1985 – 1996

Jim and Emma Turner began their ministry pastoring a church in Greensboro, NC for 5 years. They then went overseas serving as CEF missionaries in Hawaii for 10 years, in the Fiji Islands for 5 years, and Singapore for 10 years. The next 5 years they served as visiting lecturers in Bible Colleges and Seminaries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. In the Bible College in Singapore there were students from 10 different countries. As these students finished their training and went back to their own areas to serve the Lord, they had so very little in the way of reference books and teaching materials. The Turners began to see what a wonderful ministry this could be for their ‘mature years’. So during their last few years overseas they started a ministry shipping Christian supplies to national pastors and teachers in the South Pacific and to Southeast Asia. This ministry is called: Teacher Assistance Program or TAP Ministry. After a total of 30 years on the field they returned to the States and continued to work with CEF in leadership and teacher training programs, and in 1988 got TAP Ministries established and incorporated.

As Jim began to show signs of alzheimers they had to hand TAP Ministry over to others to continue on the work they had started. Emma attended to Jim for quite a few years before his passing away.

Emma is now living near her daughter in Shinglehouse, PA.

Information provided by North Hills Bible Church

Jim and Emma Turner

1996 – 1999

Mr. Tom Roche attended church with Jim and Emma Turner at the Mountain View Bible Church in Hummelstown, PA and began to assist with the ministry at TAP. As the Turner’s moved toward retirement due to health reasons, Tom began to take over the day to day operations of TAP. Tom Roche was essential in assisting with the transition of management to Rev. Tom Gunther and the Grace & Truth Bible Church.

Mr. Tom Roche

In 1996 the Grace & Truth Bible Church under the leadership of Rev. Tom Gunther moved the inventory and operations of TAP Ministry from the home of the Turner’s and into the facility of Grace & Truth. Pastor Gunther, Tom Roche and the members of Grace & Truth continued meeting the needs of TAP. Pastor Gunther went home to be with the Lord unexpectedly in April of 1999.

Pastor Tom Gunther

1999 – 2018

Mr. Tom Whaley as a member of Grace & Truth Bible Church began to give his time as a volunteer at TAP. TAP’s growth and the amount of space needed for inventory made it necessary to move TAP out of the church facility and into their current location. As Tom Roche moved out of state to be closer to family, Tom Whaley became the Office Manager and Treasurer of TAP Ministry. Tom and his wife Patty have faithfully served TAP Ministries in the daily operations and management of TAP.