Staff

As relationships with the Chinese Church have developed over the years, the opportunities to serve them have changed, developed, and expanded. As this has occurred the staff of China Partner has changed, developed, and expanded also. Over the years God has put together a group of individuals with varied personal backgrounds, educational backgrounds, and ministry experiences; however, each staff member shares two key things in common: a love for the Lord and a desire to serve the Church in China through their role. China Partner’s staff includes:

Rev. Dr. Werner Burklin – Founder and President Emeritus

Werner was born and raised in China by German missionary parents, serving with Alliance China Mission (a branch of China Inland Mission, now OMF). It was at a Youth for Christ rally in Shanghai where Werner, at the age of 16, accepted Christ. In 1949, following the establishment of China’s communist government, Werner and his family were forced to leave and returned to Germany. Soon after he left Germany to study at the University of Paris, and later graduated from the European Bible Institute in France; Grace College in Winona Lake, IN; and Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta, GA where he earned his Doctorate in Ministry. With a passion for evangelism, Werner has served in ministry for 55+ years, many as an executive with Youth for Christ and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Werner returned to China in 1981, when its doors were reopened to foreigners, and recognized the need for leadership training in China’s reopening Church. In 1989 he founded China Partner. Werner and his wife of 52+ years, Inge, have four children and ten grandchildren, and presently reside in Boca Raton, FL.

"One of the core values of China Partner is that we’re going to China to teach evangelism, not just theology. That’s the heartbeat of the young Chinese Christians. They are obedient to the call of being evangelists and fulfilling the Great Commission." - Werner

Rev. Erik Bürklin – President

Erik, a third-generation missionary to China, became a Jesus-follower at the age of five in Germany, where he was born and raised. Erik moved to the U.S. in 1976 (becoming a citizen in 1984), and graduated with a BA in Art from Taylor University in Upland, IN in 1981. Erik has also earned a MA in Religion from Liberty University in 1996 and a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary in 2010. Following service as a summer camp counselor during his college years, Erik began pursuit of vocational ministry. Erik has served in numerous roles with Youth for Christ from 1981 to 1993 (campus club director, assistant to the president, YFC Magazine managing editor, director of graphics/production, and European International Liaison Director). He and his wife, Tammy, have two daughters and have resided in Highlands Ranch, Colorado since 1990. In 1993 he was ordained by Grace Chapel Englewood, where he serves as an elder, and also began serving with China Partner. Erik moved into the position of president at China Partner in 2001, where he continues to serve to this day.

"I love serving Jesus and to do it in the largest country in the world is the icing on the cake." - Erik

Dr. Teh-An “Daniel” Hsu – Director of Training

Daniel was born and raised in Taiwan to parents who hailed from mainland China and became a Christian as a teen. He has earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from National Taiwan University, M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, and a M.S. in Management from Colorado Christian University. Daniel has lived in the United States since his days at Purdue and met his wife of 26+ years, Christine, at a Chinese church in Hawaii. Daniel’s ministry experience includes serving as the president of Christian Fellowship at the College of Engineering, National Taiwan University; as president of a Chinese Bible study group at Purdue University; and as a deacon at Hawaii Mandarin Alliance Church and later at Chinese Evangelical Church of Denver. Daniel met Erik in 1999 and in 2000 made his first trip to China, serving as the interpreter for China Partner’s teaching team. Daniel continued to volunteer with China Partner through interpretation, board of director service, and translation projects before officially coming on staff in January 2008.

"The history of China Partner and China ministry are two separate things of interest for me, but there happens to be a near-perfect marriage of these two separate interests. So, I feel so blessed to be able to be involved in and contribute to both in a small, personal way." - Daniel

Ms. Sherry Koller – Finances and Partner Support

Sherry joined the China Partner staff in January of 2010. She trained under Jane, who served China Partner as Director of Finance since 2004, and took over Jane’s position after she left China Partner March 31, 2010. Sherry comes to CP with a wealth of experience having served in the accounting and bookkeeping fields for over 30 years. She is excited to serve the Lord by serving in her important role in the CP office and is anxious to use her gifts to improve the operational side of the CP ministry. She came to faith in Jesus Christ in 1966 and has enjoyed growing in her spiritual walk with Him ever since. She is a single mother of 2 grown children and her favorite is spending time with her 4 grandchildren.

“Your strength shall be renewed day by day like morning dew.” Psalm 110:3 - Sherry

Mrs. Michele Jang – Hong Kong Administrative Coordinator

Michele is a fourth-generation American-born Chinese who was raised in Hawaii and began following Christ in the fall of 1974. Her educational background is diverse, including: a dental hygiene license and Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Divinity in Christian Education, and Master of Arts – Counseling degrees. She has lived with her husband of 22 years, Stephen, and kids – Irina and Matthew – in Hong Kong since January 1992. She and Stephen originally met Werner in 1996, and have since been actively involved with China Partner through praying, giving, participating in China symposiums, providing logistical support to teaching teams, helping to send theological literature to the mainland, and representing China Partner’s Hong Kong board in various capacities. Therefore, joining the staff in January 2009 was simply a continuation of her past and present involvement with China Partner and her last 24 years serving as a missionary with Christar.

"Serving with China Partner seems like a natural expression of my passion to participate in the ongoing training of leadership for the Church in China." - Michele

Linda Pervenecki - YouthServe Director

Linda was born and raised in Germany until she immigrated along with her family to the United States at age 16. After finishing her High School education in Florida, she received two Bachelor degrees, one in both Political Science and another in Math Education from Florida Atlantic University. She worked as the administrative assistant and bookkeeper for Dr. Werner Bürklin during his evangelistic ministry of Werner Burklin Ministries and continued in that role for China Partner after its inception from 1989 to 1995.

Since then, her experiences have varied from homeschooling her two children and tutoring math to driving a school bus and substitute teaching. She has been a Christ follower since age 5. Always being drawn towards serving teenagers, she also served at her local church as a youth leader for 6 years. In 2009, during a ministry trip in China, God put a fresh calling on her life: “To assist the Church of China in reaching the next generation”. With the blessing of her husband, David, she joined the China Partner staff as Director of YouthServe in 2013 in order to give leadership to CP’s new youth ministry training initiative.