Discover the biblical values that guide our teams, shape our culture, and fuel our mission to share Jesus among the unreached.
We Believe...
Serving with Pioneers is not for the fainthearted, and it is certainly not for the superhuman.
It is for followers of Jesus who want to make Him known in places where hardly anyone has heard of Him. That is why our team exists: to help people like you bring the gospel to people in places like that.
The fainthearted will find it too hard. Those who consider themselves extraordinary will find it too humbling. It is better to simply be yourself. Bring your gifts and limitations, your learning posture and servant-heartedness, for the sake of God’s glory. Make disciples. Live and teach what it means to follow Jesus.
This kind of ministry comes at a cost. It takes boldness to imagine churches where there are none, and perseverance to press on when it is slow and costly. It demands prayer, sacrifice, and grit. But it is happening all over the world to the glory of God, and you can be part of it.
When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He was not just sending people. He was inviting them into His heart for the world. That call has not changed.
Today, we see people embedding in remote villages, launching businesses in global cities, learning hard languages, and quietly living out the gospel in places where churches have never been planted. They are engineers and teachers, health professionals and tradies, Bible college graduates and mums and dads, young families, retirees, singles and students. Ordinary people saying yes to an extraordinary call.
Wherever God is leading you - whether into praying, sending or going - we are here for the journey.
Simon Longden
National Director
The Pioneers Board comprises dedicated servants representing a range of church backgrounds who generously volunteer time and talent to global mission. Each loves the Lord Jesus and brings to the important task of governance expertise from valuable perspectives: church life, finance, management, theological education, healthcare and cross-cultural experience.
Pioneers National Director, Simon Longden, attends board meetings, and Chief Financial Officer, Sandra Punithan, attends in a non-voting capacity. Sandra’s professional assistance with increasingly complex finance and government compliance matters is a rich blessing.
We’ve asked each member to share briefly about themselves and why they serve on the Pioneers Board:
Judy Fitzmaurice - 1999 Board Chair / Chair of Pioneers International Council: Married to Mark, three married children, and two brand new grandchildren. On the leadership team at Macquarie Baptist Church, coordinating an English teaching ministry. Involved in medical student education. Judy and Mark served with APCM as young doctors at Rumginae Hospital in Papua New Guinea. “There is nothing more satisfying than involvement in Kingdom work. The global family of Pioneers is a praying, worshipping, passionate, diverse family united by a commitment to take the gospel to unreached peoples. It is my joy to have been part of this family for most of my adult life!”
Tim Silberman - 2014 Vice Chair: Teaching at Sydney Missionary and Bible College, helping prepare people to serve to the ends of the earth. Undertaking PhD research about how local churches can do that better. Married to Peggy and father of three kids. “I love serving with Pioneers because of the privilege to be part of an international family of diverse people through whom God works to bring people from every nation, tribe and tongue into his Kingdom.”
Tim Macready - 2011 Secretary: Married to Abra and dad to two children. Chief Investment Officer for Christian Super, managing the retirement savings of 28,000 Australians, and for Brightlight, allocating financial capital for financial return and positive impact. Elder at a local Presbyterian church. “I love Pioneers because of the opportunity to serve alongside a group of people who passionately want to see the name of Jesus proclaimed around the world and seeing how God is working in and through our members.”
James Gow - 2014 Board Member Working at Logosdor, a small not-for-profit creative children’s ministry organisation: managing staff, finances and relationships with global partners. Involved in a local church, leading services and facilitating a Bible study. Married to Min and father of three. “I draw encouragement hearing how Pioneers members and their families are serving the Kingdom. It is wonderful to use skills developed elsewhere to help ensure Pioneers is governed well so practical things, personal safety and flow of finances, etc, support the work. It is encouraging to walk alongside other Board members as I learn from them.”
Graham Poole - 2017 Board Member: Married to Linda and dad of three. A doctor in Tasmania working among refugees and in community general practice. Elder at a local church and enjoys chatting with health care workers and others to help them find their special place in God’s mission. “It is a privilege to hear stories of God raising up humble followers of Jesus to live among those who do not yet know Him. It is a joy to see passion for God, servant-heartedness and a life-giving ethos of grace embodied in these wonderful brothers and sisters.”
Jono Wong - 2024 Board Member: currently serves as the pastor of the English congregation - LifeSpring - at the Chinese Christian Church of Victoria (CCCV). Jono is married to Leanne, and together they have three energetic boys: Judson, Isaiah, and Christian. “I still clearly remember the season when I began thinking deeply about the many lost souls who had yet to hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. That conviction stirred in me a desire to leave secular work and step into full-time ministry for the sake of the gospel. Today, it’s a real joy to serve with Pioneers, an organisation passionate about reaching the unreached with the life-changing news of a God whose kindness, shown to us in Christ, leads to repentance.”
Following God is a journey of trust. If He’s stirring your heart, we invite you to take the next step with Him.
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