Executive Director
Rev Dr E Todd Buchner
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For 20 years, I, along with my wife Shannon, have served within the local church. As a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in the Bible from Lancaster Bible College, a Master of Divinity from Knox Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Christian Ministry specializing in Biblical Counseling from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh Pa.
In 2021 God began to call me out of the pulpit ministry with little understanding of what would come next. After taking my first trip to Africa in 2022 my life and call have changed forever. My heart was moved by the sovereignty of God and for the first time, in a long time, I again tasted the sweetness of being wholly dependent upon our God. CTC has reenergized my call to share the full counsel of God's Word to a lost and dying world. I am currently actively engaged in writing "Advanced Cirriculum" for Christians Teaching Christians as well as seeking to establish a Biblical Counseling Course of study. I also teach local pastors and any other would be learners of God's Word weekly on-line in Africa and Pakistan. Shannon and I have two grown daughters and three beautiful granddaughters. We reside in the up-state of South Carolina. I enjoy sports, motorcycle riding, and reading the Puritans. Above all I enjoy spending time with my family. My earnest prayer is that CTC would be mightily used to bring glory to God and that we might see many captives set free. |
Board of Directors
Duane Bonnema
Chairman of the Board
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Duane has been married to Nancy for 48 years. The Lord has blessed them with 4 children and 18 grandchildren. Their quiver is full of arrows!
Duane graduated from Ferris University in 1974 with a BS in Land Surveying. Nancy is a Registered Nurse. Duane has a long history of doing volunteer work. He has lived in MN since 1978 and has served on the volunteer fire department and as a first responder for many years. He has also served on the City Council, the Central Minnesota Christian School board, the Church Council and has taught youth group at his church for many years. Duane was elected as the County Surveyor of Kandiyohi County in 2002. One of Duane’s biggest passions is doing disaster relief work. He led at least 4 different groups of volunteers to help repair the extensive damage incurred when hurricane Katrina ravaged Mississippi’s Gulf coast. When tornadoes hit Granite Falls, MN, he brought volunteers to the area. He led 2 groups of volunteers on separate trips to help remediate the flooding damage in both Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, Iowa and to Parkersburg, Iowa with volunteers to help with cleanup after their devastating tornado. Duane has led over 18 groups of volunteers to Cary, Mississippi over the last 25 years to do relief work at the Cary Christian Center which is located in one of the poorest counties in the US. Duane has organized these trips every 2 years for High School junior and senior students from his area during spring break, the latest trip in March 2021 with a group of 23 young people and leaders. Currently, Duane is president of a drug and alcohol treatment facility called New Life Treatment Center located in Woodstock, MN where he has served for about 5 years. He is also president of the James House which was located in Willmar, MN. The James House building burned down a couple years ago at which point, Duane got involved. New board members are being enlisted and Duane and the board are excited to be planning to reopen the ministry facility again soon. If the Lord has chosen to use me, may all the Glory be to HIM! Hallelujah. |
David Hopper
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I, David Hopper MD, am from Greensboro, NC. Having been raised in Korea as the child of missionaries, after high school I returned to the US to attend King College in Bristol, TN, then med school at UNC and Family Medicine Residency in Greensboro, NC. I married Liza, then moved on to family practice in Princeton, WV. We have 4 children and 10 grandchildren. In 2007, we moved back to Greensboro where I practiced urgent care medicine until full retirement in 2022. However, I have since begun working part time at a small Hospice in Rockingham County NC.
We are active at Friendly Hills PCA Church where I serve as an elder and missions chairman. Short-term missions have been my other calling, and my wife has been with me a number of times. Countries served in for 1 week to 1 month trips include Ecuador, China, North and South Korea, Sudan/South Sudan, Indonesia (Banda Aceh after the tsunami), Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Haiti (after the quake), Bangladesh, and Jordan, a total of almost 50 trips. Most have been medical teams, but others have been church planting and development. My heart for caring for the most-needy people goes along with my desire to see the gospel spread to all people and the church built around the world. Meeting with the Uganda leadership of Christians Teaching Christians has grown my commitment to the work of this organization, and I anticipate this becoming a primary mission commitment as long as the Lord allows. I enjoy time with my wife, family and grandchildren. I also like gardening, golf, photography, walking in the outdoors, reading and many other things. |
Cheryl Thacker
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I am the Executive Director of New Life Treatment Center, a small Christian substance use disorder
treatment facility in Woodstock, MN where I have been privileged to see miracles for the past six years. I have worked as both a radio producer and on-air personality, and as a television news producer. I served eight years as the Public Relations and Development Director for Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries in Georgia. I, then served as the Development/Alumni Director for the University of Sioux Falls, a Baptist university in Sioux Falls, SD and my alma mater. After leaving the University, I worked as a development consultant for faith-based non-profits, as a Clinical Pastoral Education co-facilitator and as interim education director at our church, American Reformed in Luverne, MN. She co-authored a Sunday School curriculum for K-5 children. I served as a CoffeeBreak Bible study director for twenty years and led a Moms In Prayer group in the Luverne community for 15 years. I also worked as a volunteer advocate with the family court system with parents who are involved in the Child Protection System. I am a passionate follower of Jesus and seeks to serve Him in everything she does. I believe that with God ALL things are possible, and that true transformation comes only through the power of the Holy Spirit. I and my husband, Jeff reside in Luverne, MN and are parents of four grown children, three sons and a daughter, as well as the proud grandparents of nine precious grandchildren. Jeff is an EMT in his civilian life. He also drives school bus for the local school district. He served eight years in the Marine Corps, and now serves as a network engineer with the MN National Guard. Jeff has has been deployed overseas multiple times, including two tour in Iraq and two in Kuwait. |