Two Alabama Baptist couples were recently appointed as International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries.
Timothy Jason and Kelley Campbell Hill and Tom and Ann Leslie Espy were among 41 people appointed Sept. 26 at Evansville (Ind.) Auditorium and Conference Center. They join the more than 4,800 Southern Baptist missions workers appointed by IMB.
The Hills will work in Zambia on a church-planting team. They also will be involved in student evangelism. More than 80 percent of Zambia’s population is under age 30; therefore, the need to reach out to young people is critical. The Hills are members of Parkway Baptist Church, Auburn.
The Espys, who currently live in Wales after serving two terms there through IMB’s International Service Corps (ISC), will continue their career service there. Members of Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Oxford, the Espys will work to stimulate church planting in Wales.
Espy was born in Gadsden and considers it his hometown. He received the bachelor of arts degree from Samford University in Birmingham and the master of theology degree from New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary.
Oxford connection
Mrs. Espy was born near Oxford and considers Oxford her hometown. She received the bachelor of science degree from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C.
Espy first began preaching at Calvary Baptist Church, Gadsden, in 1960, where he was ordained. He also served as pastor of Sulphur Springs Baptist Church, Trussville, and on the staff at Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Birmingham. Espy also served as pastor of three churches in Mississippi.
Hill was born in Opelika and considers Auburn his hometown. He received the bachelor of arts degree from Auburn University and the master of divinity degree from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Germantown, Tenn. For two years, Hill was an intern in the youth ministry department at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn.
Mrs. Hill was born in Birmingham and considers it her hometown. She received the bachelor of arts and the master of arts degrees from Auburn University. Mrs. Hill taught math at Collierville High School in Collierville, Tenn., then worked as an administrative assistant at Mid-America Seminary.
Other churches influential to their spiritual growth include Central Baptist Church, Opelika, and Roebuck Park Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Hill’s interest in missions began at a Centrifuge camp in 1993. Centrifuge is a Southern Baptist service camp for youth. Later, his professors at Mid-America Seminary helped develop his desire to be a part of international missions.
After serving on missions trips to Hawaii and Wyoming, Hill applied as a student summer missionary with the IMB. In 1995, he worked in South Africa with missionaries Dwight and Lila Reagan. His experiences there convinced him that he belonged on the missions field.
While overwhelmed at first at the thought of being a missionary, Mrs. Hill said God brought her from apprehension and resistance to contentment and interest.
“I compare the transition in my heart toward missions with the peeling of an onion,” she explained. “In His perfect timing, God removed each layer of resistance in my heart making me ready to receive His call to missions.”
The Espys’ missions involvement began on volunteer missions trips to Brazil and Honduras and on many stateside teams.
But Espy said the Lord really spoke to them about giving their lives to full-time missionary service after seeing a cover story in The Commission which read, “Can you really say, ‘Lord, I’m willing to go’ if all the while you’re planning to stay?” The Commission missions magazine is published by the IMB.
When their daughter Amy, left home in 1994 to begin a two-year assignment with the ISC, the Espys wondered if God wanted them on the missions field, too. Later that year, they began their work in Wales.
They returned to Wales in 1998 and are working to strengthen three aging churches.
The Espys believe that even though they are close to traditional retirement age, there is still work for them to do in Wales.
“I’m not looking to retire but rather to serve as long as the Lord allows us the health to continue,” he said.
The Espys have three grown children: Terry Alan Espy, Todd Myron Espy and Amy Espy Sproule.
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