Lee Long, Director
I trusted in Christ as my savior and redeemer at five years old, when I told my parents I thought I was supposed to work for God. When they asked what I thought I was to do, I earnestly replied, “Maybe I should write another book of the bible.” Their response was swift and concise, a quote from Revelations, “You are not to add to or take away from this book.” I knew I was being called to His work, but I was not sure what it would be. After I made it through the adolescent years of avoiding God and pursuing the world, I realized His call to walk with people through their struggles and became a counselor. I attended Dallas Theological Seminary and have been practicing counseling for almost two decades. My wife, Charlotte, and I have three children and live in Fort Worth, TX.
Jerry Tharp, Secretary
I came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ as a young man in 1980. I had received a gospel booklet from a coworker and while reading was easily convinced and convicted of my sinful state before a holy God. Looking back, April 8, 1980 was the beginning of a spiritual journey that has been one of life’s toughest, enjoyable, challenging and rewarding pursuits of my life. God continues to pour out His grace upon me, working in me and conforming me to the image of Christ, for which I am grateful. The Lord has given me a strong commitment to His church and has privileged me to serve His body in various ways, including as a church-planting missionary in northeastern Brazil, and most recently as the Senior Pastor of a church outside of Kansas City, Missouri. My wife, Kathy, and I have 4 children and 5 grandchildren.
Brandon Blanchard, Treasurer
I trusted Christ as my personal savior as a boy in the early 80’s. As first generation Christians, my parents worked hard to establish and then immerse my siblings and I in a Christian environment that included exposure to different outlets of ministry. In addition to attending summer Bible camps, I served in Venezuela’s jungle for 6 weeks in ’93 with New Tribes Mission and then traveled to Siberia’s Svobodny, Russia for 2 summers in college with SEND International. Through his shepherding in my life, I’ve served also Jesus as a music minister and, most recently, by occupying various positions at Kansas City-based Commerce Bank. My wife and I just celebrated 14 years of marriage and we have 2 children, Savannah and Luke. We attend Christ Community Church in Leawood, KS, where we actively serve in a variety of ways.