Inter-mission Descriptions
& Leader Bios
1. Hope Equals
Hope Equals is a network of missions activists. We are North Americans supporting the reconciliation efforts of Israelis and Palestinians. We are about people. We foster hope. We strive for peace. Learn how you can be involved.
Mariano Avila - Coordinator, Hope Equals
Mariano is the project manager for Hope Equals, a campus ministry that educates and connects college students to NGOs working on peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. He is a graduate of Calvin College and is currently doing an MFA in creative writing at Warren Wilson College. His work experience prior to Hope Equals is in journalism and mass media including three years as communications manager for CRWM.
2. Mold Me, Fill Me, Use Me ...
Come explore five resources that will help teens grow in faith, examine their beliefs, discover their gifts, and serve Christ with passion.
Jolanda Howe - Training and Consulting Coordinator, Faith Alive Christian Resources
Jolanda was a youth director before joining Faith Alive’s staff as training and consulting coordinator. She provides support and encouragement for ministry leaders through webinars, workshops, blogs, e-newsletters, and events.
3. The Perspectives Course
Discover the best missions education course available for the church today. "Perspectives On the World Christian Movement", held at 200 sites each year, offers a deeper look into God's global cause. As someone said, "Take Perspectives- it'll ruin you for the ordinary!"
Mark Sigmon - Grand Rapids Area Coordinator, Perspectives
Mark is the Grand Rapids Area Coordinator for Perspectives. Following ten years in youth/pastoral ministry, for the past twenty years he has served in global ministry. Mark is the director of Global Impact Services, which helps churches maximize their resources and mobilize their people for greater global impact.
4. Plugged-in to Missions: A DVD Curriculum for World-Minded Christians
Explore CRWM's interactive, educational DVD missions series for adults and teens. The six lessons include videos, interactive activities like learning to write the Chinese characters for Jesus, discussion questions, prayer items, and much more.
Al Karsten - North America Director, Christian Reformed World Missions
Al has been involved with World Missions since 1992. He is a graduate of Calvin College and McMaster University. Presently he serves as the North America Director. He works out of the Burlington office in Ontario, Canada. He and his wife Katie have four children and three grandchildren. Their oldest, Kimberley, and her husband Steve Holtrop serve as missionaries with World Missions at the Nehemiah Center in Nicaragua.
5. Praying Together
Both "Service" and "Prayer" are significant factors in spiritual formation. Together, they change and impact lives dramatically. This "inter-mission" session will look at integrating prayer into short-term and inter-generational mission trips for spiritual transformation. We look specifically at Bidding Prayer, Lectio Divina, Prayer Imagining, and Praying "On-site."
Doug Kamstra - Prayer Mobilization and Discipleship Team Leader, Christian Reformed Home Missions; Pastor, Calvary Christian Reformed Church
Doug is the Pastor of Calvary Christian Reformed Church and the Prayer and Discipleship Team Leader for Christian Reformed Home Missions. He serves as the co-chair of the Denominational Prayer Leader's Network, is a member of the National Prayer Committee, and has authored "The Praying Church Idea Book" (Faith Alive). Doug also serves on the leadership team of "The Deeper Journey" - an intensive series of retreats for pastors and leaders practicing the spiritual disciplines.
6. The Network
We'll take a look at how The Network (as it's represented online) is demonstrating a new way of being the "church" by connecting people for ministry. We'll focus particularly on the Global Missions network as one of the many networks available.
Mike Bruinooge - Director, The Network
Mike has worked for the CRC for 31 years in a variety of roles, both with CRWRC and the Denominational Office. He now directs The Network. He is a graduate of Princeton and Calvin Theological Seminaries, as well as the Rutgers School of Social Work and Calvin College.
7. Round Trip
Round Trip is a five-lesson DVD curriculum about short-term missions produced by Christianity Today. It includes engaging video footage balanced between a documentary showing the experiences of two teams (one from North Carolina and one from Kenya) and interviews of missions experts. Emphasis is placed not only on how a team should go, but also on how to process the experience, and what to do with it when returning home. Discover how you can use Round Trip to enhance your short-term mission experiences.
Trish De Jong - Missions Resource Consultant, Christian Reformed World Missions
With a background in urban planning and environmental assessment, Trish De Jong joined the ministry of CRWM thirteen years ago. During most of that time Trish served as the Canadian Church Relations Coordinator, assisting new missionaries, volunteers, and churches to build healthy and dynamic partnerships. As a traveler and missions mobilizer at heart, she has led a summer team to Kazakhstan and a short-term missions team to Nicaragua. In the new position of Missions Resource Consultant Trish has the opportunity to focus on the part of ministry she is most passionate about - seeing churches become more involved and strategic in their cross-cultural ministry.
8. Q&A with the Executive Director of Youth Unlimited
Come for an interactive conversation with Jeff about YU’s current and future initiatives to support youth workers and their churches with the practical and ongoing needs of youth ministry. Jeff looks forward to meeting you, listening to your thoughts and answering your questions.
Jeff Kruithof - Executive Director, Youth Unlimited
Jeff is the Executive Director of Youth Unlimited. He, his wife Lisa and their three daughters live in Hamilton, Michigan. They attend Providence Christian Reformed Church, where Jeff serves on the Student Ministries team.
<< Back to the NEXT! Conference page
