Charley & Cheryl Warner

When Charley and Cheryl Warner went to Europe as new missionaries in 1987, they kept a low profile and could not even live in their target country, the Soviet Union. Based in England the first four years, they traveled in and out of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe working in theological education by extension (TEE). Charley would meet with groups of students who were taking courses designed to train pastors and lay leaders. Cheryl was a curriculum editor. At that time it seemed incredible that these countries would soon open up and that missionaries would be able to obtain a religious visa to live inside the Soviet Bloc.

In 1991, Charley and Cheryl moved to Odessa, Ukraine, where Charley was a professor at the first Protestant seminary ever to open its doors in the Soviet Union - the Odessa Theological Seminary. Started by a Ukrainian national, Sergei Sannikov, the seminary was the first of its kind and has continued to be a leader in theological education in the region. The government had finally relaxed restrictions on religious freedom that the church had endured for decades, and soon other Bible schools and seminaries were founded.

The Warners lived in Odessa throughout the 90s, along with their growing family. As the first missionaries to live in Odessa, Charley and Cheryl experienced firsthand the struggles of a new mission field. They learned Russian and experienced God’s faithfulness through hard times, but also saw many new missionaries leave the field prematurely.

While continuing to teach at the seminary, the Warners saw a need to encourage new missionaries and joined the staff of Barnabas International, a ministry of encouragement to missionaries and national church leaders.

Barnabas International was founded by Lareau Lindquist, an Evangelical Free Church pastor from Rockford, Illinois, who recruited the Warners to oversee ministries of encouragement in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Who ministers to people in ministry?
This is the question Barnabas International seeks to address by supporting missionaries through pastoral counseling, conferences, marriage retreats, reentry seminars, other ministries to missionary families, and other means. Charley and Cheryl especially strive to help God’s servants refocus on Jesus, citing Hebrews 12:2-3 as a cornerstone for what they do:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

In addition to his work in caring for missionaries, Charley serves as international assistant to the president of the Euro-Asian Accrediting Association, also founded by Sergei Sannikov, which helps maintain standards and advise leaders of approximately fifty-five member schools. For Charley, this involves visits to many of these schools, translation from Russian to English, and teaching as a visiting professor. When he visits various places, he is also able to meet with missionaries who live there and care for them. His travels take him to Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and other countries in the area.

Because many of his former students have received advanced degrees and are now able to teach at the Odessa Seminary, Charley and Cheryl left Odessa in 1999 and moved to Vienna, Austria, which serves as a base for his travels throughout the region. Many missionaries pass through Vienna, in the heart of Europe, providing further opportunities for ministry. Charley has also served on a committee promoting member care among European missionaries and has helped organize conferences in Budapest for countries who are just beginning to send out missionaries (for example, Poland and Ukraine).

Charley and Cheryl are both active in an international church in Vienna, where Charley has served as elder, taught adult Sunday School, and led a small group. Cheryl has organized women’s retreats, co-led a women’s Bible study, and supervised children’s Sunday School. Cheryl cares for their four daughters, ages 7 to 17, works alongside Charley in ministering to missionaries, and also edits books produced by Barnabas International.

The Warners planned to visit Calvary on February 25 and made it into Rochester through the snow the night before, but missed seeing everyone on Sunday because services were cancelled due to the heavy snowfall. They appreciated their time with the missions team and Pastor Todd that evening and wish to thank the people of Calvary for supporting their ministry since it began in 1987. They are currently on furlough in Wheaton, Illinois, and will return to Vienna in July.

Contact Charley and Cheryl at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit their blog at ccwarner.blogspot.com .