Scott and Lisa Neumann

Vision

After a short-term mission to West Africa, in 1995, Lisa felt God calling her to full-time, overseas ministry. Scott, who earned a PhD in History from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2008, felt called to teach college students. How could we reconcile those two different visions? This was a point of tension in our marriage. We knew God wanted us at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois (where we’ve been since 2000), but there was always a nagging sense that there was more to do. So in 2009, we spent a year at LCC International University, where Scott taught courses in his area of specialty. We saw how teaching is indeed mission. Many Eastern European students have little understanding of the Gospel; they have few opportunities to hear it. The influence of Communism followed by post-Christian secularism have left them suspicious of traditional missionaries. But the respect students have for their teachers gives us a platform from which we can share the Gospel with them.

Mission

In 2012 we returned to LCC for the summer. When one student asked us, “what would it take to bring your family back, permanently?”, it reminded us of Paul’s dream of the Macedonian begging him, come over here and help (Acts 16:9). So we are returning for a long-term appointment. Scott will be teaching history and directing the new International Relations and Development program at LCC while Lisa will be teaching English at the Summer Language Institute. Our children, John, Sarah, Yuri, and Hannah will help us model an example of an intact, loving Christian family. We’re excited to fulfill God’s call, to serve at LCC.