Our Staff
Bruce & Lisa Burkholder
Bruce was saved at the age of six one evening after family devotions. It was at the age of six when Lisa’s mother also led her to the Lord. Both Bruce and Lisa attended Baptist University of America in Atlanta, GA graduating with a Bachelor degree.
Bruce and Lisa were married in August of 1984. God has blessed them with three children: Jared (23), Lindsay (20), and Matthew (16).
From 1984 to 1988 Bruce served as the assistant pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Bridgeport, WV. After completing his MDiv at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary in Lansdale, PA God directed the Burkholders to Mexico City. During ten years of ministry there God used them to plant the Iglesia Bautista de Fe and the Seminario Teológico Bautista Independiente.
Since 2005 Bruce has served with EBI as the Director of Theological Curriculum.
Bruce is completing a D.Min. degree in Missions from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in Deerfield, IL.
Gary & Bernie Hilliker
At the age of seven Gary received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in a fundamental Baptist church in Wellington, Ohio. Bernice was in the sixth grade when she was invited to a Christmas program at a Bible Protestant church. It was there that she heard the gospel for the first time and received Jesus as her Savior.
Gary and Bernice attended Shelton College New Jersey in preparation for serving the Lord as teachers. It was there that the Lord called them into full time service in Venezuela. After graduation and marriage, Gary attended the Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary and Bernie taught school in Michigan.
The Hillikers served in Venezuela as church planters for fifteen years. In 1986 Gary became the General Director and Bernice the Office Manager of Baptist Mid-Mission’s Spanish literature ministry EBI in Florida. After fifteen years as General Director, Gary became the Director of International Development. Bernie has a BA in Elementary Education. Gary has a BA in Secondary Education; a MDiv in Pastoral Studies and in 2009 was granted a Doctor of Divinity degree from the Colegio Universitario Bautista de Puerto Rico.
Darrel & Lori Jingst
Darrel was born in a pastor’s home, so the Word of God was a constant part of his life. On a Sunday evening when he was six, Darrel asked Christ to be his Savior. Lori grew up attending a Gospel-preaching church regularly. One evening after their family devotions, when she was six or seven, Lori asked Jesus to be her Savior.
They meet at Faith Baptist Bible College. Darrel and Lori were married in 1983. While Darrel was still a student at FBBC, he began a youth pastorate at First Baptist Church in Brayton, Iowa. While serving in Brayton, they were blessed with two children; Stephanie and Stacy.
God has given many opportunities to serve and learn over the years. Darrel worked for a photo typesetting and composition company while he was a youth pastor. Many times he questioned why he was working in a secular place when his desire was to serve the Lord full time. God knew what he needed to learn and how much time it would take. God prepared and called Darrel and Lori to a very specific ministry – the Spanish Publication Division of Baptist Mid-Missions (EBI).
Darrel is production manager of the EBI print shop and Lori helps in the accounting department.
Max & Louise Lanz
Max was saved at age 13 and Louise at age 9. They were married in 1966 and have three children: Pamela, Kimberly and Michael.
Max graduated from the Grand Rapids Baptist College in 1965 with a Bachelor of Religious Education degree and from the Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary in 1968 with a Master of Divinity degree. In 1994 he graduated from the Luther Rice Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree.
They joined Baptist Mid-Missions in 1968 while Max was pastoring the Manton Baptist Church in Michigan and arrived in Brazil in January of 1972. During their 37 years in Brazil they organized Baptist churches in Sao Paulo, Curitiba and in Sao Jose dos Pinhais.
Max taught Bible Doctrine and Pastoral Theology courses at the Curitiba Bible College for 25 years and also administrated the Master of Ministry Program for pastors for 11 years.
At the present time they are visiting their supporting churches.
Bob &Terri Metze
After being invited to a new church plant, Bob trusted Christ as Savior when he was 13 years old. Terri was privileged to grow up in a Christian home and was saved when she was five years old. Bob and Terri met in their home church and they attended Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, MN. They were married in 1983 after Bob’s graduation.
Bob completed his MDiv at Calvary Baptist Seminary in Lansdale, PA in 1989 and served in his home church, Calvary Baptist Church of Lancaster, PA for 13 years as assistant pastor. God then directed the Metzes to Mexico City where they served in church planting and pastoral training for ten years.
