Cru Team Leader at Northern Illinois University.

The Hoovers were both born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and met as college freshmen at Illinois State University. They both immediately became involved with Campus Crusade for Christ as students. Even though they were both Christians when they entered college, Cru was the first place where they saw people their own age vibrantly experiencing Christ daily and walking with Him. They grew in their passion to share the gospel with others, and soon realized that God was calling them to share Christ with college students on staff with Cru.

Young Life, Greater Lafayette, Indiana

Mark Kirgiss has served on Young Life staff for over 20 years.  He has served as the Area Director for Greater Lafayette Young Life & WyldLife since August of 2004.  He and his wife Crystal, have three sons – Tyler, Tory and Tate.

Mark and Crystal are members of Riverside.

Quito, Ecuador Missionaries (Evangelical Covenant Church)

We were married in May 2002 and had known for years that we wanted to be missionaries – Kim since she was 9 years old and Joel since college. God has brought our lives together to serve Him in any way we could.  He blessed us with Simeon in March 2010, Esther in June 2014 and Ephraim in August 2015.  The Holy Spirit led us to Ecuador, South America where we have partnered with the Covenant National Church in developing ministries to at-risk children and through starting a medical clinic. We are also the founders of the Santiago Partnership, a non-profit organization based out of Coshocton, OH which serves Ecuador in the areas of care for at-risk children as well as medical care for the underprivileged.

Ministry Info:  https://www.santiagopartnership.org/

Email:  [email protected]

This couple is serving in a country in West Asia where it is dangerous to share the Gospel.

Due to the sensitive nature of their work, we are not able to share their information on the web.

Thank you for your understanding as we help to keep this couple safe.

Justin began working with Navigators in 2000, for several years working in campus ministry, including Purdue University and then a time in Southeast Asia. Since 2014, Justin and his wife Kristen and their 4 children have lived in Dayton, Ohio. Justin began helping pastors and church leaders make disciples with the ultimate goal of growing intentional disciple making cultures within the local church. Justin is with the Navigators and you can learn more about him on his website.

This couple is serving in a country in East Asia where it is dangerous to share the Gospel.

Due to the sensitive nature of their work, we are not able to share their information on the web.

Thank you for your understanding as we help to keep this couple safe.

This family is a part of Team Expansion and living in the USA, but often travels to foreign countries where it is dangerous to share the Gospel.

Due to the sensitive nature of their work, we are not able to share their information on the web.

Their ministry focuses on transforming communities among the unreached by planting biblical churches.  They work in areas of the world where the Gospel is not yet known, making disciples that make disciples and launching simple, reproducible churches.   In addition to globally mobilizing workers for the Great Commission, their field ministry focuses on India, Bangladesh and the Middle East.  They are particularly excited about some new doors for ministry that God is opening in the Muslim world.

Covenant Merge Ministries

In 1998 Alex been volunteering and serving with Merge. He says, “They accepted me for who I was, with love and not judgment.” As a full-time staff member, he is in charge of facilitating short term mission trips in many areas of Mexico, Argentina, and Spain. Alex’s job is to have an ongoing relationship with people in the ministries where Merge takes groups, and with those in future host locations.

Alex uses his expertise to help churches prepare and implement effective and appropriate partnerships worldwide.

Alex has helped coordinate and leads Riverside’s long-term partnership with Buen Pastor de Cangahua Iglesia del Pacto Evangélico in Cangahua, Ecuador.