We are the sending church for Antonio and Diana, who serve as church planters on the outskirts of Mexico City, Mexico.  Since the year 2000, the Navarretes have participated in the planting and equipping of a church in Valle Dorado, Trojes Baptist Church in Cuautitlan, and recently they began a new work in Metepec.
Their Story
Antonio  is originally from Mexico City. Diana is from Michigan. They met while Diana was ministering as a missionary for two years in Mexico, working with street kids and in the church Antonio and his family attended. They were married in 1988 and moved to the USA to live and to study Bible. God brought ABWE missionaries William and Rosie Stoner into their lives in 1992. They church planted with the Stoners in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In July of 1997, they joined the ABWE family. In November of 2000, they returned to Mexico.

We both came to know the Lord as children and grew up in ministry families. I (John) am a missionary kid from Chad and the Central African Republic, and I learned to love the people and their culture. Paula, a pastor's kid from Michigan, grew up seeing the blessings and difficulties of ministry. God gave both of us a desire to serve Him as missionaries. He brought us together during John’s seminary years, and we joined BMM in 1986, leaving for CAR the next year.

Originally, we worked with a four-year Bible institute, training men and women to serve in church leadership. Political unrest forced us to evacuate, and we served five years in Moncton, NB, Canada.

In 2010, God led us back to CAR with a vision of creating a seminary that would be self-sustaining and would outlive our missionary presence. The school (FIBAT) began in 2011, awarding both masters and bachelor's of theology degrees. We are trusting God to help with two major goals: 1) Completing the campus development so classes can be held on the 22 acres purchased for the school, 2) Funding doctoral degrees for current teachers that would, in turn, raise the level and credibility of the seminary.

Pete began a 20-year construction career with a general contractor in Grand Rapids, MI, first as a common laborer, then as a carpenter apprentice, journeyman carpenter, carpenter foreman, and finally as a superintendent. In 1984, he and his wife, Darla, sensed the Lord’s leading to join with Continental Baptist Missions as missionary builders. The Ringelbergs went full-time on the field in 1986 and spent the next 20 years living in a travel trailer all over the United States, building churches with CBM. Pete is a licensed builder in the state of Michigan and since 2006 has served in the CBM home office as Pre-Construction Coordinator. He also assists with the maintenance of the home office computers and server system. 

The Carmichaels serve in Welkom, South Africa at The Pines.  The Pines is a live-in home to suffering youth in the region, raising them in an environment designed to help them learn of Christ and flourish. Phil is the general manager, handling lots of details for the operation.  Alana handles a lot of work behind the scenes, with organizing and distributing clothing, assigning and communicating with sponsors, and a lot more.

The Minniears have served in church planting and revitalization work with CBM for 34 years.  In June 2022 Colon Baptist Church asked them to reinvigorate the church family and help the church reach and disciple new folk. 

Joyce is a second-generation missionary to Japan. She serves on the Japanese island of Okinawa. 

Dr. Phil McDonald is an author, speaker and since 2004, the president of Leader Empowerment And Development, Inc. (LEAD). With thirty-five years of work experience in thirty-eight countries, McDonald has helped set up or empower more than 150 overseas development projects on five continents. Projects included hospitals, clinics, orphanages, safe houses, community centers, schools, businesses, farms, plantations, and factories.

Phil earned a Ph.D. in International Education from Michigan State University and specialized in national planning, policy analysis, and development economics. He received a bachelors degree in Social Science from Cedarville University.

Phil’s wife Rebecca is founder and CEO of Women At Risk International, Inc. (WAR), a leader in the fight against human trafficking, with programs in 54 countries.  www.warinternational.org. The McDonalds live in Michigan, have four adult children and seven grandchildren.

Served with international college students in Chicago, Illinois.

Served as church planters in Texas.