Guest Speakers

SGA has enthusiastic and gifted speakers available for pulpit supply, Sunday school, missions events, banquets and more. Following are brief profiles for some of our key speakers.

Dr. Robert Provost

Dr. Bob Provost has served since 1994 as the fourth president of SGA. He speaks Russian and has made more than 175 ministry visits to the former communist world to serve evangelical pastors, evangelist-missionary pastors, and their church families.

Bob’s passion is two-fold — to serve evangelical churches in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Albania, and Israel, and to serve missions-minded churches in America by helping them joyfully partner with zealous churches in the lands of Russia. When faithful Bible-preaching churches labor together, a great harvest of souls is gathered for the glory of Christ. Bob and his wife, Louetta, reside in Rockford, Illinois. The Provosts would love to visit, encourage, and challenge your church family.

Eric Mock

Prior to joining SGA, Eric was engaged in military flight test and space systems integration for 16 years. While serving on the International Space Station program in Moscow, he developed a special love for the Russian people.

Called out of aerospace into ministry in 2002, Eric travels and ministers throughout the Russian-speaking nations and the USA, to serve faithful Bible-preaching churches. His passion is to see God’s people serve and live their lives on mission for the sake of the Gospel. He is also leading the development of a new Bible church in Pecatonica, Illinois, where he resides with his wife, Kristi, and their daughter, Anna. Eric has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, an M.B.A in International Development, and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Richard Kelley

Building upon a strong history of church missions leadership, Dick joined SGA in 1996. He oversees translation, production, and distribution of literature for evangelical churches and training schools across the CIS and Israel. He has traveled extensively there, serving pastors and church planters. Dick serves on SGA’s church relations team, and loves to share his passion for the Slavic people, as well as assisting churches in refining their mission strategy. He and his wife, Barb, live in Rockford, Illinois.

Keenan Beere

Keenan has served with SGA since 2003, presently as coordinator of all SGA training ministries. He is our liaison with SGA-sponsored seminaries and Bible institutes, and assists the Antioch Initiative. Keenan holds a Master of Divinity degree from Reformed Theological Seminary and a B.A. in accounting. He also teaches at Maywood Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, Illinois. Keenan, his wife, Rachel, and son, Andre, live in Loves Park, Illinois.

Alex Pashkovets

Alex grew up in the country of Latvia; in 2000 the family immigrated to the USA. In 2006 he graduated from The Master’s College and is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2007, Alex joined SGA as an accountant; later, he also joined the ministry department, where he is involved with church planting ministries and church relations. Alex and his wife, Yelena, and their son, Daniel, live in Loves Park, Illinois.

Bret Laird

Bret and his wife, Katey, have served as SGA missionaries in Ukraine since 2002. Bret’s primary objectives have been to assist national seminary development and help Ukraine become a missionary-sending nation.  He developed and implemented a strategy for training and sending Ukrainian missionaries to Islamic peoples in the Crimea, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Bret holds a B.A. in Biblical Counseling, and also holds a Master of Divinity degree from The Master’s Seminary. Bret, Katey and their family live part-time in Ukraine, and in Santa Clarita, California.

Joel Griffith

Joel Griffith has served at SGA since 1993 in a variety of capacities, now as our mission’s communications manager. Joel began as a broadcaster in 1978, last serving as news director of The Christian Communication Network stations (WQFL/WGSL) in Rockford, Illinois. Since joining the SGA team, Joel has been to Russia and Belarus several times, and keeps a close eye on global developments that could potentially have impact on Christian ministry. He lives near Cedarville, Illinois.