Dan and Jan Taylor, founders of 5 Rivers, have been in ministry most of their married life, 37 years and counting. Dan began as a Youth Pastor on Chicago’s northwest side, then God intervened and called him into the inner city housing projects, first 3 years in Cabrini Green, then 10 years at the Robert Taylor Homes on Chicago’s south side.

Jan’s job moved them to Arizona in 2009, and again God intervened and Dan found he had a new call from the Lord to minister to the nations through relationships built during short-term missions trips, with the immediate focus being Asia, especially northern India. He now leads teams several times a year, and is deeply involved in partnering with those on the front lines of ministry in their nation.

While home in the US, he has been involved in our “Pray Arizona” initiative to see breakthrough and revival in AZ and the nation. Jan works alongside Dan with administration gifts to help him fulfill this call, and takes care of things on the home front as he travels to the nations. She “sends” and she “prays.”  Dan and Jan have 3 grown children and two beautiful grandsons.

Mark and Ellie Geppert are committed to changing lives through prayer, channeling resources into humanitarian projects, raising up prayer teams which will penetrate unreached people groups in the nations and nurturing new ministries through affiliation all over the world. The four platforms of the ministry are: Parenting, Education, Health, and Economics.

Mark has taught Prayer Walking Seminars, Businessmen’s Micro-Economic Kingdom Principles, and Team Building Seminars to leaders in Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and throughout the United States of America. His radio and television experience has made him noted as a “master communicator.” Mark has over 35 years of international experience in over thirty countries and has authored four books. The first, The Attack Lambs, has over fifty thousand copies in print and has been translated into several languages. Mark is ordained through Elim Fellowship of Rochester, New York, has served on the staff of several churches in the United States, and has established and pastored the English speaking congregation of the Church of Singapore (Bukit Timah). He is currently teaching, networking, overseeing, and inspiring existing projects and new avenues for sustainability and evangelization.

Ellie has a degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University of PA, a Reading Specialist Degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Christian Worker’s Certificate in Theology from Dayspring Christian Center.  She has taught elementary grades in public, private and International schools as well as directed Children’s Ministries and Education in several churches.  Establishing women’s  ministry  has been a passion for her over the years as well; Proverbs 31,  Women’s Aglow in Guatemala, and Women mentoring Women in Singapore. Ellie currently works alongside her husband, Mark, in the South East Asia Prayer Center (SEAPC) in administration and supervision.  Writing the Kid’s Page for the newsletter  is a favorite job for Ellie.  She established “Coins for Kid’s” to raise funds for urgent children’s needs as they come to their attention.

Traveling and teaching nationally and internationally is a constant role for Mark and Ellie. They have two sons and two grandsons and come and go from their home in Oakmont, PA.  They love to see new ministries spring up and to serve them in getting established. Mark and Ellie together serve six missions boards.

Karl and Kenda Witbeck are longtime residents in the Phoenix Valley and are both actively engaged in missions ministries both in the US and overseas.  They were married in February of 2020 in Scottsdale AZ. 

Kenda has traveled to multiple nations with 5 Rivers on prayer journeys in Cambodia, Thailand, India, Egypt and locally here in AZ and ministers to leaders. Kenda is a retired Captain in the US Commissioned Corp, where she worked as a Registered Nurse for 30 years in the Indian Health Service. Since her retirement she has volunteered her nursing skills at The Neighborhood Christian Clinic, an inner-city mission clinic. Her heart has always been to care for the underserved and sharing the love of Jesus to the nations. Kenda has been a prayer intercessor for 5 Rivers and the BridgeBuilders Ministry for several years.

Karl has also traveled to multiple nations on prayer journeys in Cambodia, Thailand, and Nepal with various missions organizations, and locally here in Arizona with 5 Rivers, and ministers to pastors and leaders.  He has a heart to help stop human trafficking, modern day slavery and sexual exploitation of children. He is a consulting telecommunications engineer with 30 years of experience in the transportation and public safety industries.

They presently are lay pastors at Shiloh Fellowship in Maricopa AZ, where they lead the altar teams, and also lead a home fellowship group through the Church. Karl has four children, and Kenda has two children and five fantastic grandchildren.

Pat Butler is a long time intercessor for the Nations and currently serves as 5 Rivers’ prayer coordinator and secretary. She has a heart for the Nations to know Jesus as Savior and to see the broken, wounded, & hurting followers of Jesus Christ break out of bondage and step into their destiny. 

Pat serves as a Restoring the Foundations Inner Healing minister at her local church.  She has travelled to North India, Egypt, & multiple AZ locations with 5 Rivers and to many other nations & locations with other organizations for Missions & Prayer.  Pat loves worshipping Jesus and served over 30 years on various worship teams. 

Pat has 2 grown children and 2 wonderful grandchildren. Her favorite things include- sitting in God’s presence, her quiet morning time with Jesus, spending time with family, cooking, reading, hiking, and entertaining.