The Irish are great story tellers.  So in that spirit, we’d like to share the story of where God is leading us, and invite you to become part of that narrative.  We are excited to be apart of God’s greater story of reconciling people to Himself through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We believe we have an incredible opportunity to share and live out that good news in Ireland.

While Jon attended Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), we became close friends with an Irish couple who were also studying at DTS.  After graduation, we moved back to Wisconsin to start our family.  Our Irish friends eventually returned to Ireland to work with a small evangelical church plant about 45 minutes northwest of Dublin.  Despite the distance, we were able to keep in touch with them and have a small part in supporting the ministry there.  Last November, we were able to witness first hand what God is doing as we spent a week in Ireland visiting the church and meeting with its members.  On the visit, we received an invitation to come and assist with the church plant, confirming the call we believed God had put on our hearts.

Why Ireland?  First and foremost, we feel God’s direction to the ministry there. We have seen the need for Christ-centered, biblically grounded churches.  Living Hope Church is the only evangelical church in Trim.  Western Europe is often overlooked as a mission field, and Ireland currently has the lowest percentage of evangelical Christians of any English speaking country.

So, in early September, we are planning to move to Ireland.  Our vision is to help build and equip Christ-centered, biblically grounded churches in Ireland by sharing and living out the good news of Jesus Christ.  We will be serving in two primary ways:  First, we will be assisting in a new church plant, Living Hope Church (www.livinghope.ie), started in Trim, Ireland.  Trim is a short drive west of Dublin.  Secondly, we will be serving at a Christian retreat center, Drewstown House (www.drewstown.com).  The property is currently set up to welcome groups for retreats and a wide variety outdoor activities and sports.  We will be assisting in the outreach to youth in the surrounding communities.

We look forward to staying in contact with you through regular updates on our site of pictures and prayer requests.  We sincerely thank you for coming on this journey with us!