Meet Our Staff

Founding Pastor

Lawrence "Buddy" Martin and his wife Betty are co-founders of Christian Challenge International. They have served the Lord in the ministry since the mid-1960s. (Read his testimony.) They began Christian Challenge in 1976 with a stewardship from the Lord.

The ministry began as a ‘School for Christian Workers’. It was Brother Buddy’s vision for missions that has led graduates of the school to enter the ministry as pastors or missionaries. Several hundred disciples have been trained under the auspices of Christian Challenge.

Brother Martin received his Bachelor's Degree from International Seminary in Florida. His deepest love is the study of the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith. Bro. Buddy's wife, Betty, as co-founder of the ministry has been an integral part of the ministry since its founding . She comes from a family of ministers. They have three children and twelve grandchildren.

On December 17, 2006, Bro. Buddy turned over the primary leadership of Christian Challenge to his son, Nathan, who has been serving with him since November, 1990. Bro. Buddy is currently focused on his "Journey of Healing" from Lymphoma and plans to aggressively pursue expanding the School for Christian Workers and ministering out from Christian Challenge once his Lymphoma treatments are complete. He continues to serve as President of the Board of Directors of Christian Challenge International.

Senior Pastor

Nathan Martin grew up in Christian Challenge which his father founded when he was 11 years old. He acknowledged the call to the ministry at a very young age and was licensed to preach at the age of 16.

He attended Louisiana College in Pineville before transferring to King's Way Missionary Institute in McAllen, TX. In December of 1986 Nathan went to Mexico as a missionary where he helped establish and oversee over a dozen churches among 4 different indigenous people groups (Mixe, Popoluco, Soque and Zapoteco). He also helped establish a large urban church in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, before returning to the states to serve as Associate Pastor of Christian Challenge in November of 1990.

On May 23, 2004, Nathan was installed as Pastor of Christian Challenge. And on December 17, 2006 Nathan was installed as Senior Pastor of Christian Challenge. Nathan is married to the former Lori Marie Chapman of McAllen, TX and they have three daughters, Joy, Faith and Hope. (P.S. Check out Bro. Nathan's blog.)