Wendell and Priscilla (nee Saint) grew up in the same Bible church in Lancaster County, PA. Wendell’s parents, who were both ex-Amish, were later sent by that church to plant churches in Germany. Wendell thus spent ten years in Germany, culminating in graduating from Black Forest Academy. Returning to the States, he attended Gordon College. One year after graduating he went to East Asia to teach English and study Mandarin. This set up a “chance” encounter at a camera shop in Hong Kong, as Priscilla was at another place in East Asia, also teaching English. When, some years later, they both returned to the States, they saw God’s providential handwriting on the wall. They were married.

Wendell subsequently enrolled in Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia; there he received an M. Div, Priscilla her Ph.T. (Putting Hubby Through). Following that Wendell served 15 years in pastoral ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

A trip with an ELI instructor to Africa re-ignited their desire to serve the church, and her Lord, overseas. Witnessing first-hand something of the “spontaneous expansion of the church” (the title of a groundbreaking book written 100 years ago by Roland Allen); plus, seeing how pastors in the majority world serve faithfully, but with little training; and discovering that he was equipped to serve them through biblical training—God used those to induce Wendell to join ELI in this strategic ministry. Wendell now serves as Partnership Coordinator in East Africa and in South Asia, as well as ELI’s Director of Communications. Together Wendell and Priscilla have been blessed to have a hand in training hundreds of pastors and church leaders on two continents.