Mark and Janie have served as missionaries in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, since 1994, where they have been involved in university campus ministry, leadership development, and church planting. Through their “Churches for Churches” program, the Durenes are helping with new church plants in 5 cities, including Teung, where River Valley Church partnered to launch the church. Currently, they are helping to train several other potential church planters, and also serve as mentors to many other pastors throughout the northern Thailand area. In addition, they are the directors of the Global University Thai’s second Bachelor’s program, where they are training current and future Thai ministers. Mark serves as the AGMF Thailand Country Moderator, as well as on several national boards, including Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand (Northern region); Every Home for Christ, Thailand; Thailand AG Northern Region Board of Presbyters; and others. Janie writes Sunday school curriculum for several churches and directs the children’s program at a church in Chiang Mai.
First Mission
Mark went on a 2-week trip to Spain in 1979, where they did street evangelism in Barcelona and Madrid and helped set up a large evangelistic crusade in Madrid.
Becoming a Missionary
As a teenager, Mark was impacted by the film, “Jungle Pilot,” a biography of Nate Saint and 4 other missionaries martyred in Ecuador. This led to a passion for missions that in turn led to a Bachelor’s Degree in Missions Education from North Central University, in addition to mission trips to Spain, Alaska, Mexico, and Thailand.
Family
Janie Durene - Wife
More Missionaries
Matthew Collver
United States
Matthew Collver
United States
Matthew and Elora work in Summit County, Colorado, which is located near Denver. It is a community ignorant to Christianity, with a focus on 'new age' and eastern religions.
Barrett Todd
Dominican Republic
Barrett Todd
Dominican Republic
While the Dominican Republic is not in a crisis situation like Haiti there has been an influx of hundreds of thousands of Haitian refugees including many children. The majority of these Haitians live in extreme poverty and are unable to utilize/access the DR medical facilities, schools or assistance programs due to their immigration status. We have partnered with 14 Haitian churches/Schools to implement the Sport Disciple programming into their curriculum.
Larry Gruetzmacher
Mexico
Larry Gruetzmacher
Mexico
The Gruetzmachers work directly with Hispanics here in the United States and within several countries in Latin America. Their main focus is to develop leaders, and their schedule is filled with ministry to Hispanic churches; coaching pastors and leaders; leading mission trips with Hispanic students; holding retreats for men, women, and youth; leadership training; and working with 2 Institutes for Church Planters.
Gerritt Kenyon
Panama
Gerritt Kenyon
Panama
The Kenyons are missionaries to the Youth Culture of Panama and present the gospel to students in the high schools of Panama City. They are launching a Youth Church that will establish a model to other churches in Panama of how to incorporate the emerging generation into their community without requiring them to meet an unstated list of rules and regulations in order to enter the premises or participate in the church community. This church will also provide a place where Panamanian students can retreat to feel safe, valued, and heard…a REFUGE. This REFUGE will house and rehabilitate abused girls within the context of the church.
John Carrano
Spain
John Carrano
Spain
The Carranos’ ministry is to young adults/students in Spain, as well as church planting & leadership development.
Julia Lowenberg (Peterson)
United States
Julia Lowenberg (Peterson)
United States
I’m serving all over the continent of Africa. At the moment, leadership has asked me to temporarily base out of Springfield with the Africa’s Hope team here until a decision is made about where on the continent a new Africa’s Hope team will be based. Until then, I’m traveling regularly to different countries around Africa to teach, meet with church leaders and translation teams, and be involved with a variety of other ministry.
Aaron Henry
South Africa
Aaron Henry
South Africa
Africa is the fastest urbanizing region in the world. The cities are exploding with growth. According to the United Nations Environment Programme “By the year 2050, 60% of Africa will be urbanized.” This poses many challenges for these cities, but also great opportunity for the Church. Urban Tribes is positioned to plant high-impact churches in these cities to reach generations of Africans for Jesus Christ. Currently, our internship program has twenty-two participants, representing four different nationalities across Africa. We believe they are the future church planters for Urban Tribes to reach these cities.
Richard Baker
United States
Richard Baker
United States
Richard and Kim work with Youth Alive, which strives to equip Christian students to reach their peers with the Gospel. This is provided in schools through training, resources and outreach opportunities.
Chris Manthey
United States
Chris Manthey
United States
Chris and Julie are campus missionaries with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at the University of Minnesota.
