Missionary Bio:
Bill was born and raised in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . After graduating from Wheaton College in 1959, with a B.A. in Literature, he accompanied his parents on a world missionary tour visiting 22 countries in 11 months. He learned much about ABWE's worldwide missionary outreach during that time.
Bill and Sharon were accepted by ABWE in the Fall of 1965 and were appointed to the field of Hong Kong . During their three terms in Hong Kong , in addition to full time language study for four years, the Commons served in two churches, leading the second to call its first Chinese pastor and become indigenous. They served on the faculty of the Bible Institute throughout their three terms on the field.
In the Spring of 1980, they returned to the USA where Bill took the position of Director of Enlistment and Education, heading up the ABWE Candidate Department. It was Bill's responsibility to keep current regarding the needs, opportunities and ministries on all the fields so he could effectively challenge potential workers for those countries.
From September, 1995 to January 2002, Bill served as Executive Administrator for the Far East . His responsibilities included the oversight of fourteen countries and over 160 missionaries, with new countries being opened each year. Bill and Sharon spent about four months each year overseas, seeking to visit every missionary on the field every one to two years for encouragement, accountability, availability for problem solving, conflict resolution, and crisis management.
In January 2002 Bill became VP for International Strategic Initiatives & Research. The STIR ministries involve working with Dr. Loftis and regional administrators to guide ABWE's strategis initiatives into new countries and fields around the world, focusing on: unreached peoples and unevangelized place, doing field surveys and training seminars.. He is also involved in international theological education, research and writing, strategic speaking responsibilities, and assisting the president of ABWE as needed.
|
