Gospel Fellowship Association Missions

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A GFA missionary expressed that "the GFA home office is more valuable than the suspension systems of their deputation vehicles." The leadership and staff at GFA function as a team with local churches to support, troubleshoot, encourage, and facilitate our missionaries on or off the field.

Rev. Jon Crocker

Executive Director

Jon Crocker served as a missionary in Mexico City, Mexico, for 10 years. During his years leading a congregation, some were saved, baptized, and involved in the ministry. Others who were already saved grew in maturity and in commitment to the church. The Lord raised up men to take leadership, and the congregation is now responding well to their ministry. Jon became Executive Director of Gospel Fellowship Association Missions in May of 2022. He and his wife, Andrea, have five children ranging from age 5 to age 16. Jon and Andrea are deeply committed to serving missionaries around the world and are passionate about motivating God’s people to give their lives to fulfilling the Great Commission. Their burden is reflected in GFA's vision statement: “to see a fresh awakening of well-equipped gospel witnesses, being sent out from a strong base of conservative local churches and reproducing disciples of Jesus Christ in every nation of the world.”

Rev. Forrest McPhail

Regional Director for Asia, Australia, and Oceania

Forrest McPhail and his wife Jennifer have served in Cambodia as church-planting missionaries since 2000 and now assist other missionaries there. They have enjoyed hosting interns and teams and teaching on missions to help the next generation fulfill the Great Commission. In 2014, Forrest authored Pioneer Missions: Meet the Challenges, Share the Blessings. He contributes regularly to GFA's blog, Commissioned, and also writes for Rooted Thinking. The McPhails now have the privilege of serving GFA missionaries throughout their region of the world and promoting the need for laborers there.

Dr. Alan Patterson

Regional Director for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East

Dr. Alan Patterson and his wife, Jan, served as missionaries in Japan for 17 years, during which time he planted the Calvary Baptist Church in Nagoya. In 2002 Dr. Patterson accepted the invitation of GFA to return to the States to become an administrative director. He directs the training program for GFA missionaries and advises them in their strategy development. He and Jan especially enjoy their role as regional director as this gives them the privilege to fellowship with, encourage, and offer counsel to GFA missionaries. They have been married since 1979 and delight in their children and six grandchildren.

Dr. Timothy Berrey

Director of Missionary Recruitment

Dr. Timothy Berrey first served with GFA as a single, short-term missionary from 1999-2001 at Bob Jones Memorial Bible College in the Philippines. After teaching for four years in a Bible college in Wisconsin and doing short-term ministry trips to countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, he and his wife, Laura, joined GFA as career missionaries in 2005 and went back to the Philippines. There, Tim taught classes in Bible, biblical languages, and theology, oversaw the seminary program, helped spearhead a training program for pastors in the various islands of the Philippines, and spoke in churches and conferences all over the Philippines and in surrounding countries. On June 1, 2023, he became the Director of Missionary Recruitment. Tim’s burden is to see Christ taken to the nations, especially by the next generation of GFA missionaries.

Rev. Dale Crawford

Administrative Director

Dale Crawford and his wife Lisa were GFA missionaries in Cameroon before joining the home office staff in 2000. Dale is the administrative director over finance and operations. Outside of the office he enjoys serving as music director at Trinity Bible Church in Greer, SC.

Dr. Marshall Fant

Director of Church Planting and Revitalization

Dr. Marshall Fant is focused on strengthening the American church through church consulting and revitalization, the interim pastor ministry, and church planting. Dr. Fant has 21 years of experience as a pastor and 20 years of experience as a business owner. Dr. Fant earned a D.Min. from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, an M.Div. from Bob Jones University, and a B.S. in administrative management from Clemson University. He is certified as a church consultant with the Society for Church Consulting. He is available to meet with pastors and church leadership at their church or by phone. Marshall and Gretchen have been married since 1981 and have five grown children and twelve grandchildren.

Dr. Jack Mitchell

Medical Missions Coordinator

As a dentist, Dr. Jack Mitchell along with his wife, Jennifer, has partnered full-time since 1996 with church-planting missionaries and national pastors around the world to conduct evangelistic dental and medical clinics in over 30 different countries. Since 2019, Dr. Mitchell has served as GFA’s Medical Missions Coordinator. He is focused on leading two-week medical mission teams and promoting medical mission internships, short-term medical missions, and career medical missions.

