Andy Stahl has been named senior pastor of Mount Hope UB church (Carson City, Mich.) effective November 1, 2013. He previously served two years as senior pastor of New Life Church (Chanute, Kansas). He has held a National Conference license since 2011. Andy graduated from Huntington University in 2007 with a degree in Bible and Religion. His wife, Jennifer, graduated from HU in 2006 with a degree in Recreation Management.

doug-birdsallIn March 2013, Dr. Douglas Birdsall (right) became president of the American Bible Society. Doug, a licensed United Brethren minister, grew up in a UB pastor’s home, the son of Dr. Roger and MaryLou Birdsall. Prior to assuming the ABS leadership, Doug was president of the Lausanne Movement.

But just a few weeks short of Doug’s official inauguration as ABS president, scheduled for November 8, he and the ABS have parted ways.

Both Doug Birdsall and the American Bible Society issues statements, both of which are published on the Christianity Today website.

Birdsall wrote: “Last week the Board of Trustees at American Bible Society brought my service to a close….I was excited about giving this decade of my career to leading the American Bible Society into the future with a strategic vision for cultural engagement. However, there are times when the vision and style of a new leader does not mesh satisfactorily with the culture of an established organization or with the expectations of a board. Unfortunately, things did not develop as we had hoped.”

The ABM chairman wrote: “While both the Board and Dr. Birdsall shared the same passion for all generations to engage with God’s Word, there were significant differences of how to move the organization towards that goal.”

Birdsall says he and his wife, Jeanie, sought advice from some longtime friends. “Their collective counsel is for us to get rest. The three years leading up to Cape Town were exhilarating, but they also left me more exhausted than I was willing to admit.”

In May 2013, Wheaton College recognized Birdsall as “Alumnus of the Year for Distinguished Service to Society.” He graduated from Wheaton in 1975. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology degree from Harvard University, and recently completed his doctorate from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies on Oxford, England.

Beginning in 1979, the Birdsalls served 20 years as missionaries in Japan with what is now called Asian Access. He became the organization’s president in 1985 and leds its expansion throughout Asia (now into 12 countries). He took a position with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1999, but continued as president of Asian Access until 2007.

In 2004 he was named head of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (now simply Lausanne Movement). He stepped down as leader of Asian Access in 2007.

As head of the Lausanne Movement, Birdsall convened the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2010. It brought together 4200 evangelical leaders from 198 nations. Christianity Today magazine described it as “the most representative gathering of Christian leaders in church history.”

Doug and Jeanie have three children, all born in Japan. Stacia is a graduate of Princeton, Yale, and Columbia, and now works as a midwife in Manhattan. Judd worked at the US State Department and is now pursuing a doctorate at Cambridge University. Jessamin graduated from Harvard and now serves in London with Save the Children.

Victor Mojica family

Victor Mojica family

Victor Mojica in his store.

Victor Mojica in his store.

Victor Mojica and his wife Margarita pastor the Hispanic congregation of Clearview United Brethren in Goshen, Indiana. In order to support himself through years of church planting Victor has been in business for himself selling everything from gold jewelry to swimming pools. Currently, he sells furniture and high-end audio systems along with two of his sons, Jeremiah and Joshua.

Victor will also be traveling to Nicaragua October 12-19 to participate in a small business training event led by Jeff Bleijerveld and Jeff Dice. During the week they will be working with a limited-sized group of pastors and church planters seeking the means to develop ministries that allow them to do both ministry and business at the same time.

Victor and Margarita have found multiple opportunities over the years to share there faith, counsel and even lead people to Christ at their place of business. Many of these are now members at their church. Being bi-vocational is not viewed as an obstacle for ministry, but another opportunity as they live their lives from Christ.

The video below gives you a peak at an event they host called Mid-Summer Mayhem.

Paul and Carie Burrus

Paul and Carie Burrus

Paul Burrus has been appointed senior pastor of Corunna UB church (Corunna, Ind.) effective September 22, 2013. He holds degrees in Biology and Psychology from Manchester University (1980), a masters in Clinical Psychology from the University of St. Francis (1983), a Master of Divinity from Winebrenner Theological Seminary (1995), and a Doctor of Ministry from Grace Theological Seminary (2008).

Paul and his wife, Carie, have served in pastoral ministry since 1990. He was ordained in 1995 by the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.). He and Carie have two grown daughters.

Chuck Malson (right) has resigned and retired as senior pastor of Brown Corners UB church (Clare, Mich.).

In mid-September, Dave Luther, who has worked on staff at Brown Corners in a counseling role, began serving as senior pastor in an interim capacity.

Chuck Malson had been senior pastor of Brown Corners since 1981. Only one other current pastor has served at his present church as long. Joe Cilone, pastor since 1981 of Pleasant Heights UB church (East Liverpool, Ohio), now has the longest tenure of current UB pastors.

Matt Kennedy has been appointed senior pastor of Dillman UB church (Warren, Ind.) effective October 21, 2013. For the past few years, Matt has served as associate pastor of Anchor Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.). He was granted a national conference ministerial license on March 5, 2013.

Matt and Jennifer were married in January 1996, and have two children. Jennifer will step down from her part-time role as Anchor’s Ministry Coordinator on October 24.

Don Gentry resigned as senior pastor of New Hope UB church (Camden, Mich.) effective July 15, 2013. After eight years of successful ministry at New Hope, Don and Stacy Gentry and children relocated to North Carolina to pursue opportunities there.

Scott Hardaway, senior pastor of Pathway UB church (Jackson, Mich.)  since 2001, announced his resignation on September 22. It will take effect November 15, 2013.

Scott explained on Facebook, “I’ve known a few single pastors, and lots of pastors with kids, but I’ve never met a pastor who was a single parent. Now I know why. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but I am saying I can’t do it. Thank you, Pathway Community Church, for all your love and support. I will miss serving you in this way.”

Scott’s wife, Tanya, died of cancer on October 29, 2012, leaving behind two young sons.

Scott Graham has been named senior pastor of Good Shepherd UB church (Greenfield, Ohio), effective September 1, 2013. He has been granted a Provisional ministerial license. He and his wife, Amanda, have three children ages 14-29. Scott graduated in 1982 from Southwest Bible University (Bolivar, Mo.) with a degree in Religious Studies and Education, and in 1993 received a degree in Bible from Southeastern University of Lakeland, Fla. Amanda holds a degree in Human Ecology from Ohio State University (2007).

Scott accepted Christ as a child in VBS and sensed the call to ministry during college. He was licensed in 1981 through the Assemblies of God, and was ordained with them in 1987. Over the years he has served churches as a children’s pastor, church planter, and senior pastor.

He let his AOG credentials lapse in 1999, when he founded Excellent Meetings, a company which offers conference planning services (Scott secured all of the exhibitors for the 2013 US National Conference meeting in Fort Wayne, Ind.).