CRF is dedicated to the fulfilment of the great commission. Therefore we prayerfully and financially support Jamie and Julia Thornton as they minister in the Ukraine. Below you will find a brief bio. of the Thorntons. You may also follow their work at http://thorntonsinukraine.blogspot.com/index.html.
Jamie became a Christian at a church youth retreat in 1988. He grew through discipleship and the ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) while studying engineering at the University of Toledo.
His call to missions came during his first short-term missions trip to Russia in 1992, where he saw a people without hope and knew the gospel was the only remedy. It was also on this trip that he met Julia. Julia was born and raised in Russia. She became a Christian just prior to the break-up of the former Soviet Union in 1991. They were married in 1996.
In preparation for the mission field, Jamie and Julia went to seminary after they were married. Jamie has a M. Div. and is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America. Julia has an M.A. in theological studies.
Jamie's vision is to see the church that exists strengthened and growing through church planting. Julia's vision for Ukraine is to see strong Christian families being established and for women to be godly keepers of the home, loving their husbands and their children (Titus 2:4,5). Please pray for the Thorntons as they serve in Ukraine by planting churches, training future leaders, and discipling young families. Also pray for their children, Nadia (9/12/98), Timothy (10/23/01), Anna (7/18/03).
