Children: Sadie (7) and Sophie (2)

Sending Church: Community Baptist Church Ankeny, IA

Field: Alaska

Just before evening service at Bethany Baptist Church in Juneau, Alaska, Stephanie was working on the bulletin board when a young man walked in. She eagerly handed him a visitor card….

Stephanie had grown up in a Christian home and attended Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Waterloo, IA. It was through the influence of missionaries, Sunday School teachers, and camp speakers that at age 12, she knew the Lord wanted her to serve Him in ministry. After finishing high school, missionaries Dean and Julie Blood extended an invitation to come see the ministry in Alaska, and she took it. Thinking it would be a great one-time experience, it ended up being the place her heart could not leave. After nursing school, she went to Faith Baptist Theological Seminary and spent her summers in Alaska. Surely now God would open the doors to full-time missions. But God wanted her to go immediately. With that sense of urgency, she moved to Alaska and worked as an RN, while also working in the ministry. It was after an Alaska Field Council meeting that Stephanie had the sense of urgency again and knew the Lord wanted her to go to Juneau, so she went. By God’s master plan, the Bloods would also feel led to Juneau, and they continued to serve together. While there, Stephanie met the young visitor—Paul Sprenger.

Paul was an active-duty officer in the Coast Guard stationed in Juneau. It had been a difficult year as he struggled through several challenging life circumstances. He needed answers for his life. His older brother suggested he leave the Catholic church and find a Baptist church. After visiting and attending Bethany Baptist Church, Paul trusted Christ as his Savior. After Paul was saved, he began online seminary courses and became involved in the ministry. Paul and Stephanie’s friendship also grew and they married in 2014. Soon after they were married, the Lord laid it on their hearts for Paul to attend seminary full time, so they packed up their belongings and headed to FBTS. While there, they became active at Community Baptist Church in Ankeny where Paul did a pastoral internship. As graduation approached, they sought the Lord in prayer for their next steps. Surely now He would open the doors for full-time career missions. But God did not give them peace about that decision. After seeking godly counsel, they followed the sense of urgency and the Lord’s direction to return to Juneau as self-supported missionaries. CBC commissioned them in 2017, and they partnered with BMM and two other churches as short-term missionaries. While working in the ministry, Paul is also a civilian with the Coast Guard. For the past seven years, they have been serving short-term alongside the Bloods at Riverside Baptist. They are excited to be transitioning to Global Fit, allowing them to continue working with BMM, maintain their current prayer and financial supporters, and be self-supported as well.