, they expanded the congregation’s ability to provide food, shelter, and transportation. In August 2022, the Ukraine government ordered an evacuation from the Donbas region due the unavailability of heating oil for the coming winter and a lack of food and water. The Dnipro church prepared for even more evacuees transiting Dnipro. Sergei and Marina continued to serve despite the nightly threats of artillery and missile attacks. Due to the worsening situation because of the war and Maryna’s pregnancy, in August 2022, they decided to accept our invitation to come to the US. They arrived in Bentonville on October 28, 2022. In January 2023, Maryna gave birth to healthy twin boys, Mark and Stefan. The family will worship and serve with us while they are here. Sergei and Maryna continue to stay in touch with the Soborna congregation for leadership, advice, encouragement and support.
Click here to watch the Flegontov’s video
Rita Girenko | Dnipro, Ukraine
Rita has been our agent for all things administrative and financial since the mid-1990’s. She directs the Widows and Orphans Ministry. She is in constant contact with the “Far-Off Orphanage” to coordinate visits to Dnipro so some of the orphans can attend worship and fellowship in Dnipro. (Those visits are on hold due to restrictions resulting from the war.) The number of homebound widows has increased lately; Rita checks on them regularly and coordinates visits to make sure their needs are met. She and her husband, Andrew, and son, Tom, coordinate the provision of food, clothes, medical supplies, etc., in an area that is constantly under threat of attack.
Bohdan & Elena Yasinskii
Bohdan joined our mission team, arriving from Kiev in 2018. He is full of energy and very bold in sharing the Gospel with anyone who will listen. He actively recruits orphans to participate in church activities. He organizes and conducts sports events and camps for the youth of the region. These events are a great outreach tool. An orphan himself, Bohdan is passionate to make sure children have the opportunity to know Jesus. Bohdan and family relocated to Western Ukraine at the beginning of the war, and then recently moved to the US, sponsored by the Tuscumbia Church of Christ in Alabama. He continues to teach and to direct the ministry to youth and orphans in Western Ukraine remotely. He and Elena have three sons, Oscar, Edgar, and Damir.
Ihor Ham Aha (pronounced Eager)
Ihor is a brand-new Christian who has been working with Sergei for several months. He came to the church via the Smart Elephant School for Adults. He is enrolled in the Ukrainian Bible Institute (remotely). We began supporting him as part of the ministry team at the Soborna congregation effective August 2022. His talents include organization, marketing, and lots of energy. He may be a modern-day Timothy. Ihor’s wife is currently in Spain due the war.
Veronica Zhuravlyova
Following the death from COVID-19 of her husband, Arthur, Veronica and her son have continued the family mission in support of church members in the occupied zone (now a war zone) in eastern Ukraine. Their ministry helps provide food and medical supplies to Christians in an area where those items are not readily available. They currently live in a suburb of Kiev.
Lina Kotumanova
Lina is a longtime member of the Lord’s church and a graduate of the Ukrainian Bible Institute. Starting in January 2023, we are supporting her in directing the Ladies Ministry at the Soborna Church of Christ. She teaches weekly Bible classes and organizes/facilitates monthly/quarterly Lady’s Seminars attended by ladies of Soborna and congregations in the Dnipro region.
ENGLAND MISSIONS
Paul Hill
Paul has led the congregation in Leicester since inception in November 2014 steadily growing the group both numerically and spiritually. Janet, his wife, and their family are all involved in the work and they have established a second church group in Derby as well as setting up an online course in association with Sunset to teach young brethren, primarily in the Uk through the Leicester Bible Institute. Paul and Janet make a wonderful team and since Paul started in full time church work in 1991, Janet has worked whenever necessary to allow Paul to focus on being a preacher. Paul and his family do a lot of community work including furniture banks, soup kitchens and Street ministries.
Support
Harding Scholarships
Gary Hutcheson Memorial fund
Member’s Mission Fund (MMF)
If you would like to submit an application for assistance funding a mission, please click here.