Retirement Finances & Missions

About Dennis Beck:

As an international missionary with Campus Crusade for Christ (branded as Cru in the USA) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for 38 years, Dennis was asked to move from student ministry to administrative roles as the 20 countries devolved in 1991. As Area Financial Manager his challenge was to bring order out of the post-communist chaos introducing financial systems, western style accounting and auditing skills across the 20 national ministries involving 800 staff. He introduced retirement savings plans for those same CEE staff, starting with Poland in 1994. He continues to teach retirement seminars and to facilitate individualized sessions with his missionary colleagues.

About Mark Downing:

He is currently enjoying retirement after serving 26 years in Brazil with the Baptist General Conference, now called Converge. After language school, he began teaching Greek and New Testament courses in a seminary in Campo Grande, near the middle of the country, training pastors and missionaries. After doing that for 10 years he did some retooling to help start a missions degree at the seminary. After directing the Missions Department and teaching missions for another five years, he then transferred to Rio de Janeiro to help launch the world missions training center of the Brazilian Baptist Convention where he served as one of the coordinators for another 10 years. He and his wife helped to train more than 350 Brazilian Baptist Convention world missionaries. Mark has been married to Helen for 54 years and they have three children and four grandchildren.