Ben and Eunice Stoner

Ben Stoner accepted the Lord at Roxbury Camp Meeting when he was five years old. Growing up, Ben had much exposure to BIC missionaries from across the continent of Africa, as well as from India and Japan. His parents would frequently host many of these missionaries as guests in their home. For as long as he can remember, Ben has sensed God’s calling to be a missionary.

Eunice Stoner grew up Mennonite, accepted the Lord at age ten, and was baptized two years later. She attended Locust Grove Mennonite School, where she heard many missionary testimonies. During high school, she participated in Youth for Christ and taught Sunday School.

Ben and Eunice graduated from Messiah College on May 23, 1970, and married three weeks later. Ben received a bachelor’s degree in music education, and Eunice a bachelor’s degree in home economics education. The following August, they began volunteering with the Navajo Brethren in Christ Mission. After one year, they moved to Farmington, N.M., where they studied the Navajo language and worked with youth and adults attending the mission chapel.

In 1976, they moved into a one-room house near Chaco Canyon, N.M., with their two small boys, where, for three years, they worked with the Chaco (N.M.) BIC.

After moving back to the mission, Ben served as acting director between 1980 and 1981 and continued with the mission through 1986.

Away from Navajo Brethren in Christ Mission, Ben and Eunice managed a trailer park and served nearly eight years with Navajo Ministries, Inc., in Farmington. They taught Theological Education by Extension (TEE), Navajo reading, and From Creation to Christ Bible studies. In 1991, they started Light of Life Church before eventually returning to the Navajo Brethren in Christ Mission in 1998.

In 2003, Ben and Eunice began serving in a post involving contextualized church planting and incarnational living. Though the Stoners have officially retired as of May 1, 2020, they continue serving the Navajo people through BIC U.S. World Missions. They are actively involved with teaching TEE and Navajo reading, mentoring church planters, and discipling individuals.