Meet Our Team

As the Executive Director of Hope Gospel Rescue Mission in York, Lonnie provides Christ-centered leadership to serve the hurting and homeless in the community. A long time supporter of the  Living Water Rescue Mission, Lonnie was like many in the community when this desperately needed service would be closed, he felt called to help. Lonnie joined with other former staff, board members, and volunteers to found the new ministry. 

Growing up I would have considered myself a christian. After all, aren’t we a christian nation and christians by birth? That statement alone exemplifies my personal ignorance of scripture and spiritual concepts growing up. I was baptized and joined a church in my teens. As part of pre-marital counseling I joined a different church – the one that I would be married in. Shortly after we married, our family moved to another community. We joined a new church when we moved. Each time I joined these churches, I was asked to respond to a question regarding my faith in Jesus Christ. I responded in the affirmative each time I answered, understanding very little about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. I confessed a faith that I knew NOTHING about.  It wasn’t until I volunteered as a youth sponsor for Youth for Christ that the gospel message finally opened my eyes. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin, and I gave my life to Christ. 

I have been married to my wonderful wife, Teresa, for nearly 49 years, and we have two sons and a daughter in law.  In addition to ministry, I am a big fan of University of Nebraska sports and doing yard work. My desire is to continue growing in my faith and to be fully immersed in ministry for the Kingdom, helping to bear the burdens of others as God uses me for His purpose.

Contact Lonnie: lonnie@hopegospel.org

I was raised with a distant awareness of God, and my childhood was marked by chaos and instability. I accepted Christ at age 16 after learning why Jesus died for me, but my faith later drifted. Yearning for a stable life, I married young, unaware my husband was struggling with addiction, which grew worse over time. Those difficult years were where God began working deeply in my heart.

At 29, I reached a breaking point and completely surrendered my life to God. I realized I couldn’t fix everything on my own and that only He could bring healing. My true faith journey began when I found a solid, Bible-believing church and learned to trust Him with everything. Soon after, I began teaching children’s church, and it brings me great joy to share God’s love with the next generation.

Almost 20 years ago, a crisis brought my family to Nebraska. My husband’s addiction, which he had kept hidden, became public, and we lost everything. During this time, he went to the Columbus Rescue Mission, where he found real forgiveness and began his journey to sobriety.

God used my pain to give me empathy and a passion for helping others find hope. And I began to serve as the Director of Women’s Ministry at first Living Water Rescue Mission and now as Hope Gospel Rescue Mission, and I’ll forever be grateful for how God used Rescue Ministry to restore our family. Through God’s grace, my husband and I have been married for 42 years, and he has been sober for almost two. God has walked us through many difficult times over the last few years but we continue to serve Him knowing that all is for His glory and our good. His word does not come back void. 

My story is proof that God truly restores what the enemy tries to destroy, just as Joel 2:25 promises: “I will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten”. God is everything to me—my strength, my peace, and my purpose. I pray that others will come to know Him that way too.

Contact LaVerna: laverna@hopegospel.org

Well, where do I start with my faith journey, God has been so gracious to me. I did not grow up in a Christian home. I was raised by a single mother, my father was not in the picture most of my life. My mother eventually married my step father who would be my father figure. How I initially got involved with the church was through the bus ministry through First Baptist Church in Lake Jackson, Texas. They were shipping neighborhood kids to church and taking them home as well. In 8th grade I put my hope and faith in Jesus Christ, and was baptized. But God did not really get a hold of me until my Senior year in high school when I went on a mission trip to New Orleans. After that God has not let me go, and has led me, by his mercies being new everyday, and steadfast love not giving up on me even when I gave up sometimes.

One thing that He has been so gracious to me is allowing me to remarry. In 2015 I lost my first wife to cancer. God’s grace was shown through my late wife’s encouragement to find a new wife when she was gone, and then the LORD leading me to my now wife Jenn. Another situation of God showing His grace and mercy is through my daughter, she was born without a kidney and with undeveloped lungs. The doctor gave her no chance to live with data and statistics that they had in medicine. And even if she did well she would not live past 3 years old. BUT GOD…….. He showed His mercy and grace Leila is over 3 years old now, and had a kidney transplant after doing at home dialysis for 2 years. One verse that sticks out in all this is “Finally be strong in his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” ( EPHESIANS 6:10 ESV). God showed me through all this that if I don’t get His might and power none of the armor matters. God has shown his grace and mercy through Leila, and Jenn.

