Joe has been an integral part of the ministry of East-West since the beginning and faithfully labored to take the gospel to all people until his last months on Earth.

Joe was invited to join East-West shortly after it was founded in 1993. At the time, Joe was on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, so he helped start East-West on a volunteer basis.

Joe was a faithful pastor and a serial church planter. In the 1970s, he planted a church called Cypress Bible Church while pastoring Spring Branch Community Church in Houston. In 1995, he and his wife, Linda, were called to serve at Cypress Bible. Joe was the pastor of that church for the next seven years.

Meanwhile, Joe and Linda remained involved with East-West, helping to train church leaders in Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Joe and Linda joined East-West staff full-time in 2002, with Joe serving as the Vice President of Field Ministries. 

Joe witnessed many milestones at East-West and wrote several books, including Going for the Gold, during his tenure with East-West.

Joe’s wife, Linda, passed away in 2020. Even after her death, Joe continued his work as a missionary emeritus with East-West and also continued to teach at the Grace School of Theology in Houston. Just this year, he was still creating gospel tracts to reach Muslims in his neighborhood in Houston.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to East-West, a ministry close to Joe’s heart: