WHY MISSIONS?
Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Our mission partners give us the opportunity to live out this calling by God to spread His good news right here at home + around the world. Take a look at some of our local, global, and organization missionaries we partner with at SWBC!
our Supported Missionaries
Mike and Debbie Bannon
Mobilization Team | US
Since 1981, we have served with WorldVenture in evangelism, church planting and leadership development. We first served in Kenya for 14 years, working with an unreached Muslim tribe. Then in 1997, with Lithuania’s independence and Michael’s Lithuanian heritage we redeployed to Lithuania. By 2012, we felt that the national leadership was very capable of continuing this ministry on their own. In 2012, we were invited to Galway, Ireland as part of the pastoral staff of a church plant made up of over 20 nations. We sought to minister to these people and encourage them to reach out to the Irish around them as well as to the nations they represent. We served there for six years.
Then in 2019, we were asked to take a new position with WorldVenture as mobilizers. Now we seek to be multipliers, connecting with churches, colleges, and special missions events, as well as those who contact WV online, to call out and help train the next generation to go and make disciples of all nations, to the billions.
Pastor Ray Dash
Newark, New Jersey
Pastor Ray leads The Rock Christian Fellowship church in Newark, NJ, where God led him and his family years ago while they were in Newark seeking to touch the lives of those there. His goal is to win souls to Christ and make disciples. At “The Rock”, they hope to create a community of authentic believers and to witness a city transformed by the life changing reality of the gospel.
For more information, check out the Rock Christian Fellowship website at https://therocknewark.org/
Gary and Shannon Goodrow
AWANA | New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania
Gary served as Awana Commander in the local church ministry for over 33 years. He has also served on the ministry team for three generations of area missionaries, as well as the ministry team of the Regional Missionary. Through serving alongside these missionaries, God gave Gary the experience, passion, and burden to expand beyond the local church (serving on a larger-scale) to lead other churches to reach children, youth, and families for Christ.
As Awana missionary, we work with pastors and Awana leadership to better-equip churches to meet their ministry objectives, and to reach more families for Christ. As a para-church ministry, Awana equips churches and leaders to evangelize and disciple children and youth through the Gospel of Christ. We invite churches to become “Advocates” of Awana with us, to meet our mutual goals.
Our passion is to know Christ, and make Him known. With this, our goal is to see entire families come to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus.
Rick Kirshman
SEND International | Russia
Having grown up in Sayre Woods Bible Church, Sayre Woods became my sending church when I joined High School Evangelism Fellowship in 1983. This involved a move from Old Bridge Township, New Jersey to Brooklyn, NY, and a ten year ministry to high school students in NYC through the HiBA ministry. I also started a skateboard outreach that involved hundreds of NYC teenagers. In 1993 I went to Russia and began the HiBA ministry among its youth through the few local churches that existed. Today, this ministry includes youth conferences and camps, and discipleship groups called, “Provodnik”. Currently, Provodnik groups involve 700 leaders and more than 5,000 young people from churches throughout Russia.
Transformation Christian Center was an abandoned building purchased in December, 2000. Today, it hosts camps, conferences, retreats and a Bible education program year round. In 2021, TCC hosted 44 events and about 3,000 people. The CBSR Biblical Training Center was started in 2005 as a 3-year Bible and theology study program to prepare young men and women for ministry. Three academic sessions per year have an average of 15 students in attendance. Some of the graduates have become pastors, church leaders, and missionaries. In 2002, I joined SEND International, and have continued leading the HiBA ministry with a team of national staff members. I also chair the boards for TCC and the CBSR Biblical Training Center, which are led by nationals.
I stand amazed at all that God has done through this ordinary farm boy from NJ, and I am committed to stay and minister in Russia until God says, “Enough.”
Diana Muenzenberger
WorldVenture | Philippines
I have a passion to see the lives of Middle School students changed for God’s kingdom. I was recently honored by Faith Academy for my 22nd year with the school. God has given me the privilege of working with these young people in Middle School. I love teaching about history and making it come “alive” to my students. I enjoy coming up with creative ways to get students interested in history, including a role play that has my Middle Schoolers “transported back” to the Middle Ages. I also get work to develop leadership skills as I lead our Middle School Student Senate. Our Middle School Senate gets to plan different activities, such as parties and banquets but I also want these students to understand what it means to represent their classmates as we plan these activities. Whereas I want my students to grow academically, I long to see the spiritual growth happening in my students. My greatest joy is seeing the lives of Middle Schoolers transformed. Over my 22 years, I have seen Middle Schoolers coming to a faith in Jesus Christ and have also been able to mentor and disciple others. Each year, I get to be the advisory teacher for a group of Middle School girls. This gives me the opportunity to speak into their lives on a deeper level. Seeing students grow academically and spiritually is what energizes me. It is exciting to me to be used by God to change the lives of students.
