SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Here’s a personal mission statement for you: “To plant the church where it does not exist, nurture the church where it is young, and partner with the church where it is strong.”
That is the mission of Greg Beggs, this year’s honoree as Central Bible College’s Distinguished Alumnus, which will be presented during Evangel’s 2016 Homecoming celebration. The ceremony will be held during an 11 a.m. luncheon on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the University Plaza Convention Center.
Beggs is the Africa regional director for Assemblies of God World Missions. His mission statement is reflected in his founding of the Live Dead program, a team approach to church planting which is moving across East Africa.
“Live Dead is exciting because it is about reaching groups of unreached people who might not otherwise have access to the message of the Gospel,” said Beggs. “Teams are in various stages of development and are targeting strategic areas where large concentrations of unreached people live.”
African roots
“According to a Tanzanian proverb, ‘A wise person will always find a way,’” said Greg Mundis, executive director of Assemblies of God World Missions.
“As a missionary kid growing up on the continent of Africa, Greg Beggs attended boarding school, spoke Swahili, and learned African culture, traditions and proverbs firsthand. All of these experiences helped shape him into the man of God he is today — a wise person who will find a way,” said Mundis.
A Texas native, Beggs spent most of his childhood years in Tanzania and Kenya. He returned to the U.S. to attend CBC, where he met his future wife, Danna Whitney. His career at CBC included gaining leadership experience serving as vice president of his senior class. Greg graduated in 1984.
In 1987, Greg and Danna started their missionary service in Tanga, Tanzania. For 13 years, they worked with the Tanzania Assemblies of God fellowship in planting churches along the nation’s coast. From 2000 to 2014, the family lived in Kenya, and Greg served as area director of East Africa and the Indian Ocean Basin.
The Live Dead program is an outgrowth of the work he and Danna have done during nearly 20 years of missions service in Africa.
In his role as Africa regional director, he now leads more than 350 missionaries and missionary associates who serve across Africa.
“Greg is an invaluable member of the Assemblies of God World Missions Executive Committee and an outstanding leader for Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Mundus.
“Also an avid learner, he epitomizes a Nigerian proverb that says, ‘Wealth diminishes with usage; learning increases with use.’”
Greg and Danna have two children: a son, Nate, and a daughter, Nicole.
EU Homecoming 2016 honorees
Four additional alumni awards will be given during this year’s homecoming celebration. The recipients were chosen by the Evangel University Alumni Association Board of Directors:
- Evangel Distinguished Alumnus – Brigadier General Jeffrey Johnson
- Evangel Outstanding Young Alumnus – Chaplain (Captain) Delana Small
- CBC Outstanding Young Alumnus – Andy Estrella
- AGTS Alumnus of the Year – Chaplain (Major) J.P. Smith
For more information, contact the Evangel University Alumni Relations Department at (417) 865-2811, ext. 7333.