Ron WInkler

DOB: July 5

I was saved at the age of seven after a Sunday morning church service.  I remember going forward at the invitation where the pastor and my dad went over the plan of salvation with me.  I prayed and asked the Lord to save me and to be my Savior.  I was baptized shortly thereafter.  At the age of fourteen, during teen camp, I heard a message about God looking for people to serve Him.  The message challenged me to have a desire to serve the Lord.  I went forward and told the Lord that I would be willing to do whatever He wanted me to do.  I never thought that would include full time ministry.  Shortly after graduating from high school, my family and I started to attend Lancaster Baptist Church.  It was there that the Lord impressed on my heart to attend Bible College.  While attending Bible college I got involved in missions prayer band.  It was there, while reading the letter of a missionary to Russia, that God spoke to my heart about being a missionary to Russia as well. 

Doors began to open, and I was able to take a trip to Moscow with one of my teachers.  After about 10 days preaching and serving along side the missionary and pastor, God made it clear that he wanted me to be a missionary in Russia.  I graduated from Bible College in 1997 and served on staff at a small church in Wyoming.  In 1998, I married Rachel and moved to Montana where we served on staff at a church in Montana.

Rachel winkler

DOB: April 1

I was born in Boulder, Colorado, to Robert and Kathy Benefield. My dad was serving as the song leader and youth director at Highland Baptist Church. When I was about a year and a half old, the Lord called my dad to start the Sequoia Baptist Church in Visalia, California. The Lord blessed me with a wonderful Christian home. I was saved at the age of five and was baptized shortly after. All my life I was taught godly characteristics and to love and serve the Lord. 

When I was twelve years old, I surrendered my life to the Lord at our annual missions conference. My heart has always been tender toward missions; however, I did not know exactly what the Lord had for my life. 

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After graduating from our church’s Christian school, I went off to Bible college. During my senior year I began dating Ron. Ron’s desire to go to the mission field has always been evident to me (and others). Ron and I graduated from West Coast Baptist College in 1997 and were married in 1998. We have enjoyed serving the Lord together since that time.