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Join 10,000+ U.S. churches whose congregants are living out their faith by engaging in global missions through child sponsorship.
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With great enthusiasm Steve joined the Church Relations Team in 2018. After 18 years of church staff experience, Steve understands the heartbeat of churches and shares a love for seeing those once far from God get connected to a life-changing relationship with Him. Steve also spent four years working with Fellowship of Christian Athletes—which explains why he is a HUGE Oklahoma Sooner fan. Steve and his wife, Kathryn, live in Wylie, TX, and are proud parents of their sons, Braxton and Nash.
Since 1996, Greg has invested his gifts and talents into Compassion’s force of volunteers. Greg leads the Church Mobilization team that empowers volunteers to put faith into action through serving, giving and encouraging others to act on behalf of children living in poverty. A servant leader by nature, Greg loves to influence the influencers and is inspired by their genuine and sacrificial efforts to advocate for the children. He and his wife, Michele, live in Hopkins, MN. They have four children.
With 20 years of full-time church ministry and church planting experience, Eric came to the Strategic Partnerships Team in 2014 to cultivate relationships with U.S. church planting networks. Eric helps U.S. churches see the sustainability of a church plant in a developing country as the new church reaches its community through Compassion’s child development program. He and his wife, Tara, live in Portland, OR, and have three grown children. In his down time Eric enjoys trail running and surfing.
For nearly 30 years Amy has been raising up and supporting volunteers through her church roles as a staff member, consultant and elder. Amy earned a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. In 2008 she joined the Church Mobilization team to help volunteers realize their potential through advocacy. She and her husband, Michael, live in Golden, Colorado and are happily launching adult children.
Bob brings 20+ years of pastoral, church planting and international relief/development experience to his position on the Strategic Partnerships Team. Since 2012 Bob has been the face of Compassion at pastor conferences and events in the U.S. and has a love for connecting with pastors and church leaders. One of his core values is commitment to the worldwide Church, and Bob clearly sees where Compassion fits into the global work God is doing. He and his wife, Noelle, have two adult daughters and live in Portland, OR.
Everything changed when Josh met two Compassion Alumni from Kenya in 2010. Suddenly his perspective on child sponsorship shifted from hoping that it changed lives to knowing it changes lives. His own childhood adversity, experience as a youth and family pastor, as well as a corporate sales and non-profit fundraising background, have confirmed God’s calling to change the world through children. Josh counts it an honor to serve the local church and help pastoral leaders engage their people in pursuing God’s heart for marginalized children. Josh and his wife Paige are passionate about great marriages - which make great families, food, traveling, soccer, and time with family. Josh and Paige are raising three terrific teenagers (pray for them) near Mobile, Alabama.
Kurt and his family served for 7 years as church planters in Gdansk, Poland. Since his teenage years he has had a heart for the church and the nations, and it is a joy for him to serve both with Compassion. Kurt, his wife Jenn and 2 sons live in Houston, TX. Kurt is known for loving the outdoors, building stuff and for loving to laugh.
Prior to joining the Strategic Partnerships Team in 2018, Patrick was on staff at Hillsong Church California. Still supportive of the Hillsong’s mission to champion the cause of the local church, Patrick manages the Compassion/Hillsong partnership in America. Patrick believes that together the two organizations can release thousands children from poverty in Jesus’ name. He and his wife, Bethany, have three children and live in Augusta, GA. An avid golfer, Patrick is also a UGA football fan. Go Dawgs!
Micah has spent the last 20 years in ministry, and has worn many hats: pastor, missionary, conference speaker, ministry director. He is the son and grandson of pastors and is excited to serve pastors as they lead their people on mission throughout the world. He serves on the Church Relations team, and lives in Kansas City with his wife Johanna and their 7 children, whom they call The Magnificent Seven.
Born into a pastor’s family and more recently a worship pastor for 10 years, David joined the Church Relations Team in 2017. He and his wife, Emily, live in Portland, OR, a post-Christian city where many people don’t think Jesus is relevant because they don’t see the Church as trustworthy or necessary. David’s passion is to equip the Church and encourage pastors throughout the Pacific Northwest to be leaders in ending extreme global poverty because it proves that God is at work and the Church is alive.
