Ben was born and raised in Chicago. At the age of seven years old he was invited to go to a Sunday School at a Baptist church and about three years later prayed to receive Jesus into his life. Ben went on to graduate from De Paul University in Chicago with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree and a major in accounting. A few years later, Ben enrolled at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota where he met his wife, Carol, and eventually received a Masters of Divinity degree. Ben also received his Doctor of Missiology degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.Upon graduating from Bethel Seminary Ben and Carol took their first ministry opportunity in the city of Los Angeles where he was the youth director at the Baldwin Hills Baptist Church. Ben worked for about three years with youth straight off the streets of Los Angeles. It was in 1968 that Ben and Carol applied to the mission board of the Baptist General Conference and were appointed to Brazil. They served for almost 24 years in Brazil before resigning to help both Ben and Carol’s mothers through some difficult times. After pastoring the Fellowship Baptist Church in Carlisle, Iowa for about two and a half years they were reassigned to Brazil where they continued until retirement in 2001.While in Brazil Ben and Carol were involved in evangelism, helping pastorless churches, directing a Bible School for one year, directing a seminary for three years, helping start new churches and mostly preparing Brazilians for cross-cultural ministries. Ben and Carol were married in 1964 and have four daughters, 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.