CRWM Speaker’s Bureau Offers Services

August 5, 2009

Christian Reformed World Missions is making available a number missions leaders, who are also veteran missionaries, to preach and speak about what God is doing through CRWM missionaries and some of the challenges they face in different parts of the world.

Mission leaders in the denominational offices and elsewhere have always been available for preaching and presentations at worships services and mission celebrations. But CRWM is now devoting more of its time and human resources to the task of missions’ education and engagement. Mission leaders with wide-ranging expertise and experience are available to the churches simply by making a direct call to one of the mission leaders.

These missionary preachers/speakers live in Grand Rapids, Mich., Burlington, Ontario, Kalamazoo, Mich., Parkersburg, Iowa, and Miami, Florida.

All of the speakers bring a unique perspective to their presentations, given that many have served over the world in various capacities as missionaries. Besides being able to preach about missions during worship services and celebrations, each speaker offers information on various aspects of, and resources related to, CRWM’s ministry.

  • Rev. Steve Van Zanen, based in the Grand Rapids office of the CRC, is a former missionary to Romania & Lithuania. Presently director for missions’ education and engagement, he is available to speak across the United States. Contact information: 616-224-0845, [email protected].
  • Rev. Albert Hamstra, former missionary to Bangladesh and China and former program director for Asia, is currently special projects director for CRWM. He can speak about the challenges of working in Asia and about CRWM’s program to upgrade theological libraries in developing nations. Contact information: 616-224-0717, [email protected]
  • Rev. Dr. Gary Bekker, a former missionary to the Philippines, former Calvin Seminary professor, and presently director of CRWM is also available. Bekker can offer a wide-ranging overview of all the work that CRWM is doing and the many challenges it faces. Contact information: 616-224-0718, [email protected].
  • Joel Hogan, former missionary and ordained evangelist to the Philippines, is the present director of international ministries. One of his areas of interest includes looking at how churches and church organizations work together in collaboration. He can speak about the value of such partnerships. Contact information: 616-224-0713; [email protected].
  • Ron Geerlings, former missionary to Liberia and Nigeria, is the regional leader for West Africa, currently working out of the Grand Rapids and West Africa offices. Geerlings, a ministry associate, can speak about the CRC’s wide-ranging ministries in West Africa. Contact information: 616-224-0720; [email protected].
  • Rev. Dr. Mwaya Wa Kitavi, former pastor and Bible League trainer, is presently serving as the regional leader for East and Southern African. An African by birth, he plans to move to Uganda in fall-2009, until then making periodic visits to Africa but working out of the Grand Rapids office. He is expert on the religious practices and the spread of Christianity in those regions. Contact information: 616-224-0712; [email protected]
  • Al Karsten, who has been involved in missions work since the early 1990s, is director of North America ministries of CRWM. He is based in Burlington, Ontario. Contact information:905-336-2920; [email protected]
  • Rev. Henry De Vries, former missionary to the Philippines and Guam and retired pastor in the CRC, is currently the missions’ mobilizer for the Great Lakes Region, which includes Michigan, Ohio and northern Indiana. Based out of Kalamazoo, he can speak about the work being done and the satisfaction missionaries are able to take from their ministries. Contact information: 269-501-3538; [email protected]
  • Rev. Frank Pott, a former missionary to Puerto Rico, recently retired as pastor of an Iowa CRC that had members affected seriously by a tornado. He needed to help shepherd that church as it moved on from the tragedy. He is currently regional missions’ mobilizer for the Upper Midwest of the United States and Manitoba and Northwest Ontario, Canada. Contact information: 319-346-1197; [email protected].
  • Rev. Luis Pellecer, is former pastor of Good Samaritan CRC, Miami, Florida. He has served Classis Florida as chair and as church visitor and has served synod as an ethnic adviser. He has been actively involved in issues involving Hispanic CRC congregations and their members. He currently is a regional leader for Latin America and can speak about the missions in the Carribean, including Cuba and Haiti and countries in Central America such as Nicaragua and Guatemala. Contact information: 305-569-6328, 305-706-5900; [email protected]

Chris Meehan