Candidate School 2025
by Jason Ritchie - Prefield Ministries DirectorWe had a great June 2025 Candidate School with 48 in attendance. God worked during the week in an amazing way, and we are rejoicing that He has called more laborers into His harvest field. It is our pleasure to introduce to you our most recently approved BIMI missionaries. As they begin their Pre-field ministry, please pray for a swift deputation and a successful departure for the field. May God bless each one and keep them committed to the Commission!
Jason Ritchie
Pre-field Ministries Director
Michael & Deborah Allunis - MadagascarMichael was raised in a Christian home in Pennsylvania. He accepted Christ in 2021 and was baptized at Lancaster Baptist Church. Deborah is a missionary kid who was raised in Cambodia, Southeast Asia. She accepted Christ in 2006 and was baptized at Good News Baptist Church in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Both Michael and Deborah had the opportunity to be involved in their respective churches during their teenage years and felt the Lord leading them to Bible college. They met at West Coast Baptist College where Michael majored in church ministries and Deborah majored in missions. During their sophomore year in college, they individually surrendered their lives to be missionaries at a missions conference at Lancaster Baptist Church. They started dating during their junior year and were engaged in their senior year. After graduating in May 2022, they were married in June and went to serve at a church and Christian school in California. They believed God wanted them to be missionaries to Africa but did not know which specific country. God began to lay on their hearts the country of Madagascar. It is their desire to help reach this country with the Gospel through evangelism and church planting. Go to the Allunis' page.
Noah & Katherine Bake - Democratic Republic of the CongoNoah was raised in a pastor’s home. He was saved at the age of 12 and baptized at Anchor Baptist Church in Oscoda, Michigan. As a teenager, he surrendered to God’s call to the mission field, and in college he began attending Beyond Borders Missions Training Camp. Various missions trips took him around the world, primarily Africa. In October 2019, Noah accompanied veteran missionaries to reach the Batwa (Pygmy) Tribe in Uganda. After Bible college, Noah moved to Jackson, Alabama. There he met Katherine, his future wife. Katherine was saved at age six and baptized at Walker Springs Baptist Church, Jackson, Alabama. She surrendered to the Lord to be a missionary at the age of 15. She has served the Lord in various ministries including bus ministry, junior church, public school Bible club, and daycare. Noah and Katherine were married in October 2022 and participated in multiple missions training camps in 2023. They were blessed with their first child, James, in 2024. Throughout this time, the Lord dealt with them about going to Africa, specifically to the Batwa of Central Africa. After taking another trip to Uganda, they were convinced that this was what God wanted them to do. Go to the Bake's page.
Stanley Doolittle - BrazilGrowing up in a missionary family, it was easy for Stanley to see himself as good enough for heaven. While listening to a lesson about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, he realized that his parents’ faith was not enough and that he had to personally accept Christ as his Savior. In 2007, Stanley knelt before his window and prayed that the Lord would save him. He was baptized at Maranatha Baptist Church in Taruma, Varzea Grande, Mato Grosso, Brazil. As Stanley entered his teen years, he portrayed himself as a good Christian kid but knew he was not walking with the Lord. It took a message at camp when he was 16 to break down his rebellious spirit and commit to living for the Lord and doing His will. A few years later, Stanley felt the Lord’s calling to full-time Christian service. He had already made plans for the future and being a missionary was not one of them. However, the Lord made His will clear and Stanley accepted His call. Since then, his prayer has been, “I may not be able to go everywhere, but Lord, I will go anywhere.” By God’s grace, He has directed Stanley to return to his homeland of Brazil to take the Word to those who have not yet heard. Go to Stanley Doolittle's page.
Anthony & Leah Frazer Jr - USA, ConnecticutAnthony grew up in New Jersey in a very harsh environment. After many troubling situations, he decided to attend church on his own. At a teen camp, Anthony trusted Christ on June 22, 2015, and was baptized at Somerset Bible Baptist Church, Somerset, New Jersey. Leah was born in Connecticut and made a profession of faith at age five. She was baptized at Riverside Baptist Church, Terryville, Connecticut. Anthony and Leah met at Riverside Baptist Church during the COVID epidemic. Leah’s church had shut down and that is what brought their family to Riverside Baptist. Anthony was there helping during the summer break from college. They did not start dating until later. The Lord then brought Leah to New England Baptist College just before Anthony’s graduation. The couple began dating and were married in 2022. After graduation, Anthony became an assistant pastor at Riverside Baptist Church under Pastor David Townsley. He served faithfully for nearly three years in this ministry. During this time, he and Leah prayed earnestly for God’s guidance and in November 2024, through God’s Word, the Lord confirmed His call for them to serve in Bridgeport, Connecticut.Go to the Frazer's page.
Nathan & Akemi Hill II - BotswanaNathan Hill was raised in a Christian home. At the age of 12, he accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized at Bethany Baptist Church, Thomasville, North Carolina. Akemi was adopted when she was two weeks old and grew up in a Christian home. While with her parents and in her childhood home, she asked Jesus to come into her heart. Akemi was baptized at Emmanuel Baptist Church, in Cedar Point, North Carolina. As a teenager, Akemi attended The Wilds Christian Camp where she surrendered to full-time Christian service. Nathan and Akemi met while attending Bob Jones University in the fall of 2002. God faithfully guided their steps and four years later, they were married. They have been married for almost 19 years now and have two children; Makoto is 12 and Megumi is nine. The family attends and serves at their home church, People’s Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina. Nathan works for the Sheriff’s Office and Akemi homeschools their two children. Last summer, God allowed them to go on a missions trip to Botswana, Africa. While in Botswana, God worked in their lives and stirred their hearts to serve and minister to the people of Botswana. Go to the Hill's page.