Rob served as a pastor for 29 years. His devotion to helping people discover and live out their part of God’s story continues through Compassion. Colorado is home to Rob and his wife, Carol Ann, their 3 grown daughters and grandchildren. Running enthusiast. Ice Cream connoisseur.
Mark joined Compassion in 2014 and leads the Church Relations team serving the Western states. Mark brings 27 years of vocational ministry experience to the team, including roles as Lead Pastor, as well as with Young Life and International Justice Mission. In his work with Compassion, Mark loves serving pastors as they lead their churches to fulfill their mission in the world. As a lifelong Californian, Mark loves hiking, surfing and just being near the ocean. He and his wife, Lisa, live in San Francisco and have a grown son, daughter and son-in-law.
Having spent 20+ years pastoring in thriving churches, Matt came to the Church Relations Team in 2016 with first-hand knowledge of the challenges pastors face as well as the impact that churches can make for the Kingdom. Matt shares his Compassion experience with pastors in the Midwest because he wholeheartedly believes in the ministry model of transforming lives, churches and communities through indigenous, gospel-centered churches. Matt and his wife, Marci, live in Belvidere, IL, with their three daughters.
Lorie joined the Church Development Team in 2010. As an adjunct professor, former KidMin leader, published author and speaker, she rounds out our team with a rich mix of programmatic knowledge, creativity and a passion to raise global kids. Lorie introduces U.S. churches to Compassion’s hands-on learning experiences and offers coaching and encouragement to church leaders as they enhance their church’s focus on global missions. Lorie and her husband, Scott, live in Colorado with their son, Maddox.
Scott has a passion to rescue children because it’s personal. Adopted from a fatherless home, he grew up living in hopeless poverty. Scott believes he was rescued to be a rescuer. Scott shares his enthusiasm with pastors because he knows that every child needs someone who believes in him/her and provides hope. A former pastor and church planter for 14 years, Scott joined the Southeast Church Relations Team in 2013. He and his wife, Kim, live in Shelby, NC and are proud of their two adult children.
As a college student, Matt first heard God’s call to serve children when he spent summers volunteering in war-torn Bosnia. His career in marketing and as a Regional Director at the American Red Cross continued to shape his passion to help children. In 2016 Matt joined Compassion’s Church Mobilization team to use his innovation and creativity to empower volunteers and churches to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. He and his wife, Katie, live in Elk Grove, CA, with their three children.
As a former business owner, Paul has been serving the Bride of Christ since 2001. In 2011 he saw Compassion’s work in Tanzania for the first time, and within a year he sold his successful business to join the Church Relations Team. Paul leads a group dedicated to serving U.S. pastors in the central states—sharing ideas and resources that enhance the Church’s mission to love who Jesus loves and to follow God’s heart of compassion. Paul and his wife, Stacey, and their two daughters live in Birmingham, AL.
For more than 20 years Derek has invested his gifts and talents in ministry leadership serving the local church as associate pastor, executive pastor and building pastor networks. In 2019, Derek joined the Church Relations Team with recent experience in non- profit organizations in the Washington, DC area. Derek’s biggest claim to fame is being married to his girlfriend, Cathy, and they are the proud parents of Derek Jr., Justin, and Cailin. They live in Maryland, close to the nation’s capital.
Served as a pastor for about 20 years before joining Compassion Korea for a year in 2010 and transferred to Compassion USA to head up the Korean Markets in 2011 ever since. I work out of the Korean American office in LA (near Biola/Talbot Seminary). Live in Brea, CA, with wife of 29 years, Irene, and 2 children, a son and daughter, and the oldest daughter working and living in Boston.
A former healthcare executive, Kevin came to the Church Relations Team for his dream job. Since 2008 he has been serving pastors on an issue that is close to God’s heart. Believing that the Church is God’s chosen instrument to change the world, Kevin meets with pastors in the Southeast U.S. to share how Compassion can complement their vision to impact the nations in Jesus’ name. Kevin and his wife, Veresa, and their young adult children have met all 13 Compassion children they sponsor (or have sponsored).