Since 2011, Bob has been serving as Director of Theological Curriculum and Pastoral Training at EBI and has begun work on his D.Min thesis project at Calvary Baptist Seminary.
Richard & Sheila Meyer
Richard grew up in the Dominican Republic where his parents were missionaries. He accepted Christ as savior in 1962. Sheila was raised in Iowa and accepted Christ in 1965. They met at Faith Baptist Bible College from which they graduated in 1975. After graduation they were married. They now have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
In 1982 they went to the Dominican Republic as missionaries where they worked for 8 years in church planting and the Bible Institute.
They have now worked at EBI for 19 years. Richard edits the TEE and Sunday School material. He also administers the EBI computers and web site. Sheila works in the accounting department and helps with shipping.
Beulah Pinkston
Beulah was born in Eudora, Mississippi. When she was about ten years old she joined a Baptist church, but did not have the assurance of her salvation until 1954 after reading John 5:24.
At the age of seventeen while still in high school, she married Otis Pinkston. Ten years, and three children later, Beulah and Otis arrived in Mexico where they served the Lord for forty-four years.
Beulah worked alongside Otis in Florida for approximately three years in the early 80’s revitalizing EBI. Beulah did proofing of manuscripts as well as the typesetting for books. When the Pinkstons returned to Mexico in 1985, Beulah was named language consultant by the board of EBI. She retired from BMM in December, 2006 but continues on the staff of EBI, and also serves in the Hispanic ministry of Central Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
Gary & Wilma Sammons
Gary trusted Christ as his Savior when he was seventeen, and Wilma was eight when she became a Christian. Both were led to the Lord through their local churches and dedicated their lives to full- time Christian service. Gary graduated from Drake University and Dallas Theological Seminary; Wilma is a graduate of Faith Baptist Bible College. They were married in 1966 and have two married children, Elizabeth and Jim.
After ten years of missionary service in Santiago, Chile, Gary taught Missions at Faith Baptist Bible College and Piedmont Baptist College. Wilma was the Dean of Women at Piedmont Baptist College for eight years and a conference and seminar speaker.
They joined Baptist Mid-Missions and ministered on four secular campuses with Campus Bible Fellowship. Currently the Sammons are working with Editorial Bautista Independiente. Gary is developing theological curricula to be taught in Baptist Mid-Missions’ Bible Schools. They visit Latin American countries to teach theological courses and speak to ladies groups. Gary also coordinates an online Master’s Program in Biblical Studies in Spanish which serves five countries.
Phil & Dianne Schmitt
Phil was raised in a Roman Catholic family; Dianne in a liberal protestant denomination neither having an understanding of a personal need of salvation. They were married in May of 1969, and both came to know the Lord Jesus as Savior after about seven years of marriage.
Phil and Dianne graduated from Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1988. Phil graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Education, majoring in missions. Dianne graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Christian Education.
Phil and Dianne previously served in Jamaica, the Slovak Republic and Ireland. Since December 2005, they have served with EBI. Phil is building and grounds supervisor, manages the warehouse inventory, and helps with printing. Dianne is the shipping room clerk and helps in the office.
They have two sons, a daughter-in-law and one grandson.
Margaret Tolosa
Margaret was raised by missionary parents in Saginaw, MI. She accepted Jesus as her Savior at a very young age, was reassured of salvation at age nine and was baptized. She earned a MA degree in Education in 1961 and a MA in Christian School Administration in 1976.
In 1953 she went as a missionary to Venezuela where she started an elementary school for Venezuelan children. In 1956 she established a school for Hispanic children in Philadelphia, PA in collaboration with the Iglesia Evangélica Bautista where she worked for forty-seven years.
She has worked with EBI ten years as editor and office assistant.
Helen Wing
Helen Wing was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was raised in a Christian home and saved at the age of five. While in high school, she gave her life to the Lord for whatever He wanted her to be.
Following graduation from Cedarville College with a degree in Elementary Education, she taught in a public school for two years – at which time she was introduced to the ministry of Missionary Kids’ Education.
She went to Fortaleza, Brazil, in 1967 to teach at the Fortaleza Academy for one year. It was during that year that the Lord confirmed in her heart that this was what He wanted her to do with her life. She served the Lord with MKs and in the local churches for nearly 40 years. In 2009 the academy closed and Helen returned to the United States seeking another avenue of ministry.
In July of 2010, she joined the staff of EBI as the Assembly Room Coordinator in charge of the volunteer staff.