Church Planting Team

Jonathan and Katherine Taylor

Originally from South Carolina, Jonathan and Katherine Taylor met while teaching in that state's public schools in 1983. They hold bachelors degrees in education, he from Clemson University and she from Erskine College. A gifted classroom teacher, Katherine has also served as the Director of Christian Education in a local church. Since 1988 Jonathan has, among other roles, served as pastor of a small rural church, as a church planter and as the missions and outreach pastor of a large suburban church.  Jonathan holds a Master of Divinity degree from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, is a member of Missouri Presbytery in the Presbyterian Church of America. Jonathan’s focuses on nurturing Bulgarian pastors.  Katherine has taught various grade levels at Sofia Christian Academy.  The Taylors arrived in Sofia in 2004 and have two children: Katie (3/16/1991) and Owen (4/18/1993).

David grew up in Georgia and Alabama, and attended Auburn University where he received his B.S in chemical engineering. He also received a CELTA certification for teaching English as a second language. David worked in the chemical processing industry for thirteen years, during which he served in the singles ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Augusta, Georgia. Erin was raised in Augusta, Georgia, and graduated from Duke University with a Middle East studies emphasis. In 1984 she joined Arab World Ministries and worked among Arab-speaking Muslims until 1995. She served a term in England, France, and Jordan. David and Erin were married in June 1996. They and their two children, Clara (9/9/97) and Josiah(1/26/99), joined the MTW team in 1999. David serves as the director of the Teaching English Ministry in Bulgaria.

David and Erin Pervis

Mike and Susan Hershberger

Mike and Susan’s missions interest in Eastern Europe first took root in the 1980s at the University of Kansas. Through their involvement with Campus Crusade for Christ, Int’l they were sent out as part of summer missions teams to Hungary for the purpose of sharing the Gospel and laying the groundwork for a strong, long-term Christian presence in that country. Upon graduation in 1987, Mike joined the campus staff of Campus Crusade at the University of Iowa, and Susan joined in 1990 soon after they were married.
In 1993, the Hershbergers moved to Jackson, Mississippi where Mike attended Reformed Theological Seminary and graduated with a Master of Divinity – Missions degree. Living in the Kansas City area the last seven years they have been members of a PCA congregation where they have gained valuable experience and learned essential Biblical truths regarding their role in the church and the church’s call by her Lord to go and make disciples of all nations.  In 2001 their hearts once again felt the pull toward the mission field of Eastern Europe. They arrived in Bulgaria in September of 2006. Mike main area of ministry is mentoring and equipping national pastors.
Mike and Susan have four children: Cameron (5/31/91); Zachary (2/5/94); Ellen (10/6/95); Mary (2/21/98)

Dave grew up in Tampa, Florida, and attended Emory University, where he became a Christian through the ministry of a believing friend.  Two years later, he transferred to Covenant College and finished his undergraduate in biology with a premedical emphasis.  Subsequently, he earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia and spent seven years in residency and part-time family medicine practice in Greenwood, South Carolina.  Dave has enjoyed the privilege of both discipling and being discipled during his college and medical school careers and beyond. The Lord has combined his gifts and training, and a long-recognized call to the mission field, to take him to Sofia, Bulgaria.  In Bulgaria, Dave uses his medical and discipleship gifts for mercy ministry and developing leaders as part of the MTW team’s church-planting work.

Dave Culmer

Rebecca grew up in small towns in south Georgia in a believing family. It was during her time at the University of Georgia that Rebecca's faith became her own and she began to understand the power of God's grace more fully. After many years of working in youth sports and coaching, she realized her desire to teach high school. She has been interested in overseas missions since high school. She is the proud aunt of 5 nephews, 4 nieces, and the covenantal aunt of many other children! Rebecca loves stories: her story, other people's stories and how they fit into God's story! She is very excited to have joined the team in the fall of 2008 to teach History and Literature at Sofia Christian Academy!

Rebecca Cochran

Raising Support

Gary and Tammy Elliott

Greg and Susan Johnston

Pete and Renee Roman

Dal, raised in south Florida, was saved by the Lord when he was 18, and was called into ministry soon after that.  Beth, a covenant child, was raised in Mexico, the daughter of a PCA missionary and pastor.  Dal and Beth were married in 1977 and have 5 children, three of which are out of the nest.  Dal pastored two churches before responding to the call to serve with Mission to the World in 1993.

After serving in Ukraine for several years with MTW, the Stantons served in Spain where God used their church-planting and leadership experience to establish the Madrid Church Planting Team. 

