Around the World
New Missionaries Appointed to Japan and Mexico
One of wonderful things I get to do as Executive Director of Global Missions is discover new missionary candidates. God is still calling young people to be missionaries, the “sent out” ones. We are always looking for those who are called to help us reach the unreached people of the world with the gospel of Christ.
In today’s culture with high-tech technology, advanced communication, and even AI, we have a special need for young men and women who are able to respond to the Great Commission and spread the gospel in today’s context.
For this reason, we are excited to announce the appointment of our two newest missionaries, both of whom were presented at our recent national convention in Kissimmee, Florida.
McKendre Veenstra has been appointed to serve as a missionary in Japan. The leaders of Open Bible Churches in Japan have long desired to have a missionary come to teach English, not only as a means of learning the language but also as a tool for evangelism. In addition to teaching English, McKendre will also be using his God-given talents to assist our churches in Japan with worship and youth ministries. This collaboration between Global Missions of Open Bible Churches and Japan Open Bible Churches is a great effort to work together to reach the Japanese people with the gospel of Christ.
McKendre is currently itinerating in the Central Region to raise his support and hopes to go to Japan in fall of 2025. Thank you for your prayers and support! Donate to McKendre here.
Zac Anderson will be serving alongside the directors and staff of Puente de Amistad in Tijuana, Mexico. He will be leading teams and supporting existing ministries and churches in their work to reach the youth of Tijuana. Since 2010, Zac has impacted the lives of thousands of children throughout the Ohio region and around the world. His life verse is Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV).
Zac shares, “I know what it’s like to be ignored and feel unloved. My goal is to be the person someone feels comfortable talking to who will point them toward the Savior who changed my life.”
Zac will be itinerating in the Open Bible East Region in fall of 2025 and plans to move to Tijuana, Mexico, in January 2026. Thank you for your prayers and support!
Donate to Zac here.
God is still calling young people to be missionaries, the “sent out” ones.
Please pray for the Lord to anoint and bless McKendre and Zac as they begin their ministry overseas. We are expecting God to do great things through their lives and ministry as they obey God’s calling.
Vince McCarty serves as the Executive Director of Global Missions, giving oversight to Open Bible’s work in 55 countries of the world. He is thankful for the great missionary staff and all the national leaders he has the opportunity to serve with. He would like us to remember that the Great Commission is too big for anyone to accomplish alone and too important not to try to do together.
“We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation
to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done”
(Psalms 78:4 NKJV).
On March 1, 1967, Melvyn and Barbara Kelderman moved to Trinidad and Tobago. That step of obedience began a family legacy that decades later led us—their son and daughter-in-law—to return as full-time missionaries serving with the School of Global Leadership (SGL). Looking back, we see God’s faithfulness from one generation to the next.
Before being appointed as missionaries in 2024, we both taught secondary school while serving at Open Bible Church in Omaha, Nebraska. During those years, God gave us countless opportunities to grow in ministry and deepen our calling. Having served in cross-cultural ministry in several countries, we were grateful when He opened the door to join Global Missions full time. Today we serve with the School of Global Leadership, helping believers discover their role in God’s global mission and equipping those who are moving from called to sent.
School of Global Leadership
Since its beginning in 2010, SGL has helped revitalize the vision for missions within the Open Bible Standard Churches of Trinidad and Tobago. Their work in Trinidad and beyond has helped SGL to become a partner with the Global Missions department in helping connect, expand, and reach into other countries around the world with the Gospel.
One of SGL’s greatest joys is hosting teams from Open Bible Churches in the United States. These short-term ministry experiences allow participants to encounter Trinidad’s diverse religious landscape, including Muslim, Hindu, and African-derived faith communities, while discovering how God may be calling them to serve. SGL also equips future missionaries through online courses and hands-on training. Whether you’re exploring God’s call, preparing for long-term service, or simply wanting to learn more about His work among the nations, we’d love to help you take your next step.
Looking to the Future
While Trinidad remains our training base, we believe God is expanding this vision. Our hope is to establish SGL training hubs in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa so that future leaders can be equipped within their own languages and cultures. As we continue partnering with Global Missions, we believe God will open doors to train and equip missionaries from everywhere to everywhere.