My role at Hope Gospel Rescue Mission is to serve God. And serve the guests, and love them as Christ loved the people. Even the people that did not believe in Him. Mark gives us insight on this through his gospel. “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began teaching them many things.” (MRK. 6:34 ESV) Each day looks different, every day having the compassion of Christ even more so on hard days. Whether that is serving breakfast, doing laundry for the men, washing dishes. Each day is a blessing from the LORD to serve Him everyday.

Contact Jason: jason@hopegospel.org

“I live out my commitment to Christian service as a vital team member at the Hope Gospel Rescue Mission, a ministry dedicated to those experiencing homelessness. My work here extends far beyond providing just a bed and a meal; my ultimate mission is to share God’s grace and point people toward lasting transformation. Rooted in the belief that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, I work to meet the physical and emotional needs of our guests while building authentic, redemptive relationships. I’m passionate about seeing lives transition from crisis to stability through the power of Christ. My goal is to ensure that the Hope Gospel Rescue Mission remains a place of safety, practical help, and spiritual encouragement for the most vulnerable in our community.” -Ryan Smith

Contact Ryan: ryan@hopegospel.org

“I feel the most rewarded when a guest is able to leave the mission equipped with the tools to sustain themselves, and thrive in the world we live in. The most difficult part of my job is seeing someone struggling, and not being able to help them. In those moments, I have to remember to lift them up to God and have faith.” – Eric

Eric has been a follower of Jesus for 12 years after being witnessed to in college. He found guidance, acceptance and answers to life’s hardest questions answered in the grace and love of Jesus. 

Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.”

Contact Eric: eric@hopegospel.org

My journey began with humble beginnings, raised by my single mother with the support of my great-grandmother and close knit family. Growing up in the church, faith was a constant presence, even as my life was challenged by a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis as a toddler and an uninvolved biological father. The pain and stiffness made me feel different from other kids and the rejection from an earthly father made a perfect father in God seem unreliable, which caused doubt and rebellion in my heart. A moment of crisis-the death of a close friend- in my teen years brought the realities of heaven and hell into focus and with the love, support and strength of a Christ centered loving mother, step father, family and church I fully committed my life to Jesus and began to walk with Him. 

The journey of life has had its ups and downs, but my faith has been the anchor, growing stronger with each challenge, and blessing me with a wonderful husband and children and a powerful purpose: to use my own experiences to connect and serve others in my community who are experiencing homelessness, unplanned pregnancies, food insecurity, domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse issues.  The walk is not easy but as Romans 8:18 says “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”  Hope Gospel Rescue Mission is a place of restoration, hope, and practical help in this fallen world and I am so glad to serve. 

Contact Katie: kate@hopegospel.org

The Lord changed me and transformed me. I am not the woman that I was. “He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy… but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me” (Ps. 18:16-17, 19). Though I committed to serve the Lord from an early age, in my adult years I believed the enemy’s lies about my identity and worth. He began to teach me through the Scriptures about my identity in Him. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (Is.43.1-2). In the valley was where He did the biggest transformation in my life. The freedom that comes in receiving His grace lavished on His children! “For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me” (Is. 49:23b). He is faithful.

Over the years, I have been blessed to be involved at the mission in various capacities. One of my favorite responsibilities/activities has been teaching a class to the lady disciples which touches on their identity in Christ. As a Ministry Assistant, my job is to serve. From creating and serving meals, washing dishes, sorting donations, doing chapel or doing whatever LaVerna needs done, I keep busy.

Currently, my favorite verse is Psalm 16:11. “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Contact Diane: diane@hopegospel.org

I am a follower of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Nine years ago, He rescued me from a severe drug addiction and the wreckage I had made of my life, making me completely new.

I went through a discipleship program at the Mission in York, Nebraska now called Hope Gospel Rescue Mission. After graduating in March 2018, I found full-time work and, by God’s grace, have been there for eight years, even becoming a manager.

God has completely changed my life. He restored my relationships with my mother, children, grandchildren and other family members. I am an active member of my church, serving on the Deaconess Committee and teaching Sunday school. In 2024, I achieved my dream of becoming a homeowner and was able to care for my aging mother and was blessed to see her accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior and serve Him before being called home to Heaven.

My life is a testament to God’s transforming power. He answered my prayer for restoration in my family and for a supportive Christian community who welcomed me despite my past and helped me grow in my faith.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23

Contact Brandi: brandi@hopegospel.org