In July of 1997, while on a Missions Trip in Mexico with their youth department, God burdened the Copelands to return to the field of Mexico as missionaries. After fulfilling their church staff obligations, they began their deputation in the summer of 1998. They arrived on the field in July of 1999 with three little boys in tow. (Andrew, Timothy and Nathan)
After a year of language studies, they opened the doors to their first work, the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista de la Fe of Aguascalientes, Mexico, on August 6, 2000. A month after starting their first work, their daughter Lindsey was born. Throughout the course of their time in Mexico, God allowed them to see souls saved and baptized and to establish three churches (in the cities and towns of Aguascalientes, San Pancho, and La Labor) and a Bible institute. In 2009, the church in La Labor was turned over fully to national leadership. During the 10th Anniversary Revival of the Main work in Aguascalientes, both of the works in Aguascalientes and San Pancho were turned over to national leadership.
In August of 2010, due to threats for their personal safety and the urging of the United States Consulate, the Copelands left Mexico for what they thought would be a brief time. Their plan was to return to work with the Bible Institute in the further training of national men and continue planting churches. However, in November of 2010 their home was broken into and many threats left inside their home warning them not to return. After receiving council from their American pastors, and the Mexican pastors they had trained, the decision was made that God had closed the doors to the Copelands returning to Mexico.
In 2011, after a survey trip to the island, the Copelands announced their change of field to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. They served and worked with Templo Bautista Independiente in the southern city of Ponce for 8 years. The church was on the verge of closing its doors and the Copelands re-established the church. God blessed and the attendance grew, resulting in lives being changed and souls being saved and baptized.
Due to some health concerns, in March of 2019 the Lord led the Copelands to retire as missionaries. The Copelands are very thankful for the privilege of being used as missionaries for over 21 years. It was not lost on them that much sacrifice was often made by those who teamed together with them and had a part in sending them to the mission field. It is their prayer that God found them to be faithful missionaries and that the churches who partnered with them found them to be a worthwhile investment.
One of the greatest joys that the Copelands experienced is that their children willingly served alongside them in the ministries in Mexico and Puerto Rico. All four served in various positions in the churches, including: the soul winning ministries, bus ministries, Sunday School, junior churches, music and choir, etc.
Their oldest son, Andrew, is a graduate of Blessed Hope Baptist College in Benton, Arkansas and he married Hannah Shaner in May, 2019. They lived and worked in Lusk, Wyoming until the Lord moved them to Amarillo where they serve faithfully in the children’s ministry and music ministry at Central. Their second son, Timothy, attended Heartland Baptist Bible College. He is now serving at Central Baptist Church of Amarillo, Texas as an assistant pastor, a bus captain, and over the music ministry. Their youngest son, Nathan, attended Heartland Baptist Bible College for a year. Nathan and the Copeland’s first grandchild, Nathan Allen, are living in Missouri.
The Copeland’s only daughter, Lindsey, is engaged to be married to Troy Hack in January, 2022. Troy is a graduate of Tri-State Baptist College in Walls, Mississippi. Lindsey completed her studies in December, 2021 and is graduating from Tri-State Baptist College in May, 2022. Lindsey and Troy faithfully serve in the bus ministry, soul winning ministry, and music ministry of the Bethel Baptist Church.