Partners are an important part of my ministry. I am greatly appreciative of the prayer and financial support that allows me to do what God has burdened my heart to do.
Mark and Kathy Schaaf
WorldVenture | South Africa
Kathy and I were introduced to Sayre Woods by Stephen & Liz Foster. We got to know several more members of the congregation by hosting short term mission teams in South Africa and Swaziland. We first went to the mission field in 1990 to Amman, Jordan doing discipleship and church planting. In 2004 (13 years later) we moved to South Africa where we planted a church and did discipleship & leadership development across the 15 nations of southern Africa. 2012 we relocated to Atlanta, GA to serve a global team of Bible teachers and church planters.
Today, I disciple and coach a team of national pastors/church leaders in developing Bible teachers and mission movements around the world. I live in Atlanta but travel to many countries a year. This year, I have a special focus in Cambodia, Vietnam, South Sudan, India and with Iranian pastors. My passion is to encourage young pastors and teachers in developing their leadership and discipleship skills. Kathy leads a medical team and shares the Gospel with the homeless population of Atlanta.
Although every person and culture can know God through Jesus. Every culture see God’s work from a slightly different angle. In the USA, we focus on His love and justice. In the Middle East, they focus on His honor and holiness. In Africa, they focus on His power and strength. Worshipping with fellow disciples from different cultures gives me a deeper understanding and awe of how great God is.
Jay and Julia Wells
SIM USA | Thailand
Our foundation and motivation for ministry is God receiving glory through His revealed heart for all people worshiping Him. (Is 45:6; Jn 3:16; 2 Pe 3:9; Rev 7:9-10). We recognize that this is accomplished through the Holy Spirit in a life of abiding (Jn 15:5-6) and fervent prayer (Mt 6:9-13).
Following the example and command of Jesus we must enter new “Harvest Fields” with a goal to engage all people who are far from Jesus. Our strategy is to seek out the lost like Jesus. (Lk 10:1-11; 17-20; 19:10).
When engaging lost souls we seek to not lean on our own knowledge, gifts, or abilities, but faithfully sow the life-transforming Gospel looking for God-prepared people by their response (Jn 4:6-30,40-42; Ac 17:32-34).
In Matthew 28, Jesus commissions his followers to not only Go, Make Disciples, and Baptize those who believe, but also to teach them to obey all that He commanded. We therefore through obedience oriented discipleship will seek to build new believers up in Jesus using both short term and long term tools (Matt 7:24-27; 28:19-20).
There are no commands from Jesus in the scriptures to plant churches, but as clearly seen in the example of Jesus we seek to to gather disciples together as the Church (fully seen in Acts 2). Following the example of the first disciples of Jesus we recognize that the outcome of the Great Commission is always Churches gathered. We seek to gather new believers together in Christ centered, Biblically rooted, simple, reproducing, and healthy Church (Ac 2:37-47).
As clearly seen in the life of Jesus and as outlined in 2 Timothy 2:2. We seek to multiply competent leaders and disciple makers through continually giving away the authority of Jesus to all believers (Ac 4:13; 1 Pe 2:8-9).
RoxAnne Tauriello
Old Bridge, New Jersey
RoxAnne Tauriello Ministries is involved in evangelizing through television, presenting the Gospel in jails and prisons, and equipping the saints for ministry in Africa. See the website for more information.
RoxAnne is well known for her interviews with “Son of Sam” murderer David Berkowitz, which can be found here.
Haycock Camp
Kintersville, Pennsylvania
Haycock provides Christ-centered camping experiences that lead individuals to Jesus Christ and train them to serve Him.
We strive for Christ-centered camping excellence that enhances the evangelistic and discipleship ministries, while positively impacting youth, men and their families.
America's Keswick
Whiting, New Jersey
America’s Keswick is a multi-generational, cross-cultural ministry where Biblical teaching and worship lead to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, resulting in a transformed life. We serve people with excellence through conferences, group retreats, outreach, and addiction recovery.
Solutions Pregnancy & Health Center
Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Solutions Pregnancy & Health Center is a faith-based ministry firmly committed to demonstrating the love of Christ by proclaiming the Gospel in word and deed to women (and those involved with them) that are facing or at risk for unplanned pregnancies and/or sexually related health problems through the provision of physical, spiritual, and emotional solutions. Guiding individuals to make informed choices.