Unconventional Ministry

Unconventional Ministry #41 with Dan Meers

Mr. Meers comes to work every day in a suit and tail, working as the Kansas City Chiefs football mascot KC Wolf. He has donned the wolf suit for over 30 years, traveling across the country speaking at a variety of events for all ages. He sustained a major injury in 2013 while practicing a stunt for his job and nearly didn’t survive. Miraculously, he recovered and ended up publishing his story (now a 2x published author). He sees his work as a platform to impact others for Christ. He has a real enthusiasm for life and strives to make a lasting impact in his career, family, and ministry.  

Unconventional Ministry #40 with Eirinn Abu

Mr. Abu is a well-known saxophone player who has combined his love of music with ministry in more recent years. He graduated from Shepherd College and James Madison University studying music but sold his saxophone soon afterwards to begin a career as a salesman. He quickly rose through the ranks doing entrepreneurial work, but later rediscovered his passion for music when he bought a saxophone from a pawn shop. He made a name for himself in Nashville and toured around the country for 5 years before settling down in Florida with his wife Brandy. He now enjoys playing for churches and is doing a lineup of Christmas concerts in Florida. His most recent album is a collection of Hymns.

Unconventional Ministry #39 with Pastor Dan Lloyd

Pastor Dan is the lead pastor of the newly formed Cascadia Church in Federal Way, WA. He was born in Alaska and came to Washington State with his parents as a child. He found Jesus at a Billy Graham crusade when he was in high school. He attended college at Biola University and Talbot School of Theology and began his career planting churches in the Pacific Northwest. Cascadia Church is unconventional in that it allows the congregation to dialogue with the pastor at the sermon’s conclusion, a time he calls “flock talk.” He is also the host of a new radio show “Pastor to Pastor” where he speaks with pastors across the country and interacts with listeners.  

Unconventional Ministry #38 with Jeannie Marie

Ms. Marie is an author, nonprofit strategy mobilizer, speaker, and nonprofit board member. Her most recent book is titled “Across the Street and Around the World” released in Oct. 2018. She grew up as a Third Culture Kid in the Philippines and did some work there translating scripture. She also was a missionary for a brief time in India before moving with her family back to America. She desired to reach other cultures with Christ, and when she befriended an Iraqi refugee in her neighborhood, she began to consider helping other refugees as a calling. Her book is directed towards those wrestling with their calling and helping others develop a new perspective on overseas work.

Unconventional Ministry #37 with Charles Jones

Mr. Jones is the Senior Area Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Liberia for the International Ministries (IM) of the American Baptist Churches. He was raised in Liberia and left in 1988 to study in the US. He desired to return to Liberia but was unable due to war in the country. He became involved with the American Baptist Mission Center in Pennsylvania and has worked with International Ministry for 22 years. IM is the oldest international mission agency in the US with a cross-cultural mission to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God’s reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation. IM is also a partner ministry to SAT-7.

Unconventional Ministry #36 with Dave Vander Veen

Mr. Vander Veen is the Executive Director at Manna Media Inc., a nonprofit which produces Christian media with a goal of pointing people to Christ. He has a background in real estate and land development, gaining an online presence with the introduction of the Internet. He soon had a desire to use media to advance God’s kingdom. What started as a local Christian newspaper online became a nonprofit which incorporated video and social media. He enjoys sharing stories of Christians to relate to people from all walks of life and telling people of the amazing things God is doing.

Unconventional Ministry #35 with Andrew Hart

Mr. Hart is the founding CEO of the newly formed ministry PAK-7, a partner ministry to SAT-7. He gained experience in leading a ministry through working with SAT-7 as COO, being part of the executive team in Cyprus from 2010-2018. Following his wife’s desire to raise their family in the UK, he planned to transition from his job at SAT-7. When looking at his next career move, he found out about the opening with PAK-7, which God was divinely making available in the exact timing he needed to secure a new position. He has seen God’s hand at each step of the way in getting the start-up organization PAK-7 off the ground and is hopeful for the future of the ministry.   

Unconventional Ministry #34 with Juliana Sfeir

Ms. Sfeir is the SAT-7 ACADEMY Brand Manager. She received a Master’s in Communication from Oxford and currently lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon. She got started with media communications doing mainstream video for artists, all the while wanting to use her talents to serve the Lord. She first joined with SAT-7 while working on a film project in college and has enjoyed her work with SAT-7 ACADEMY since its launch in 2017. She desires to help develop future leaders in the MENA by providing holistic education infused with Christian values.  

Unconventional Ministry #33 with Dr. Antoine Richardson

Dr. Richardson is the President of Carver Baptist Bible College in Kansas City, MO. He has a background of teaching in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he received his Doctor of Pharmacy. He transitioned into being a youth pastor in 2001 and came to work at Carver Baptist Bible College in 2013. He enjoys equipping people for the Gospel and helping others become effective ministry leaders in urban settings.    

Unconventional Ministry #32 with Ted Esler

Mr. Esler is the CEO of Missio Nexus, an organization that focuses on missions leaders coming together in support for making the Gospel known around the world. Mr. Esler narrates the Missio Nexus Podcast with new episodes released monthly. He previously worked for a missions agency called Pioneers. He also served as a missionary in the Balkans during the Balkan Year War. In working with Missio Nexus, he emphasizes the community aspect and the importance of many agencies and churches working as one to carry out the work of Christ.