Todd Anderson
Thailand
Todd Anderson
Thailand
Their passion and heart is to reach the unreached peoples of their region, planting multiplying churches among them, and to show God’s love to the poor and needy in their city. Its their dream that as people in these communities encounter Jesus, their lives, their families and ultimately their community would be radically transformed. That dream is starting to become reality and they are excited to see it continue to unfold!
Sam Sr Dunya
Ghana
Sam Sr Dunya
Ghana
Currently our goal is to bring the church to all 18 Unreached People Groups in Ghana to see large percentage of over 1.7 million people reached with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matt Marlin
Mozambique
Matt Marlin
Mozambique
We have identified 14 strategic nations throughout Africa that will serve as hubs to train and sent teams to reach and disciple the universities of the surrounding nations. As the training Hub for campus ministry in Africa, we hope to have a viable disciple making movement on every major African university resulting in churches planted among Africa's most unreached. Our target nations are: Chad, South Sudan/Sudan, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Gabon, DRC, Tanzania, Malawi.
Matthew Collver
United States
Matthew Collver
United States
Matthew and Elora work in Summit County, Colorado, which is located near Denver. It is a community ignorant to Christianity, with a focus on 'new age' and eastern religions.
Barrett Todd
Dominican Republic
Barrett Todd
Dominican Republic
While the Dominican Republic is not in a crisis situation like Haiti there has been an influx of hundreds of thousands of Haitian refugees including many children. The majority of these Haitians live in extreme poverty and are unable to utilize/access the DR medical facilities, schools or assistance programs due to their immigration status. We have partnered with 14 Haitian churches/Schools to implement the Sport Disciple programming into their curriculum.
Larry Gruetzmacher
Mexico
Larry Gruetzmacher
Mexico
The Gruetzmachers work directly with Hispanics here in the United States and within several countries in Latin America. Their main focus is to develop leaders, and their schedule is filled with ministry to Hispanic churches; coaching pastors and leaders; leading mission trips with Hispanic students; holding retreats for men, women, and youth; leadership training; and working with 2 Institutes for Church Planters.
Gerritt Kenyon
Panama
Gerritt Kenyon
Panama
The Kenyons are missionaries to the Youth Culture of Panama and present the gospel to students in the high schools of Panama City. They are launching a Youth Church that will establish a model to other churches in Panama of how to incorporate the emerging generation into their community without requiring them to meet an unstated list of rules and regulations in order to enter the premises or participate in the church community. This church will also provide a place where Panamanian students can retreat to feel safe, valued, and heard…a REFUGE. This REFUGE will house and rehabilitate abused girls within the context of the church.
John Carrano
Spain
John Carrano
Spain
The Carranos’ ministry is to young adults/students in Spain, as well as church planting & leadership development.
Julia Lowenberg (Peterson)
United States
Julia Lowenberg (Peterson)
United States
I’m serving all over the continent of Africa. At the moment, leadership has asked me to temporarily base out of Springfield with the Africa’s Hope team here until a decision is made about where on the continent a new Africa’s Hope team will be based. Until then, I’m traveling regularly to different countries around Africa to teach, meet with church leaders and translation teams, and be involved with a variety of other ministry.
Aaron Henry
South Africa
Aaron Henry
South Africa
Africa is the fastest urbanizing region in the world. The cities are exploding with growth. According to the United Nations Environment Programme “By the year 2050, 60% of Africa will be urbanized.” This poses many challenges for these cities, but also great opportunity for the Church. Urban Tribes is positioned to plant high-impact churches in these cities to reach generations of Africans for Jesus Christ. Currently, our internship program has twenty-two participants, representing four different nationalities across Africa. We believe they are the future church planters for Urban Tribes to reach these cities.
Richard Baker
United States
Richard Baker
United States
Richard and Kim work with Youth Alive, which strives to equip Christian students to reach their peers with the Gospel. This is provided in schools through training, resources and outreach opportunities.
Chris Manthey
United States
Chris Manthey
United States
Chris and Julie are campus missionaries with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at the University of Minnesota.
Todd Anderson
Thailand
Todd Anderson
Thailand
Their passion and heart is to reach the unreached peoples of their region, planting multiplying churches among them, and to show God’s love to the poor and needy in their city. Its their dream that as people in these communities encounter Jesus, their lives, their families and ultimately their community would be radically transformed. That dream is starting to become reality and they are excited to see it continue to unfold!
