Meet the Voices of CRC23!

Clinton Faupel

Clinton Faupel is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of RemedyLIVE, a technology based non-profit that produces interactive events and includes a 24 hour staffed chat center that provides hope and live chat interaction for people that are struggling with mental health issues in their life. RemedyLIVE has had over 13.5 million interactions in it’s chat center and impacted over 300,000 adults and children with it’s corporate centered/ public school events since 2015.

Clinton is an interactive communicator who uses proprietary technology, he helped create, to engage his audience. He speaks to tens of thousands of people per year about how secret struggles do not need to have the final say on their future.

Raised in Western Canada, Clinton is married to his wife Tonya, and have been serving people together since 2003. Clinton and Tonya have three beautiful teenage girls and a son and live in Northeast Indiana.

Brian Beall

Brian and Sheri live in Fort Wayne, IN with their 4 children and are currently adopting their teenage son from China. At Pathway, Brian is the Next Steps Pastor and oversees the assimilation strategy. Brian also leads Pathway Online, a new stewardship ministry, and is the site director of the Bethel University @ Pathway site. He is also an adjunct professor with Bethel University with the Religion & Philosophy Department. Brian grew up in the Missionary Church, graduated from Bethel University in 2004, Wesley Seminary in 2014, and he appreciates iced coffee 365 days a year.

Jon Swanson

Jon Swanson is currently a hospital chaplain at Parkview (Fort Wayne), an adjunct for Bethel, and a researcher with Arbor Research Group. He served Grabill MIssionary and First (FW) as an executive pastor, and worked in higher education. Jon and Nancy have two children, one grandson, and more than forty years of marital experience. “I help people and organizations find sense at urgent and important times.”

Learn more at thisishard.substack.com

Wayne Okamoto

Wayne has been married to his wonderful wife, Ollie, for almost 39 years. They have three godly, married children and three sweet grandchildren. He enjoys fishing, the outdoors, jogging, and Penn State football. Wayne has served for 19 years with Cru, 7 years as the executive pastor at Village Church of Gurnee, and has spent the past 19 years planting and leading Hope Community Church SDG in Grayslake, IL.

Ken Hogg

Ken Hogg has served as the Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Decatur Indiana since 2011. He grew up in Muskegon, MI and graduated from Fort Wayne Bible College in 1985. He has been married to his wife Teri for the last 38 years. Teri is a Professor at Purdue Fort Wayne. They have one son who is married and lives in New York City. They have had numerous foster children and exchange students over the years. They are looking forward to their first grandchild this coming October.

Debbie Benzinger

Debbie Benzinger has attended Avalon Missionary in Fort Wayne for 54 years. During that time she has served in multiple ministries and held several positions including Leadership Council Chair. She has been married to Mike Benzinger for 31 years and has two children and four stepchildren. She adores her 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She loves Jesus, organizing spaces and IU basketball.

Shari Rowe

Living out her lifelong calling of God to come alongside others in need, Shari Miller Rowe was licensed in the Missionary Church in 2020 and ordained in 2022. Recently she has served as a hospital and corporate chaplain.  In preparation to become a board-certified chaplain, she is completing her Master of Divinity at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to seminary, Shari, along with her husband Dennis, are leading a disciple making movement in Columbus.  She has led discipleship groups, facilitated grief groups, chaired women’s retreats at Michindoh Ministries, created support systems for single mothers and their families, and created a visitation and support ministry for individuals in health crisis and their families. Her goal in ministry is meeting people where they are at with the love of Christ.

Doug Beutler

Doug serves as the full time lead pastor at Lifewater Community Church, as well as serving on the Central Region team as a church-planting consultant. He graduated from Fort Wayne Bible College in 1982 with a BS in Christian Education and a minor in Christian Counseling.

He and his wife Kim have been married for 41 years. They have 5 children and 11 grandchildren. Three of their children are involved at Lifewater with them, their son is involved in a church plant in Franklin, TN, and their youngest daughter and her husband have planted a Missionary church in Hartford City, IN.

David Giese

David gave his life to Christ at a young age and grew up in a pastor's family in rural Minnesota. God’s call to ministry carried David through Moody Bible Institute, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and The University of Edinburgh. 

David served as an associate pastor at Judson Baptist Church, a multiethnic church in Oak Park, IL. David has served as the lead pastor at Village since 2019 and periodically teaches as an adjunct instructor at Moody Bible Institute. 

Most importantly, David is deeply loved by God and deeply loves his wife, Sally. David and Sally enjoy sharing unhurried time, bubble tea, good laughs, and good conversation.

Geoff Cocanower

Geoff Cocanower has been serving in student ministry for the past 15 years. As one of the student pastors at Hope Missionary Church in Bluffton, IN since 2013, his primary ministry efforts are with high school students and college-age adults at HMC. Additionally, Geoff has been on the CDYC and Camp Lead Team since 2014, primarily leading high school programming in those years. This last year, Geoff transitioned the baton of leadership to both Middle School and High School Camp as the Interim Student Camps Director. He and his wife Tara were married in June of 2018 and together love being the best Aunt and Uncle to Kambree, Kaden, Marshall, Crew, and Mila.

Derry Prenkert

Derry has been a youth pastor for 26 years. In 2022, he and his wife Janelle took a step of faith from serving in a local church to investing in the ministry leaders who serve in local churches across the nation and world. He is a Field Shepherd with Standing Stone ministry, the Pastor of Church Relations at Bethel University, and an author with Download Youth Ministry. He and Janelle live in Wakarusa, Indiana with their 4 kids. He believes in the next generation and those leading them because he has seen first-hand how they can usher revival into churches, schools, and communities.

