Nancy grew up in a loving Christian family and was in her first year of teaching when she met Larry. Larry grew up in a broken home with unbelieving parents, but fortunately, Larry still went to church. Drawn together by their faith, Larry and Nancy were married in 1972, and in 1974, Larry began working on a Master of Divinity degree. Through interactions with an ABWE medical missionary, the couple felt pulled toward missions in South Asia.
In 1980, Larry and Nancy began their work in South Asia where they developed skills that would shape their 35-year-long ministry of teaching and training others to be powerful witnesses for Christ. During their years on the field, the Allens worked with faithful local partners to plant two churches.
In 1995, Larry earned a Doctor of Missiology degree with a focus on internship training in missions. That same year, the Allens transferred to the Philippines to work at Faith Academy in the city of Manila. For about seven years, Larry and Nancy worked with the school and did training in churches.
In 2003, they returned to South Asia where they developed new ways to teach the Bible for church planters and leaders.
Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time in missions?
A: “Our first term was a fun memory. We learned how to plant a church with great community leaders, learning the culture from them and sharing the gospel side-by-side. Our children were also very much a part of this exciting ministry — sitting cross-legged on the floor with new believers and growing along with them.”
Q: What moment had the biggest impact on your ministry?
Larry: I will never forget when a co-worker and I went to have a Bible study in a large residential area. As we headed home after the study, a group of young men surrounded us and demanded that we leave and never come back. They threw questions at me, like, “Who gave you permission to come here?” They made it clear that Christians were not welcome in their area. We left wondering if we should ever go back, and we were leery when a man approached us just before we reached home. Amazingly, he begged us to come back to the neighborhood, saying, “We want the tracts and Bibles you have been giving us.” We did go back, and God blessed us with many opportunities to share the gospel.
Q: What advice would you give to new missionaries or those considering missions?
A: Let God lead you.