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Meet the Directors
The Mission Office directors participate in over 100 mission conferences every year. We believe we are here to support both churches and missionaries in the great task of world evangelism.
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Jon Konnerup - Mission Director
Jon Konnerup was born in Ethiopia. His parents, Richard & Jeannine Konnerup, were missionaries in Ethiopia and then in Kenya. In 1986 he began his internship at Heritage Baptist Church in Georgetown, TX. He was approved as BBFI missionary in May 1987. In September of 1988 he arrived on the field of Kenya. Brother Konnerup served in Kenya until becoming Associate Mission Director for the Baptist Bible Fellowship International in July of 1998. He was appointed Mission Director in May of 2005.
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Steve Bender
Steve Bender is a 1982 graduate of Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College of San Dimas, California. He served as Missions Intern at Grayson Bible Baptist Church in Sherman, Texas (May 1982 - September 1983). Steve & Jenell were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Korea in September 1983. The Benders arrived in Korea September 17, 1984 and served as BBFI missionaries until April 1998 at which time God moved them to Springdale, Arkansas. In Springdale, Steve served as associate pastor at Temple Baptist Church until moving to Springfield, Missouri and becoming Associate Mission Director for the Baptist Bible Fellowship International in August 2000.
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Paul Hylton
Paul Hylton is a 1969 graduate of Baptist Bible College of Springfield, Missouri. He served a missionary internship at Ramseur Baptist Church in Paris, Texas (1970-1972). He and his wife, Betty, were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Formosa (Taiwan) in May of 1972. Brother Hylton and his wife spent the next 29 years as missionaries to Taiwan. They were able to see God bless their labor with two churches started, a school for missionary kids founded, and they helped establish a Bible college. In July of 2001, Brother Hylton moved to Springfield, Missouri and became Finance Director for the Baptist Bible Fellowship International Mission Office.
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James G. Smith
James G. Smith was born in Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, Mexico, the son of James L. and Joey Smith, life-long missionaries to Mexico. He was saved and baptized at the age of seven in Chihuahua. Jim graduated from Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in 1974 and finished his B. A. at Baptist Bible College West in 2006. Sharon is the daughter of Carl and Elsie Boonstra. Sharon was saved and baptized at First Baptist Church of Englewood, Colorado. She was the church organist at East Side Baptist Church in Denver when Jim went to work on the church staff. They were married in 1975. They are the parents of two children, Zachary and Stacey. Zac and his wife Amanda live in Anderson, South Carolina with their three children, Elizabeth, Jacob and Luke. Zac is the I.T. Director at NewSpring. Stacey has established Precious Miracles Foundation with the purpose of rescuing abandoned children in Ecuador. The Smiths were missionaries in Ecuador from 1978 - 2008. They established Iglesia Bíblica Bautista in 1980. In that church was established the Bible institute which has operated continually since 1987. Many graduates and students have established churches in different parts of Quito, Ecuador and other countries.
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