Kirk Craig – Executive Director and Co-Founder
Kirk Craig was born and raised in Houston, Texas, attending church at West University Baptist and school at Second Baptist. Kirk attended college at the University of Virginia and received a degree in Economics and Spanish. When he finished college (2000), Kirk joined South America Mission to serve as missionary in rural Bolivia in a church planting capacity for over two years. During that time, Kirk married Amanda Van Zandt, and together they continued ministry and economic development, including a small bakery business and a vocational carpentry program. Kirk and Amanda returned to Houston to live in the Third Ward and attend 1st Corinthians 13 Church. During that time, their son Elijah was born, and the seeds of Agape were planted. For further training in ministry, Kirk moved to Illinois where he received a Master’s of Educational Ministries from Wheaton College. During those 2 years, he served with various inner city ministries in Chicago that are transforming impoverished communities. In 2005, Kirk and Amanda returned to the Third Ward and launched Agape Development Ministries to serve young adults through Bible study and job readiness. Agape has grown into holistic neighborhood ministry, and the Craig family has grown to five with their children Elijah, Sophia, and Chloe.
Amanda Craig – Spiritual Counselor and Co-Founder
Amanda Craig graduated from Wheaton College in 1999 with a BA in Christian Education. During a summer internship, she had the opportunity to live in the Third Ward and participate in a community church that touched her heart and shaped her vision for the future. She furthered her education at the University of Houston, earning her Master’s of Social Work. She and her husband, Kirk, spent two years as missionaries in South America before returning to the states and beginning the work of Agape Development Ministries. Amanda now works in the ministry part-time, as she dedicates much of her time to family life. Kirk and Amanda have three young children–Elijah, Sophia, and Chloe. They reside in the Third Ward area.
David Hill – Program Director
David came to Houston to attend Texas Southern University, where he graduated in 1996 with a degree in public affairs and criminal justice. Upon graduation, David was employed as a juvenile probation officer while also serving as a youth pastor in his local church in the third ward. David was married to his college sweetheart, Melissa Hill, in 1997 and two years later they left Houston in what became a five year mission trip where they served and ministered in inner city communities in Chicago, IL; Atlanta, Ga; and Jackson, MS. When the Hill family returned to Houston in 2004, David continued serving as an elder and associate minister in his local church in the third ward. David has always had a heart for teenagers and young adults and was excited to join the Agape family in 2006 part-time, and then on a full-time basis in 2008. David and Melissa now have four children: Asni, David, Journey and Grace.
Melissa Hill – Women’s Minister
Melissa Hill is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana and was raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Jack Yates High School in 1990. While attending Texas Southern, Melissa responded to the gospel and submitted her life to Jesus. She later graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelors degree in Social Work. Shortly after graduation, she married David Hill and they have had four wonderful children. Melissa worked with the Center for the Retarded until the birth of their first child. She works part-time with Agape as Women’s Minister and homeschools she & David’s four children (ages 5-11yrs).
Andy Beall – Mission Year Intern
Andy Beall is from Dallas, Texas and recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She is currently on track to earn a Master’s degree from Eastern University in International Development with an urban concentration. During her time at Baylor, Andy was able to participate in multiple mission trips abroad, working exclusively with youth sports outreach. Andy is also a participant in Mission Year, a year-long urban missions organization. Through this, the Lord has brought her to Houston. During her time here, she is working as an Administrative Assistant for Agape Development Ministries as well as working with Backyard Bible Club.
Sean Stewart – Mission Year Intern
Sean Stewart graduated from Farragut High School in 2005. He graduated from Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, TN with an Associates’ degree in the Bible in 2008. Sean worked as a childcare provider and volunteered as a counselor for summer church-camp weeks throughout high-school and college. He worked at a residential treatment center for troubled and/or chemically dependent adolescents for a year before the Lord called him to Galveston to work as a full-time summer church-camp counselor in the summer of 2009. Following that summer, Sean enrolled in a year-long urban missions program called Mission Year and was assigned to its Houston site working with Agape Development Ministries as an administrative assistant and Backyard Bible Club activities coordinator.
