Glenn & Dee Luppold

Glenn and Dee Luppold serve in Lancaster, Ohio, a small city of about 41,000 people on the edge of the Hocking Hills of Ohio, a short drive from the edge of Appalachia, and an hour commute from Columbus. The area boasts rolling hills and woodlands, crop and fruit farms, and dairy and beef cattle farms.

This area is largely comprised of senior adults and baby boomers. While not as economically depressed as its southern neighbors or as effected by the devastation of manufacturing cities up north, Lancaster has a significant drug problem for the size of the city. As for religion, the Luppolds’ see a “Bible belt” mentality: religion is acceptable, but church membership and good actions are often mistaken for a personal relationship with the living Lord.

There is more need than ever, and more open doors for ministry, in care homes. As the senior adult population in the area grows, more assisted living and retirement facilities are being built. Many communities are looking for people to come and provide "spiritual care" for these residents. This desire for new church services, and friendly visits present wonderful open doors of opportunity for senior ministry.

After seeing the need for ministry in senior care homes, Dee and Glenn sought to fill the ever-widening gap in spiritual care of nursing home residents. Currently, they serve four assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, where they host church services, and times to visit with the senior residents. “The more we visit and get to know them, the more we realize the loneliness and hopelessness many of them feel,” Dee explains.

The Luppolds’ have also become aware of a lack of real knowledge of the Bible, with church becoming more of a “cultural trapping” than a life-altering experience with Jesus. Sharing the gospel message in their community to the church going, “good” people has become an important ministry.

Drug abuse is a huge problem in the Lancaster community. It leads to poverty, prison, separated families, and a high suicide rate. A relationship with Jesus is the only solution, and Dee and Glenn reach out to this hurting group with the hope of the gospel message. There are ample opportunities for many other ministries in this community, including jail ministries, restoration ministries to addicts and their families, and mentorship ministries.

Dee Luppold has served as InFaith field staff since 1987. She was raised in a godly home by parents who helped plant two churches while she was young. This greatly impacted her life, and she later attended Word of Life Bible Institute, where she committed to go anywhere the Lord called her. She ended up ministering to Hmong refugees in Portland, Oregon with InFaith. After the home-going of her first husband, and partner in ministry, Dee met and married Glenn. Together they began ministering to seniors in Washington and Oregon, and continued their ministry in south central Ohio in 2010.

Glenn has served as InFaith field staff since 2006. He came to Christ at 19 after attending a Billy Graham film, and had the privilege of living in a “guy’s house” where his church had Christian brothers lead and disciple newer believers. Glenn went on to Simpson Bible College and then Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. His greatest ministry before joining InFaith was to his first wife, who had many needs. Seven years after the Lord promoted her to heaven, Glenn married Dee and began ministry with InFaith.