Linquist Family
Craig, Loren, Aleksander, Jonathan and Nathanael
Craig and Loren met at the University of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where Craig was studying agriculture and Loren bilingual education. Craig comes from a deep Christian heritage. His parents and grandparents on his father’s side both served as missionaries in Central Africa for 25 years.
His mother’s parents were Marjorie and Alan Redpath, being Alan who served as Pastor to Moody Bible Church for 10 years. Loren grew up with a love of other cultures, having a father who was a history professor and traveled them all over the world, sometimes as long as a year at a time. Loren spent a year studying abroad in Lima, Peru and worked with Intervarsity on campus there. Both Craig and Loren spent time ministering to international students studying at Cal Poly, and knew God’s calling on their lives as missionaries at this period.
Craig & Loren spent the first 12 years of their married life in San Jose, CA. The first 7 years Craig worked as an arborist for a national landscaping firm and Loren taught and trained teachers part time in bilingual schools.
After this, Craig transition in to the ministry full time at Calvary Chapel San Jose under Don McClure. Loren then left her work to home-school their three boys: Aleksander, Jonathan, and Nathanael. Craig oversaw the church administration, family ministries, and of course, missions. He was ordained by Don in 2001.
Craig & Loren had long recognized God’s call on their life and Uganda seemed to fit with Craig’s desire to go back to Africa and the church’s desire to support a full-time work they had begun doing there. Upon their arrival in July 2004, Craig served as assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel Kampala, and taught at the Bible College that has been established there. Loren served as the head teacher of a small home-schooling cooperative for missionary children. After one year, they recognized God’s call to plant a church in Entebbe with the Bible College graduates, who serve as interns at Calvary Chapel Entebbe. They currently have 7 graduates who run all the ministries of the church, with Craig overseeing them as senior pastor. In 18 months, the Lord has brought them 150 adults, 450 children and youth, a 2 ½ acre piece of land, a 5 acre farm for members to work at, a literacy school for underprivileged children, a sponsorship program for 61 students and many other ministries which all function under 3 tents. They are currently undergoing the first phase of construction for a church facility which includes 6 classrooms to continue children’s ministries. The Linquists see children as the future of Uganda. They have seen God do a miracle work in front of their eyes.
Lifelong scripture ” Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:3,5,6