We are deeply grateful for the churches and individuals who pray for us and faithfully support this ministry (Philippians 1: 3). Together we are helping prepare the next generation of workers who will carry the gospel to the nations. Just as others invested in us, we now have the privilege of investing in those God is calling today – and we believe He will continue telling His story from generation to generation.
About the Authors
Brent and Sara Kelderman are pastors and missionaries with Open Bible Churches USA. After serving as teachers at a public high school in Nebraska and as associate pastors in their local church, God expanded their calling into full-time missions. Throughout their marriage, God has woven a passion for the nations into their hearts. They currently serve within the School of Global Leadership (SGL) in Trinidad and Tobago. Their ministry includes hosting missions teams, leading missions training, and partnering with local churches. They are grateful for all God has done and look forward to all He will continue to do in and through their lives.
In parts of Nigeria today, land is no longer just a livelihood – it’s a battleground. In search of increasingly scarce water and grazing land, semi-nomadic Muslim herdsmen are moving their flocks south into areas already inhabited by Christian farmers. This encroachment has intensified conflict, resulting in thousands of deaths, the displacement of millions, increased kidnappings, and deepening ethnic tensions. This is the environment in which Open Bible’s ministry continues day after day.
Despite these challenges, the Gospel is advancing.
Okon Obot, Open Bible’s Superintendent in Nigeria, shared the following story with me:
Recently we held an evangelistic crusade in one of the affected regions. Despite security concerns, people came looking for hope and peace. Evangelistic crusades remain a powerful and effective way to share the Gospel in village communities where fear and uncertainty are a part of daily life.
The theme of the crusade was “Arise and Shine,” and over 300 people gathered. By the end, sixteen people had given their lives to Jesus and fifteen were immediately baptized and welcomed into the church, each a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
A high point of the crusade was the reconciliation of a family of brothers divided for five years. Under the conviction of the Holy Spirit as the Word of God was shared, they chose forgiveness and were restored to one another. They returned to their homes with joy and peace.
In response to God’s work in their lives, the brothers donated a large piece of property in their village, Mbabuu, for the construction of a church building.
This is where the 2026 Global Harvest Offering, “Build Hope for Africa,” comes in. When we reach our goal of $200,000, Nigeria will be one of the recipients. Open Bible will partner directly with Pastor Okon to build a new church building in a place like the village Mbabuu.
This is more than a construction project – it is the next step of what God is doing. Despite hardship, churches in Nigeria are growing and new buildings are needed to serve expanding congregations and reach their communities.
Your gift to “Build Hope for Africa” can help provide a visible witness of Jesus in a region marked by instability and equip local leaders like pastor Okon to continue evangelizing where the need is great.
In a place where land is fought over, God continues to build His Church!
Snapshots of the vibrant ministry happening in Nigeria:
About the Author
Tammy Swailes is passionate about cross-cultural Christian education, so working with INSTE Bible College to disciple and equip leaders throughout Europe and beyond is a great fit! Tammy has lived in Europe since 1999 – first in Hungary and now Ukraine. Before that, she was in Japan, as well as Spokane, Washington. She now serves as INSTE regional director in Europe, assisting INSTE programs in five languages. Tammy has her undergraduate degrees in both Missions and Christian Education and a MA in Intercultural Studies. Photography, good coffee, multi-cultural experiences, and the family’s Yorkie are some of Tammy’s favorite things.
Have you ever wondered, What in the world are our Open Bible missionaries doing now? We wish we could visit every church or sit down over coffee and share what God is doing where we serve—but that isn’t always possible.
So this month, we’ve gathered brief notes from missionaries around the world. As you’ve read these updates from around the world, we invite you to pray for our missionaries—their families, their ministries, and the communities they serve. Please also share these stories with your church so others can join in prayer.
Use the interactive map below to see the updates:
Trouble seeing the map? Click HERE
About the Author
Tammy Swailes is passionate about cross-cultural Christian education, so working with INSTE Bible College to disciple and equip leaders throughout Europe and beyond is a great fit! Tammy has lived in Europe since 1999 – first in Hungary and now Ukraine. Before that, she was in Japan, as well as Spokane, Washington. She now serves as INSTE regional director in Europe, assisting INSTE programs in five languages. Tammy has her undergraduate degrees in both Missions and Christian Education and a MA in Intercultural Studies. Photography, good coffee, multi-cultural experiences, and the family’s Yorkie are some of Tammy’s favorite things.