Paola Montes-Roldan

Paola is a wife and mother, minister of the Missionary Church. She serves as assistant to the Latino Leadership Team. Paola is a graduate student of Educational Studies at TEDS. Her interest in in Leadership of Intergenerational Ministry. She believes God loves to see all people, all ages thriving in the Church. Paola is a member of Village Church of Gurnee.

Todd Rupp

biography

Rosita Sanchez

Pastor Rosita Sanchez was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. She graduated from the International Bible Institute in 1976 and then went on to attend the Christ Center of School of Counseling and McCormick Theological Seminary where she received her Master’s in Divinity.

Rosita has been in ministry since 1970 where she began as the president of Youth Ministry at the Assembly of Pentecostal Churches of Jesus Christ. Since then, Rosita has helped develop and run several ministries, serving many different people groups. In 1992 she founded Iglesia Mision Del Valle, where she is still serving as the pastor.

Sam Hardy

Sam came right into Worship and Family Life ministry at First Missionary Church in Fort Wayne after graduating from Taylor University in 2021. He loves to run around the streets and trails and has had fun running some Marathons the past few years. “I'm passionate about music and youth ministry and more recently, I've also picked up the hobby of bird watching.”

Christa Damron

Christa Damron is the Grace Kids Director at Grace Church in Camby, IN, where she has the privilege of working with Grace Church's infants through sixth graders and their families. Prior to directing children's ministry, she taught elementary school and has a real passion for education. She and her husband, Jason, have 4 children. Her favorite color is green, she enjoys puzzles, and aspires to be on  "The Amazing Race" someday!

Mark Wilson

Mark joined Hope Missionary Church in the summer of 2021. He is passionate about prayer, helping others take their next steps with Christ, and teaching the truths of God’s Word in a relatable way. Mark has served in vocational ministry for over 30 years. He has also worked in the marketplace for several years during his career, he has a deep desire to connect with the business leaders in the community. Mark is married to his middle school sweetheart, Carla, and they have three grown-adult daughters and seven grandchildren.

Tom Swank

Tom has been married to his wife Kim for 54 years (May 30) and has been in vocational ministry for 53 years. They have two grown children and 5 grandchildren. Tom is originally from Greenville, Ohio and graduated from Bethel University and Asbury Theological Seminary. He has served as pastor and district superintendent and currently serve as Assistant Director of Prayer Ministries for the Missionary Church. Tom and Kim currently attend Life Community Church in Fort Wayne.

Barb Bellefeuille

Barb has served as President of Bethel University for two years. Prior to this position she served for nine years as Academic Vice President at Bethel. Prior to Bethel she was at Toccoa Falls College (GA) for 21 years where she transitioned from Teacher Education professor, to Chair, and eventually to Vice President for Academic Affairs. For 20 months she served as acting CEO during presidential transition at Toccoa Falls College. Additionally, Barb taught as an adjunct professor at Covenant College (TN). Prior to life in higher education Barb was a Middle School/High School teacher in Bluefield, West Virginia. While so much of her career has been spent in the southern states, she actually grew up in Michigan.

Shawn Holtgren

Shawn Holtgren has a heart for worship, mentoring and discipleship. As Vice president for Student Development at Bethel University, where he has served for the past 28 years, he invests much of his time and energy helping students grow in their faith and take steps in their personal development. Shawn is an ordained minister in the Missionary church and also serves as the Worship Arts Pastor at St. Mark Missionary Church. A 1995 graduate of Bethel University (Christian Ministries), Shawn completed a Master of Ministries degree at Bethel, and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies at Trinity International University. He is married to Katie and they have three children.

Derry Prenkert

Derry has been a youth pastor for 26 years. In 2022, he and his wife Janelle took a step of faith from serving in a local church to investing in the ministry leaders who serve in local churches across the nation and world. He is a Field Shepherd with Standing Stone ministry, the Pastor of Church Relations at Bethel University, and an author with Download Youth Ministry. He and Janelle live in Wakarusa, Indiana with their 4 kids. He believes in the next generation and those leading them because he has seen first-hand how they can usher revival into churches, schools, and communities.

Terry Linhart

Terry Linhart is an accomplished author, speaker, and researcher. He has authored eight books, including THE SELF-AWARE LEADER (IVP, 2017) and TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATIONS (Baker, 2016).

Linhart teaches in the Christian Ministries and Worship Arts areas at Bethel. He started and manages HCM Records, a Nashville-based record agency that produces recording projects by Bethel students.

He is a speaker who connects with organizations and conferences around the world. His experience in Christian ministry and in community leadership allows him to connect with a variety of audiences.

Linhart is the founder of the Arbor Research Group, an agency committed to helping mission-driven organizations and businesses make data-driven decisions.

He and his wife Kelly are the proud parents of three adult children, all Bethel graduates who married other Bethel graduates. They live in the country, south of South Bend.

Melonie Cawvey

Melonie has served as the Executive Pastor at Grace Church in Camby, IN, since February 2020. She has also served on staff at Pathway Community Church in Fort Wayne, IN, for where she was blessed to gain experience and insight into Small Groups, Connection Communities, and Marriage and Parenting ministries. Melonie and her husband, Chris, have been married for twenty-three years and have three adult children. Bethel has a significant place in the Cawvey's lives. Melonie completed her undergrad through Bethel University and is currently working on a Master of Arts in Ministry. Their youngest daughter is an on-campus student and will be starting her senior year at Bethel this fall, while their middle daughter will complete her degree in December through the BUX Program.