Beverly Beadles

Executive Assistant

Beverly worked in the GFA office for 10 years before transitioning to a variety of missions- and ministry-related administrative assistant positions at Bob Jones University. After being away for 18 years, she returned to GFA in 2018 and is now assisting Mr. Jon Crocker. She enjoys spending time with her family and their two dogs, working in her garden and yard, and staying active in her local church.

Inge Cannon

Administrative Assistant

Inge immigrated to the United States from Germany as a little girl who grew up with a deep love for classical music, reading books, and serving the Lord. Her 45 years of experience as an educator include teaching in K–12 and college-level classrooms, along with many administrative posts. Inge currently assists Alan Patterson and serves as the primary editor for most GFA publications. She has been married to Dr. Ronald Cannon for more than 35 wonderful years.

Chris Dewey

Volunteer

After retiring as a BJU faculty member in 2008, Chris began volunteering at GFA. She assists other office workers with preparing prayer letters for mailing, checking work fund reports, notifying missionaries about insurance EOBs, and cataloging Dreisbach Library books. In addition to her work in the office, she assists in the literature ministry at Faith Ministries.

Kathy Dewey

Special Projects

After six years of working in offices at Bob Jones University and then six months of missionary ministry in Scotland, Kathy began her service at GFA in 1968. She has assisted all four of the men who have been executive director of the mission. She now handles special projects and enjoys interacting with missionaries.

Diane Grimm

Accounting - Programming

Diane and her husband, Thom, have a heart for missions. For nearly 20 years she served in various positions in the Home Office before leaving to take a programming job. The Lord led her back to GFA in May 2020. She enjoys serving the Lord by being part of the support team for GFA missionaries. Her favorite things to do are quilting, gardening, and spending time with her nine grandchildren.

Sarah Hartwig

Administrator of Communications and Events

Sarah came to GFA in 2004 after serving three years in Papua New Guinea as a short-term missionary with the Michael Berbin family. Having worked in several home office positions, she is expanding her creative role in putting GFA’s message in front of pastors, missionary prospects, future supporters, missionaries, board members, and friends using today's enhanced technology. Sarah plans events such as our annual GFA Family Conference at The Wilds and works to enhance our recruiting efforts. She is passionate about serving in her local church and enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Ruth Langendorfer

Administrative Assistant

Ruth came to GFA in the fall of 2014, after working as an administrative assistant in a dental office for over five years. Her main responsibilities are processing donations that come through the mail and sending receipts to donors. She also assists with the monthly work fund reports. When she is not involved with church, work, or family, Ruth enjoys reading, long walks with friends, and world travel. So far she’s been to Israel, England, and Scotland, and most recently she had the opportunity to visit her sister, Rachel, who is a missionary in Papua New Guinea.

Jason Matthia

Administrative Assistant

Jason joined the home office staff as a volunteer in 2021. Since then, he has increased his time allocated to GFA and primarily assists Dr. Berrey with recruiting. Outside the office, Jason enjoys spending time in creation, reading, and maintaining an “adequate” level of fitness.

Betty Rooks

Receptionist

Before joining GFA in 2018, Betty served as administrative assistant to the dean of students at Bob Jones University for 38 years. When not working, she can usually be found exploring mountain byways or chasing a sunset near her home in Greer, South Carolina.

Priscilla Sholler

Administrative Assistant

Priscilla began serving with GFA in 2000 as a short-term missionary to Siberia. When she returned she joined the GFA staff as the receptionist and later moved to be an administrative assistant to Dale Crawford. Her role includes missionary support, work funds, insurance, and missionary orientation. She also assists with communications and the logistics of the GFA Board meeting. In August 2016, she married Dwayne Sholler, who went to be with the Lord in April 2017. Priscilla enjoys teaching 1st and 2nd grade Sunday School at her church and spending time with family.

Elizabeth West

Production Designer

Elizabeth West grew up as a part of the GFA family. Her parents, Michael and Brenda West, served as furlough replacement missionaries, and Elizabeth has participated in and served at the GFA Family Conference for several years. Liz is passionate about serving the Lord in her home church, spending time with her family, learning new skills, and being active. Her role at GFA includes graphic design, creative projects, web design, missionary updates, and bulk mailings.