Sam Sr Dunya
Ghana
Sam Sr Dunya
Ghana
Currently our goal is to bring the church to all 18 Unreached People Groups in Ghana to see large percentage of over 1.7 million people reached with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matt Marlin
Mozambique
Matt Marlin
Mozambique
We have identified 14 strategic nations throughout Africa that will serve as hubs to train and sent teams to reach and disciple the universities of the surrounding nations. As the training Hub for campus ministry in Africa, we hope to have a viable disciple making movement on every major African university resulting in churches planted among Africa's most unreached. Our target nations are: Chad, South Sudan/Sudan, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Gabon, DRC, Tanzania, Malawi.
Matthew Collver
United States
Matthew Collver
United States
Matthew and Elora work in Summit County, Colorado, which is located near Denver. It is a community ignorant to Christianity, with a focus on 'new age' and eastern religions.
Barrett Todd
Dominican Republic
Barrett Todd
Dominican Republic
While the Dominican Republic is not in a crisis situation like Haiti there has been an influx of hundreds of thousands of Haitian refugees including many children. The majority of these Haitians live in extreme poverty and are unable to utilize/access the DR medical facilities, schools or assistance programs due to their immigration status. We have partnered with 14 Haitian churches/Schools to implement the Sport Disciple programming into their curriculum.
Larry Gruetzmacher
Mexico
Larry Gruetzmacher
Mexico
The Gruetzmachers work directly with Hispanics here in the United States and within several countries in Latin America. Their main focus is to develop leaders, and their schedule is filled with ministry to Hispanic churches; coaching pastors and leaders; leading mission trips with Hispanic students; holding retreats for men, women, and youth; leadership training; and working with 2 Institutes for Church Planters.
Gerritt Kenyon
Panama
Gerritt Kenyon
Panama
The Kenyons are missionaries to the Youth Culture of Panama and present the gospel to students in the high schools of Panama City. They are launching a Youth Church that will establish a model to other churches in Panama of how to incorporate the emerging generation into their community without requiring them to meet an unstated list of rules and regulations in order to enter the premises or participate in the church community. This church will also provide a place where Panamanian students can retreat to feel safe, valued, and heard…a REFUGE. This REFUGE will house and rehabilitate abused girls within the context of the church.
John Carrano
Spain
John Carrano
Spain
The Carranos’ ministry is to young adults/students in Spain, as well as church planting & leadership development.
Julia Lowenberg (Peterson)
United States
Julia Lowenberg (Peterson)
United States
I’m serving all over the continent of Africa. At the moment, leadership has asked me to temporarily base out of Springfield with the Africa’s Hope team here until a decision is made about where on the continent a new Africa’s Hope team will be based. Until then, I’m traveling regularly to different countries around Africa to teach, meet with church leaders and translation teams, and be involved with a variety of other ministry.
Aaron Henry
South Africa
Aaron Henry
South Africa
Africa is the fastest urbanizing region in the world. The cities are exploding with growth. According to the United Nations Environment Programme “By the year 2050, 60% of Africa will be urbanized.” This poses many challenges for these cities, but also great opportunity for the Church. Urban Tribes is positioned to plant high-impact churches in these cities to reach generations of Africans for Jesus Christ. Currently, our internship program has twenty-two participants, representing four different nationalities across Africa. We believe they are the future church planters for Urban Tribes to reach these cities.
Richard Baker
United States
Richard Baker
United States
Richard and Kim work with Youth Alive, which strives to equip Christian students to reach their peers with the Gospel. This is provided in schools through training, resources and outreach opportunities.
Chris Manthey
United States
Chris Manthey
United States
Chris and Julie are campus missionaries with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at the University of Minnesota.
Todd Anderson
Thailand
Todd Anderson
Thailand
Their passion and heart is to reach the unreached peoples of their region, planting multiplying churches among them, and to show God’s love to the poor and needy in their city. Its their dream that as people in these communities encounter Jesus, their lives, their families and ultimately their community would be radically transformed. That dream is starting to become reality and they are excited to see it continue to unfold!
Sam Sr Dunya
Ghana
Sam Sr Dunya
Ghana
Currently our goal is to bring the church to all 18 Unreached People Groups in Ghana to see large percentage of over 1.7 million people reached with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matt Marlin
Mozambique
Matt Marlin
Mozambique
We have identified 14 strategic nations throughout Africa that will serve as hubs to train and sent teams to reach and disciple the universities of the surrounding nations. As the training Hub for campus ministry in Africa, we hope to have a viable disciple making movement on every major African university resulting in churches planted among Africa's most unreached. Our target nations are: Chad, South Sudan/Sudan, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Gabon, DRC, Tanzania, Malawi.
