Steve and Sara Currey

Church planting with PIONEERS in Southwestern Europe

Steve grew up in California and made a commitment to follow Christ during his third year of college.  After graduating in 1989 from the University of California he used his engineering degree to lead a water well drilling project in Haiti. In 1992 he turned the project over to three Haitian believers and left to complete a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Switzerland.  After completing the DTS program Steve spent a year studying in France and then served with Mercy Ships for 4 years as a Community Development Projects Trainer in Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Madagascar and South Africa.

Sara gave her life to Christ at the age of twelve. In 1990 she joined YWAM in Toronto, Canada and completed a DTS in 1991.  She finished an Arts in Ministry degree the following year. Upon returning to Chicago, Sara co-led a Christian rock band and recorded three albums.  (click here to listen to her music)  During this time she earned a cosmetology license to support her musical habit. She left the USA in 1995 to use her cutting skills and musical abilities onboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis.  One night in Togo, West Africa, Steve bribed Sara with an evening out for Pizza for an off hours haircut.  That was how Steve and Sara met.

The Curreys moved to Chicago shortly after their marriage in 1997.  Steve received a Billy Graham Scholarship to complete an MA in Missions and Intercultural Studies at Wheaton College. In August of 1998, the Curreys were commissioned by their home fellowship in Chicago, Harvest Bible Chapel, to lead a pioneers church planting team to Senegal, West Africa. Their goal was to see a church emerge among the Wolof – a Muslim people group of 3.5 million. In Senegal, the Currey’s team co-led a church plant, developed a woman’s ministry, focused on teaching new believers, small business development and ethnomusicology - encouraging Christ centered worship with indigenous music and art forms.

In 2004, Steve and Sara's second daughter, Julia Michele, born in Senegal, was diagnosed with a rare blood enzyme condition called Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency.  At one-week old she was evacuated to the USA to receive her first of continuing blood transfusions.  The Lord used these unforeseen events to bring the Curreys back to the USA to direct the Edge - the short-term ministry of pioneers in Orlando, Florida.  During two years the Curreys had the privilege of encouraging over 200 college students in missions, many of whom are now considering church planting and missions as a career.

After two years at the pioneers office in Orlando, the Curreys received the Lord’s leading back to the field, this time to the spiritually needy countries of Southwestern Europe. 

Since 2007 the Curreys have been living and ministering in Tarbes, France where they are partnered with a local church. Sara sings with the worship band and Steve teaches Sunday school and rotates on the preaching team.

As PIONEERS Area Leaders, the Curreys oversee the development of church planting teams in France, Spain, Portugal and eventually in Ireland and Italy.

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