Robert and Evangeline Rodenbush have been involved in foreign missions since their appointment to Ghana, West Africa in 1968 where they took their one-year-old son, Rob, and began their missionary ministry. During their almost ten years as pioneer missionaries in West Africa, they opened 5 countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Togoland, Benin and Ivory Coast. Great revival spread throughout these nations in those days and thousands were baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost. More than 200 churches were established in the five nations.

Being a great believer in education and training, Robert Rodenbush opened the Ghana College of Bible in 1970 to train nationals, graduating more than 80 students from the five nations during those years in West Africa. Ghana College of Bible was also a pioneer in Bible correspondence studies with thousands of students participating in those days. Other missionaries who came to Ghana to assist the Rodenbushes in the 1970’s were Else Lund, Ed and Millie Allard, and Tom and Teri O’Daniel. Today this part of West Africa is still thriving with great revival and growth and several missionary families are carrying on the work there.

In 1970, the Partners In Missions concept became the official fund-raising program for the Foreign Missions Division. Robert Rodenbush was also involved in the early conception of this idea during discussions with Rev. Edwin Judd who developed it into the workable program that it is today. The Partners In Missions and Faith Promise programs have proven to be a great blessing to the missionaries and missions program.

In 1978 the Rodenbushes were asked by the Director of Foreign Missions, Rev. Harry Scism, the Foreign Missions Board and the General Board of the North American church to become the Coordinator of Overseas Ministries for the Foreign Missions Division of the United Pentecostal Church International. During the next 12 years, Robert Rodenbush served in various roles to assist and develop programs of the Foreign Missions Division.

Brother Rodenbush encouraged and supervised Bible school training around the world, coordinating the curriculums and helping to write and revise 48 textbooks. He also developed the Associates In Missions Program for the Foreign Missions Division, writing the policy and procedure and sending out over 600 AIMers to assist missionaries around the world during those 12 years. Today the Associates In Mission Program not only supplies short-term personnel to assist the missionaries, but is also the greatest source of career missionary personnel for the United Pentecostal Church International.

Robert Rodenbush was further involved in “China Outreach” and made 14 trips into China in the 1980s to meet with the believers and take Bibles and literature to them. He was also involved in the first radio broadcasts into mainland China and also promoted radio broadcasts around the world.

Additional duties for Brother Rodenbush included coordinating the development, translation and the distribution of literature in many major languages. He also was involved in the development of Compassions Services International and served as the coordinator for several years. He wrote the policy and procedure for the Missionary Field Fellowship concept and was one of the first to develop job descriptions for the missionaries. Finally, for 12 years the Rodenbushes planned and lead the annual School of Missions and also traveled extensively promoting missions in North America and teaching and preaching around the world.

In September 1990 the General Board of the UPCI appointed Robert and Evangeline Rodenbush as Regional Director of the Europe/Middle East Region. As such he oversees and coordinates the work of the missionary personnel, national leaders, preachers and believers in an area spanning 15 time zones, approximately 15,094,000 square miles and encompassing 75 nations and territories.

During the past 14 years the Rodenbushes have worked hard to inspire revival and growth in the Europe Middle East Region. Under their leadership 35 nations have been opened that before had no believers that we knew of. In 1990, there were 46 missionaries and we had believers in 20 nations of the region. Today, 55 nations in the Europe/Middle East Region have believers and 103 missionaries and more than 80 Associates In Missions work in unity with hundreds of national pastors and thousands of believers to propagate the true gospel of Jesus Christ to millions in this part of the world!

Reports of people being baptized in Jesus Name and filled with the Holy Ghost come in weekly. In December, 2004, 124 received the Holy Ghost in Spain in two nights. In Great Britain recently, 100 received the Holy Ghost in a week of revival services in various churches. In 2001, Follow the Fire Crusades in the region saw more than 700 filled with the Holy Ghost and 131 baptized with more than 1,500 visitors attending these meetings in the eight crusades. The work in the Region has tripled in recent years with gains of 14,062 constituents, 9,355 baptized, 8,900 receiving the Holy Ghost.

Twenty-four Bible Training Centers are operating in the Region with more than 1,000 students receiving religious training. More than 150 churches and preaching points have been opened and 66 national preachers have been licensed since 1990.

Robert and Evangeline Rodenbush continue to lead the Europe/Middle East Region as well as serve in the administration of the Foreign Missions Division. As one of the six Regional Directors around the world, Brother Rodenbush serves on the Foreign Missions Administrative Committee, Planning for Progress Committee, the Foreign Missions Board and the General Board of the United Pentecostal Church International. In the region, he oversees and coordinates the job descriptions, budgets, registrations and legal issues of the missionary personnel. He represents the missionaries to the committees and boards in North America, and, in turn, represents those committees and boards to the personnel in the region.

Additionally, Robert and Evangeline Rodenbush spend many months of the year traveling throughout the Europe/Middle East to attend and oversee conferences and special meetings, to attend the Missionary Field Fellowships, to assist the missionaries with their questions and needs and to preach and teach. Their time in North America is spent with administrative duties and attending important meetings such as the annual School of Missions and General Conference. They also travel extensively to churches to promote missions. The Rodenbushes, however, feel that their greatest responsibility is to assist the missionaries and national leaders fulfill their burden, call and ministry.

Together Robert and Evangeline have traveled in more than 140 countries of the world for the cause of missions. In their words, “We have packed many suitcases, boarded many airplanes, and waited for hours in lines and airports. We have slept everywhere - in airplane seats, in chairs, in cars, on the floor, on benches and in hundreds of beds of all kinds. We have traveled by airplane, train, carts, camels, elephants, buses, vans, boats and various other vehicles and animals. We’ve endured continuous jet lag and we’ve experienced malaria, food poisoning, military coups, fetish curses and other dangerous situations - even having our lives threatened. We’ve received numerous injections, eaten all kinds of foods and have experienced many climates, cultures and people groups around the world. More importantly, we have directed and assisted in the opening of at least 40 brand new nations in Africa and Europe and the Middle East to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, ministered in hundreds of churches around the world, worked with hundreds of missionaries and nationals in many nations, have seen thousands baptized in Jesus Name and filled with the Holy Ghost, and can truly say, "We are blessed!"