Steve & Marilou Richardson

Florida Free instructor Steve Richardson hails originally from Jonesboro, Arkansas but has lived for 30 years now in Central Florida. Mr. Richardson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science Education from the University of Central Florida and an Associate’s degree in Education from Brevard Community College. He has twenty years of experience teaching youth and adults in Church based ministries. He and his wife, Marilou, are blessed with four children and 2 grandchildren. Regarding his motivation for serving as a guest instructor, Mr. Richardson shares, “God reminded me I had skills and experience not being used. The personal and spiritual growth I saw in my three children who attended Teen Missions, assured me God’s use of me at BMW would come back as a blessing.”

Ron & Janice Voris

Ron Voris serves as a guest instructor at Florida Free BIBLE MISSIONARY & WORK Training Center and has covered a variety of subjects including Church History, Revelation and, most recently, General Epistles. Mr. Voris, originally from Mountain View California, served in the US Navy as a sonar technician and also received training from Mendocino Community College and Simpson Bible College. He was ordained in 1982 and served as a Pastor until 1993. Ron and his wife Janice volunteered as mission trip leaders and Teen Missions West Coast representatives for several years before joining full-time staff with Teen Missions International from 1993-2000. Ron then served as an Associate Pastor at Grace Fellowship in Rockledge, Florida for six years before taking his current position with WEGO ministries in Cocoa, Florida. Ron has overseen construction and maintenance at the WEGO headquarters and at WEGO orphanages in Nicaragua and Mongolia. Ron and Janice have four children, 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Asked what motivates his service to Florida Free Ron replied, “It is the radical changes I’ve seen in the kid’s lives leading to further short term and long term involvement in missions.” He continues, “Many BMW students go on to become teachers overseas — training future missionaries and pastors and preparing them for ministry in their own countries and abroad.”

Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Bland

Teen Missions founder & director, Robert M. Bland (Bob), brings a rich history of valuable Bible training and missionary experience to the faculty of Florida Free. Born in Chillicothe, Ohio Bob left his trade as a union plumber to follow God’s calling to full-time service in 1957. He graduated from Arizona Bible Institute in 1960 and from Youth For Christ directors’ school at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin later that same year. He then served for six years at Sciotoland Youth For Christ in Chillicothe, Ohio. Ordained as a minister by The Christian Union, Bob pastored in Mt. Joy for three years before moving to Hennessey, Oklahoma to serve as senior pastor at Union Chapel (where he first made the acquaintance of Gayle “Widder” Will and her late husband Ted). In 1969, Bob began one year of service as recruitment director of the Christian Service Corp. At this time, God placed a burden on his heart for involving youth in missions and the vision for Teen Missions International (TMI) was formed. Since the founding of Teen Missions, Bob has seen over 43,000 North American teens serve on teams to more than 100 countries building churches, schools, orphanages and even airstrips and a hospital. Evangelistic teams have seen thousands of decisions for Christ. In 1982, Bob began running Boot Camps for national youth overseas, and today Teen Missions is running more than 39 overseas Boot Camps on six continents. Through these Boot Camps, the need was realized for further Bible and missionary training for youth who felt called to full-time service. Bob, together with Rev. Howard Vanderpool began Florida Free BIBLE MISSIONARY & WORK Training Center in 1988. Today there are 26 BMWs in -13 countries training more than 500 students worldwide. Since that time, Bob has also overseen the founding of AIDS Orphans & Street Children and Motorcycle Sunday School Mission. An Honorary Doctorate of Divinity was bestowed on Mr. Bland by Inalta Bible School & Seminary in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2005. Bob has travelled to approximately 100 countries during his 50+ years of Christian ministry. Bob gives lectures to BMW students during weekly staff devotions and served as an instructor for the Geography class. Bob celebrated his 61st wedding anniversary with his wife Bernie in June 2010.

Howard Vanderpool — Florida Free BMW Founder

Howard Vanderpool pioneered the first Florida Free BIBLE MISSIONARY & WORK Training Center. Originally from Artesia, California, Mr. Vanderpool has established a long history of faithful service in missions and church ministry. He graduated from Arizona Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and served for 18 years with Village Missions pastoring churches in Oregon and California. In 1988 He came to Florida with his wife Mary to build and establish Teen Missions first BMW Training Center. Today, Teen Missions operates more than 23 BMW training centers on five continents— each patterned after the original school in Merritt Island, Florida. Mr. Vanderpool has covered many different subjects over his years as an instructor, most recently teaching the Doctrine Course. He is also an expert on the Old Testament Tabernacle design having built a Life-Sized Replica (with the help of his wife Mary and a host of volunteers).

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of God shall stand forever. Is 40:8

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in the three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood and His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His tangible return in power and glory.

We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian lives a godly life.

We believe in the resurrection of the body of the saved and lost, they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ.

