James and Stacy Marse lived in New Waverly, Texas, and attended Greater Christian Life under the leadership of Pastor O. L. Powell, Sr. As active members of the local church, they served as youth leaders for almost five years beginning in 1999. After resigning from the position of youth leader, James assisted the pastor in various capacities such as teaching Sunday school for both the youth and adult classes, teaching home Bible studies and fulfilling other roles. Stacy has taught Sunday school for more than eleven years and has been active in teaching Kid’s Power Hour and vacation Bible school.
In 2006, the Marse family traveled to Bolivia as AIMers and served there for two and a half months. Two years later, they returned to Bolivia and served another fourteen months. During this time, they attended Spanish language school and helped the missionaries in various ways. Upon returning to their home church in Texas in 2009, they continued working where needed.
The Marses received missionary appointment to Bolivia in October 2011. They will live in the city of Santa Cruz, the largest city in Bolivia, with the intention of starting a church. From this church, plans are to eventually start daughter works throughout the city and the surrounding area. The main goal is to one day have services that minister to the people of Bolivia in the languages of English, Spanish, Portuguese, Quechua, and Guarani. The latter two are native indigenous languages.