Claude Bowen
Claude, an inspiration to all who knew him, was a great leader. He was born November 10, 1919, in Blythdale, Missouri (USA), a son of Chester A. Bowen and Lucy Cavendar Bowen.
Claude worked with the Dale Carnegie organization for 28 years, training people in Iowa, Illinois, Alaska, Indonesia and Jamaica.
After retiring, over a period of three decades, he worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators, Tentmakers Youth Ministry and International Training Alliance. He won the Angel Award for three films produced for Wycliffe Bible Translators. Claude wrote 12 books and several training manuals for Christian leaders.
Claude traveled extensively, visiting, working or vacationing in 65 countries. He traveled around the world twice and was an active pilot for 40 years.
He served on several boards, including the Board of Trustees for Lincoln Memorial University. His hobbies were traveling in his motor home, flying, genealogy and writing.
Most importantly, Claude had a big influence on the initial training in ITA.
Claude Bowen died April 17, 2008, in the town where he resided, Bloomington, Illinois (USA).
David Cummings
David Cummings lives in Melborne, Australia, with his wife Ruth. David and Ruth were Bible translators with Wycliffe Bible Trainers in Papua New Guinea for several years. Wycliffe Australia asked David to return to lead the national agency.
Later, David became the president of Wycliffe International, moving to the United States for over a decade.
At the end of his time with Wycliffe David was keenly interested in leadership training, and networked with OM leaders to offer them the training from Wycliffe’s Townsend Institute. After experiencing great acceptance among OM leaders, David formed a group of men from OM to begin the Leadership Matters Course.
The course ran from 1995 until 2005. In 2005, together with representatives from Wycliffe, OM, CMA, FWBIM, TentMakers USA, Caleb Australia and Caleb New Zealand, they formed the International Training Alliance, or simply ITA. David served as chairperson of the newly formed ITA Council. He continues to serve as a senior trainer in several courses each year. The senior leadership of ITA holds a great deal of respect and appreciation for David and his contribution to this initiative.
Joop Strietman
Joop lives in Emmeloord, Netherlands, with his wife Annie. Joop and Annie founded OM in the Netherlands. They have worked with OM and OM Ships for four decades. They have traveled all over the world ministering with OM.
Joop was one of the original senior leaders with OM who met with David Cummings in the early days of training in 1995. He also committed himself, along with David Cummings and other OM senior leaders to dedicate himself to offer this training, and did this for the next decade.
When the International Training Alliance was officially formed in 2005, Joop became the CEO of the newly formed alliance and served faithfully in this role until November 5, 2015.
As CEO of ITA, Joop introduced a new organisational structure that set ITA on a solid path for the future. Joop continues to serve as a senior and lead trainer each year. The senior leadership of ITA holds a great deal of respect and appreciation for Joop and his contribution to the ministry of training leaders around the world.
Marc Kretzschmar
Marc lives in the USA with his wife Penny. They have three married sons. Marc and Penny have served together with OM since 1976. Their ministry has included distribution of literature in Eastern Europe, various roles in the home office with OM-USA and with the International Coordinating Team of OM, based in the UK.
Marc was one of the original leaders with OM who met with David Cummings in 1997. He committed himself, along with David Cummings, Joop Strietman and Peter Nicoll to test this unique training in various cultures around the world for four years.
From 1996 Marc served in the role of Director of Operations until 2011. Before leaving this position he trained Edward David to take his place. Along with other OM leaders, Marc is helping to develop other training courses within OM, dealing with financial development and project management for teams around the world.
Marc continues to serves as a senior trainer in the LMC. The senior leadership of ITA holds a great deal of respect and appreciation for Marc and his contribution to the ministry of ITA and LMC.
Rachel Johnson
Rachel currently lives in the United States, as she continues to serve in Kingdom ministry around the world. She has worked with OM since 1998, working with OM ships for seven years, and later with ITA. We tribute Rachel for her role as the first full-time trainer developer for ITA. Peter Nicoll worked in this role on a part-time basis. Before Rachel accepted the role in 2009, the leadership realized the need for a full-time trainer developer. It was a daunting role, and Rachel took on the responsibility, working with other trainer developers (such as Londa Amundson and Julie Wells) to mold the role. Rachel raised the quality of ITA training as she worked in several LMC courses each year, coaching trainers in the courses, organizing and improving curriculum materials for trainers and participants, and by encouraging trainers across the ITA world.
After her time with ITA, Rachel worked with other OM leaders to develop another successful training course called FD | 24. Rachel is a creative and gifted trainer.
We are thankful that Rachel continues to return to serve as a senior trainer in LMC. The senior leadership of ITA holds a great deal of respect and appreciation for Rachel and her contribution to the ministry of ITA and LMC.
Roger Lang
Roger currently lives in Brisbane, Australia with his wife Helen. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren.
Roger served as the chairperson of the ITA Council during a crucial time in its history and development, from 2010 to 2017. In addition to serving in the Council, Roger also served as a senior and lead trainer in the LMC, as well as promoting the unique work of ITA around the world.
In 1987 he began serving as President of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of Australia, a role he fulfilled for the next thirteen years. In 1991 he became president of the Alliance World Fellowship, a role he fulfilled until 2000. In 2000, Roger and Helen accepted a call to pastor the English congregation of the Antioch International Church in Sunnybank Hills, Brisbane, Australia. This multicultural church, now known as Southside International Church, has grown to 600 people with 21 nationalities speaking 35 languages and worshipping in four congregations. Roger and Helen have successfully turned over the leadership of Southside Church, have retired, yet are still very active.
We are thankful that Roger continues to return to serve as a senior and lead trainer in the LMC. The senior leadership of ITA holds a great deal of respect and appreciation for Roger and his contribution to the ministry of ITA and LMC.