As a business and church leader for decades, Mark brings strategic and relational strengths to the Church Relations Team. Since 2005 he has been leading the team that serves the Great Lakes and (north) Eastern Seaboard region and provides practical ways for churches to take bold, transformational steps to model Christ’s compassion. Mark and his wife, Yvonne, have two married children and two grandchildren and live in Rochester, NY. Mark is a fishing enthusiast—inshore…offshore…fly; it’s his second calling.
Trina is a student of adversity and faith. After a difficult journey through cancer, Trina fully realized that life is a precious gift from God. She is passionate about communicating God’s gift of love for everyone—especially children. In 2014 Trina joined the Compassion family and provides leadership and inspiration to the Church Development and Mobilization team. Trina and her husband, Jeff, are launching two young adult children while raising their youngest son at home in Northern California.
In 2014 Samuel joined the Church Relations Team, but he has been a part of the Compassion family his entire life. Samuel’s father was a pastor in the Dominican Republic when he started a church that would later host a Compassion child development center. Today as Samuel meets with U.S. pastors in the Hispanic sector, he shares his unique perspective of children living in poverty. Understandably, he is passionate about what he does. He and his wife, Carolina, have two children and live in Tampa, FL.
After completing doctoral work at Baylor University, Amanda joined the Compassion family in 2008 to work with churches and volunteers. She continues to be inspired by the spirit of volunteerism--especially when fueled by faith to speak up for vulnerable children. As a member of the Church Mobilization team, Amanda equips U.S. church lay leaders in the east central states to advocate for the poor through church engagement. She and her husband, Steven, have three children and live in the Nashville area.
Paul has been a pastor for over 25 years, most recently for the past decade at Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon. His passion is to see pastors flourish in their calling and vocation as they love their families, serve their communities and extend their reach to the world. Paul is husband to Meredith and father to his three sons, Noah, Evan and Jonah, all of whom are taller than him. Having just become an empty nester, Paul is enjoying his golf game, long walks with Meredith and massive savings on their grocery bill.
Ben has a giant heart for the church and enjoys establishing partnerships that advance God’s Kingdom. He believes that being bald is beautiful, which is good since he’s out of other options. Ben lives in Atlanta with his wife, Vanessa, and their three children.
Rick’s previous careers in journalism and education helped shape his calling to Compassion. As a member of the Church Mobilization team, he is an observer, listener and developer. Before joining the Compassion staff in 2007, Rick was a Compassion volunteer for eight years and this experience served him well as he now supports, empowers and inspires volunteers to use their gifts to answer God’s call in their lives. Rick and his wife, Tonia, live in southern Ohio. They have two young adult sons.
David’s ministry roots are in Christian disaster relief work and later as a missions pastor. In 2015 he traveled to Africa with Compassion where he saw a beautiful blend of reaching the nations while supporting and working through local churches. A member of the Southeast Church Relations Team since 2017, he provides opportunities for churches to be on mission to share the gospel with children globally. He and his wife, Emily, live in Lakeland, FL with their three children; their youngest is adopted from Uganda.
Gary Underwood served as a Pastor for 22 years, where he discovered Compassion and made some wonderful friends in El Salvador. He loves serving pastors and churches worldwide and watching them form ministry partnerships to help people know and follow Jesus Christ. Gary and Jennie live just south of Akron, Ohio, with their three kids – Allison (2004), Luke (2005) and Julie (2008) – and their dog, Rocky. Gary has always enjoyed sports, movies, grilling, and spending time with family and friends.
Born in the Philippines, Doug is truly a world citizen having lived in Guam, Japan, Mexico, and Kenya. Since 2001 Doug has embraced the vibrancy and diversity of cultures at Compassion but his heart’s cry is to see children stand with dignity even though they are devalued and marginalized. Doug is part of the Church Mobilization team and coaches child advocates as they connect with U.S. church leaders in the southeast. Doug and his wife, Sarah, have three sons and live near Greensboro, NC.
Matt joined the Church Relations Team in 2015 after serving on local church staff for 15 years. Although Matt stands 6’4”, his most noticeable characteristic is his heart of compassion. As he meets with pastors throughout the Southeastern states, one thing that feeds Matt’s soul is knowing he is helping care for the most vulnerable children around the world. Matt and his wife, Michelle, live in Birmingham, AL, with their three beautiful daughters. (Ask him which daughter is adopted from Uganda.)
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