Kevin & Rachel Lowe - BelizeAs a five-year-old, Kevin trusted Christ as his personal Savior in Sunday school at the church where he grew up. He was baptized at Grace Baptist Church in Pittsfield, Illinois. Rachel trusted Christ in 1985 and was also baptized at Grace Baptist Church, Pittsfield, Illinois. Kevin and Rachel Lowe were married on May 5, 2018. Both of them widowed, God brought them together around an interest in missions and a desire to glorify the Lord. They have faithfully participated in many different ministries of their local church and actively sought new opportunities to serve Jesus. This led them to spend time with missionary church planters on the fields of Mexico and Belize. Through their time assisting the Harris family at Grace Baptist Church of Dangriga in 2022, they recognized and responded to a call to full time missionary service. Kevin and Rachel’s goal is to assist BIMI church planters where needed in Central America. The Lord has led this couple to begin their ministry by returning to Belize as they assist the John Harris family and garner practical training and experience. Go to the Lowe's page.
Jordan McDowell - USA, PennsylvaniaJordan McDowell grew up not attending church. He attended public school where many were adamantly opposed to God. Jordan’s older brother had started attending an independent Baptist church and continually invited him. He finally visited one Wednesday evening service. The following Wednesday in August 2014, Jordan accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at Central Baptist Church, Winter Haven, Florida. At age 19, Jordan dedicated his life to Christ and had his first opportunity to preach. Eight were saved that night! At that moment, he believed God wanted to use him for the furtherance of the Gospel. Jordan attended Pensacola Christian College and received a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education. He went on to pursue his Masters of Divinity degree while interning at Clear Springs Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Jordan also participated in an in-depth residency program at Stanley Heights Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 2024, Jordan moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to minister alongside and under Pastor Nathan Snode at Lifeway Baptist Church. Jordan plans to start a church in the Pittsburgh area. Go to Jordan McDowell's page.
Rebecca Moore - UgandaRebecca Moore was born to Mark and Wanda Moore, Christian parents who attended church faithfully. At the young age of four, Rebecca first felt the Lord knocking on the door of her heart for salvation, but it did not fully register that it was she who had to go to hell for her own sins. Over the next several months she continued to want to be saved, but she still did not fully understand. After a couple months, her pastor, Mike Allison, preached a strong message on a Sunday night about sin and its consequences. She told her mother she wanted to be saved and her mother led her to the Lord. Rebecca was baptized at Madison Baptist Church in Madison, Alabama. When she was 12, she felt the Lord knock on the door of her heart again, calling her into missions. She fought the Lord’s call for several months before eventually surrendering. She attended Commonwealth Baptist College in preparation for her future in mission work, and it was there that she felt the Lord directing her to the continent of Africa. Rebecca’s ministries are: bus ministry, Sunday school teacher, soulwinning, choir, and pianist. Go to Rebecca Moore's page.
Bill & Lynne Norton - MexicoBill was saved at the age of 18 and baptized at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Bowie, Maryland. Lynne trusted Christ as Savior when she was six and was baptized at Warder Street Baptist Church, Marion, Illinois. They met while at Bible college in Oklahoma and were married in December 1991. After graduating in 1992, they started deputation and arrived in Colombia in October 1994. From 1994 until December 2018, Bill and Lynn served in Colombia, Argentina, and in Mexico. In December 2018, they came back to the States to pastor Clearview Baptist Church upon the passing of Pastor Rick Dawson. After six years the Lord is leading them back to Mexico to continue planting churches and winning the lost. Go to the Norton's page.
Scott & Melissa Whiting - RwandaScott was saved in 1998 and raised in a Christian home. Melissa’s family life was not as stable, but she received Christ as a teenager in 2013. Scott and Melissa met in 2015 after he separated from the Marine Corps. They were married in 2018 and joined an independent Baptist church in New York City while living in Brooklyn. In 2021, they moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and joined West Jacksonville Baptist Church. After many months of prayer and seeking the Lord’s guidance, Scott and Melissa surrendered to be missionaries in the Fall of 2023. God has blessed them with three beautiful children; Eleanor, William, and Stephen. They look forward to serving the Lord together as a family in Rwanda. Go to the Whiting's page.
Josh & Ira Zacharias - AustaliaJoshua Zacharias was raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ at a young age. Growing up, he attended Berean Baptist Church in Elberta, AL, where he was able to gain his first experience in ministry through assisting with outreach, children’s church, and other ministries. As a sophomore at Pensacola Christian College (PCC), he surrendered to full-time ministry. After graduating with a degree in Pastoral Ministries, he continued studying for the ministry at Pensacola Theological Seminary. Later while on staff at PCC, the Lord began to direct him into missions through short-term mission trips. After two mission trips to Australia, the Lord confirmed that He wanted Josh in Australia by speaking to Josh through Matthew 16:24: “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up His cross, and follow me.’" Josh began working at Calvary Baptist Church in Bayswater, VIC, under Pastor Manny Mallari in January 2023 with the intent of learning ministry the "Australian way" and for the purpose of being equipped for more in-depth ministry in the future. Josh would appreciate your prayers as he seeks to grow in ministry and follow God's leading in planting churches in Australia. Ira received Christ in 2003 and was baptized at Bible Baptist Church, Liverpool, Prestons, Australia. As they matured, more and more God gave them a desire to serve Him. This desire resulted in their being active in their churches’ ministries as well as pursuing Bible/ministry training. Ira has taken some Bible college classes and plans to continue more in the future. Go to the Zacharias's page.
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