Our Founders
Lee & Carol Short
Lee and Carol met in the summer of 1975 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, during the Jesus Movement. They were worlds apart yet it was God’s plan to join their hearts and lives together for the Master’s plan.
Lee was from Baltimore and Carol from Birmingham, both as singles engaged in outreach ministry, coffee houses, street evangelism and discipleship. They married on December 6, 1975. Lee holds a Doctor of Theology degree. They have three adult children, and have been ministering as a couple for 32 years in Christian service from Church Planters to Missionaries.Their ministry operates under the tax exempt organization, “LSMI”, a 501C-3 incorporated in the State of Florida and founded in 1992.
They served in the founding of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Queenstown, Maryland in 1976, and founded Cornerstone Church in Americus, Georgia in 1985. They were missionaries in Mexico from 1988 –1994 and founded Family Life Church in Kingwood, Texas in 1996, which merged with Calvary Christian Fellowship in 2005. They returned to Mexico as missionaries in the summer of 2006.
During their first term as missionaries to Mexico from 1988 - 1994, they founded Vida Internacional, a Video Bible Institute whose focus is “Making Disciples throughout the Spanish Speaking World!“
Since the founding of Vida, they have ministered in over 20 countries, “Preparing God’s People for Works of Service”. Lee has ministered throughout Cuba, to Spanish speaking Arabs in North Africa, Spanish speaking people in Europe, the Caribbean, and all over Latin America.
Our Board of Directors
Wesley James Weaver
Board Member
Wesley, a lifelong resident of Pensacola, Florida, and spiritual son of the late Reverend Ken Sumrall was saved at the age of 12. After receiving the Holy Spirit during his Air Force tour of duty in Germany, he answered the call of God to the ministry, receiving his Bachelor of Theology degree from Liberty Bible College in 1970. He has served for many years as an elder, pastor, teacher, and treasurer under Liberty Ministries. Wesley also is a retired accountant with over 45 years of experience. He has held positions as Controller for Liberty Christian College and Columbia Southern University, Audit Supervisor for the Florida Department of Revenue, and Accountant at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. He also served as Board Member for several nonprofit organizations.
He opened his own accounting consulting firm, Northwest Florida Consultants, in Pensacola, Florida in 1981. His main purpose with Northwest Florida Consultants was to assist the nonprofit sector with accounting, tax, and compliance issues. Wesley has assisted many religious and charitable organizations in obtaining their 501(c)(3) exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service and to maintain compliance with the rules and regulations governing 501(c)(3) organizations. He has served pastors and missionaries all over the world for many years in the proper preparation of their personal tax returns, as well as, the preparation of their ministry organization's tax returns (Form 990). Wesley served as the Accountant for the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida.
Rev. James F. Cox
Board Member
Jack Cox and his wife Mary live in Severn, Maryland. Jack is the founding pastor of Severn Covenant Church in 1979. His pastoral philosophy is based on “Treat them like family…”, a word from God he received upon founding Arundel Christian Fellowship which later became Severn Covenant Church. Jack is a life long friend and advisor to Lee, going back almost 50 years in time.
Lee Short and Carol Short
Board Members
Lee serves as President and Carol serves as Secretary and Treasurer on the Board
Rev. David Hope
Board Member
David Hope is the pastor of Words of Life Church in Humble, Texas. David is an experienced street preacher who has gone outside of the church walls where the lost can be found. He has lead thousands to Christ, mostly on the streets of the inner city of Houston, Texas and in the villages of Western Kenya. David’s vision is to reach the lost and bring the believer to knowledge of the goodness of God.