(The Doctrinal Statement above is identical to that of Teen Missions International)

Sharing Christ's love in Zambia

Teen Missions was founded in 1970 with confidence that as young people experienced the mission field first-hand, God would call many to a life dedicated to world evangelization.  Since that time, over 40,000 teens and adults from the U.S. and Canada have experienced missions first hand.  They have assisted with a variety of evangelistic and building projects with more than 100 established missions in over 60 countries, experiencing God’s grace in difficult and often demanding circumstances.

Over the years, Teen Missions has developed into more than a short-term mission organization for young people, it now offers many long-term opportunities, not only at the U.S. headquarters, but also overseas, and includes national staff members in twenty-three countries.

The primary purpose of this ministry, however, is to challenge, train and disciple young people, exposing them to worldwide missions.  As they see the pressing needs of the world, we pray that many will also see the need for training to help them meet these needs more effectively.  Team members and leaders confirm that this early exposure to missions was indeed born of God – their life goals and direction are clarified.  Hundreds are now prepared for the specific task to which God has called them or are already on the mission field.  Often Teen Missions former team members who want to serve the Lord are looking for a school that offers Biblical and practical training that will allow them to go to the mission field debt free.  Recognition of this need led to the formation of Teen Missions Florida Free BIBLE, MISSIONARY & WORK (BMW) Training Center.

The school began as an idea of Teen Missions Director, Robert M. Bland.  On October 19, 1988, the Florida Free BIBLE, MISSIONARY & WORK Training Center opened with 18 students.  Some came thinking that they might have to sleep in tents, and others thought that they would have to wear boots all the time (which they do not!), but all came with a desire to learn about God’s Word.

Qualified local pastors and teachers from local churches on Florida’s Space Coast teach at Florida Free as do long-term Teen Missions staff missionaries.  Florida Free’s BMW course of study is comparable to accredited Bible schools.  Class work is often recognized at other Bible colleges.

Teen Missions operates BMW’s in Australia, Belize, Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malawi, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.  Future centers are scheduled to open as staff and facilities become available – our goal is to open one new school every year.  Former team members and leaders around the world are eager to serve the Lord.  This is possible with the free training that the school provides.  Are you willing to stand in the gap and go into all the world to proclaim the Word of the Lord?

Tuition-free student

A tuition-free student does not pay for tuition, room & board or any other expenses other than personal needs, such clothes, hygiene items, personal car expenses, phone etc. He/she is placed in job training at the discretion of the BMW Coordinator. If leader potential is shown, he/she is placed as a leader on a summer team. The team involvement expense is covered by Teen Missions.

Self-supported Student

If a student chooses, he/she may pay $300 a month. A paying student can choose their job-training placement and may choose from a selection of teams if leadership potential is shown. Team involvement expense is covered by Teen Missions.

Students are not permitted to have a regular job, not even part time, because of the limited amount of free time and the emphasis on studying. If desired, students may do odd jobs on Saturday afternoons to earn spending money.

Florida Free BMW students 2009

Florida Free BIBLE, MISSIONARY, WORK Training Center (BMW) is a school specializing in practical missionary training both in the classroom and on the field alongside seasoned long-term missionaries. This valuable training is provided tuition-free. The BMW Training Center is underwritten by Teen Missions International, Inc. so that those who attend and graduate can go to the mission field immediately and not have years of education debts to pay off before entering the mission field.

Florida Free accepts applicants who feel the Lord is calling them to full-time Christian service in missions. Applicants must successfully complete a summer of service on a Teen Missions trip as a team member or leader prior to acceptance at Florida Free.

Each student completes a two year academic curriculum taking morning classes while gaining practical missions experience in the afternoon at Teen Missions’ world headquarters in. During the third and final year of missions training, students chose an internship assignment in Florida or at one of Teen Missions 20+ bases worldwide.

BMW is not an accredited school, though some graduated students have received credit for their class work at other Bible colleges. Today, graduates of BMW are serving in a number of ministries in places such as the Philippines, Cameroon, Honduras, the US, Australia and South Africa.

The world is crying out for help, while the Lord is seeking men and women to stand in the gap. Will you be the one?

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:38

Thomas & Linda Maher

Linda Maher, originally from Benton, Pennsylvania, brings a wealth of practical missions experience to Florida Free, in addition to years of in-depth Biblical Studies. Linda has served on Teen Missions full-time staff together with her husband Thomas since 1978. Linda’s leadership experience in missions includes her service in the Director’s office as a coordinator of AIDS Orphans & Street Children and Motorcycle Sunday School Mission. She also serves as the Food Manager of Teen Missions Christian Conference & Retreat Center and helped to found Teen Missions overseas base and BMW Training Center in Cameroon, West Africa. Tom & Linda have taken more than 25 summer teams on missions trips worldwide since 1979 and also serve on the Governing Board of Teen Missions. Classes taught include Synthesis, Christian Evidences, Minor Prophets, Analysis, Missions, General Epistles and Pauline Epistles.