In coming to Bulgaria, their focus was the development of EuroScope in Europe. After 1 1/2 years in Bulgaria, the Lord has led their ministry into another direction as Dal currently serves as the team leader for the Church Planting Team in Bulgaria.  Beth is currently teaching 7th and 8th grade history at Sofia Christian Academy.

Josiah (11/20/90) and Johanna (9/27/93)

Stephanie Glass

Dal and Beth Stanton

Gary and Tammy met and were married in Houston where Melissa, their daughter, was born.  Having lived in numerous states, both as children and adults, they eventually moved to North Georgia.

Gary has been involved in missions for over 15 years, but in 2003, he and Tammy realized that God had given them a heart for Eastern Europe and they began to pray how God might use them on a full time basis.  Gary and Tammy have been invited to minister in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with the MTW church-planting team.  With Gary’s background in sales and management he desires to reach out to the business community as well as the pastors on the team with planning, coordinating, problem solving and supporting the existing programs (church planting, English, medical outreach, mentoring, theological education).  Tammy is a kindergarten teacher and wants to help establish children’s ministries in the national churches.

Stephanie grew up in a Christian family in St. Louis, Missouri.  After graduating from Covenant College in 2000, she taught elementary school for three years.  However it was through her involvement over a 15 year period with the short-term missions ministry of her home church that the Lord solidified her call to long-term overseas missions.  Since March, 2004 she has lived in Sofia, Bulgaria-a growing city of more than two million people.  Using her educational, creative, and organizational gifts she assists the team leader in beginning, developing, and overseeing MTW’s work in Bulgaria, serving the various church planting, theological education, publishing, and mercy ministries.

Short Term (2 years or less)

Pete and Renee both grew up in the Charleston, SC area.  They each received Christ at a young age and grew up active in their local churches.  Renee attended Appalachian Bible College and received a certificate in Biblical Studies in 2000.  Shortly after returning home from school, she and Pete met at Metro North Church.  They were married in January 2003.  In 2004, Pete graduated from Charleston Southern University with a BS in Business Administration.

In 2005, Pete and Renee accompanied a team from their church to Bulgaria.  The Lord opened their hearts and eyes to the needs of the Bulgarian people and their desire to serve again.  The following year they returned for a one-month internship and began to sense a call to serve longer term.  In 2007, Pete and Renee were approved to serve with MTW as 2 year missionaries. 

Pete and Renee will become a part of the MTW team in Plovdiv where they will be involved in evangelism, discipleship, and mercy ministry outreach.

Greg and Susan met at Andrew College in Cuthbert, GA in 1992.  They both transferred to the Medical College of Georgia, where Greg received his degree in occupational therapy in 1995 and Susan received her degree in 1996.  They were married one week following Susan's graduation and moved to Columbus, GA.  Greg is a native of Columbus and has worked primarily in the public school system.  He also holds a master's in educational leadership.  Susan is originally from Glennville, GA and has worked primarily with children also.  She currently homeschools all three of their sons.

In 2006, following a persistent plea from a missionary friend, Greg and Susan traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria and worked there for a week in the Lomidol Resource Center.  During this time, God called them to come back long term.  Greg and Susan were able to see how their skills as therapists could open doors for sharing the gospel with the Bulgarian therpists, parents, and disabled children.  Their hope is to see the church grow through the relationships they build while serving and living among the Bulgarians.

Joshua (07/31/98), Eli (2/12/03), Paul (08/16/04)

Scott was born and raised in Alabama and attended Briarwood Church and Briarwood Christian School were he received a great education with a Christian world view.  After high school, he went to Furman University in South Carolina.  While at Furman, Scott was involved in Campus Outreach and Reformed University Fellowship. For the last 11 summers, Scott has worked at Camp Rockmont for Boys in Black Mountain, NC where he has fulfilled many different roles, from counselor to director. After graduation Scott moved to Tampa, Florida where he worked as a history teacher, Athletic Director, and coach for 7 years.  Scott moved to Sofia in October of 2009 and teaches several courses at Sofia Christian Academy as well as works with young people in the Hristo Botev and Mladost churches.

Scott Radbill

Katherine Long was born in Alabama and moved multiple times during her childhood as of her father is a youth pastor. Upon graduating high school in Birmingham, AL, Katherine attended the University of Alabama where she received her degree in History and English. During her summer breaks she interned for various organizations. In 2007 she completed an internship with MTW in Sweden, where she felt her calling to overseas missions and mercy missions. Katherine is currently living in Tuscaloosa, AL working for Habitat for Humanity and raising support to work in Bulgaria to work with the Bulgarian women and Daughters of Bulgaria. She plans to arrive in the Fall of 2011.

Katherine Long