In loving memory of our founder, Birne Wiley
Birne, finished his race March 7, 2025, at the age of 87, and is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior.
Birne dedicated his life to serving God and building TECH Team, leaving behind a legacy of faith, love, and unwavering commitment to the mission we all hold dear. While our hearts grieve his loss, we rejoice in the knowledge that he is now at peace, receiving the eternal reward promised to those who love Him.
In the third grade Birne was adopted into God’s family when he accepted Jesus as his Savior. About the same time his dad sold the farm, graduated from Bible college, and became a pastor. He regularly brought missionaries home for Sunday dinner or extended stays during their fun-raising trips home from the mission field. Knowing he would be allowed to stay up late if he was talking to missionaries, Birne would think of as many questions as he could to keep the conversation going. What began as a young boy’s ruse to stay up morphed into a passion for a ministry to help missionaries with the problems they described. It also led him to adopt as his life’s motto:
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
only what's done for Christ will last.
As preparation for that vision he obtained an engineering degree from LeTourneau College in 1959. Over the next nine years he was involved in a variety of ministries around the country which refined his vision and confirmed his calling to establish a mission organization focused on providing technical assistance to other missions. Missionary TECH Team, the answer to that vision, was founded in 1969.
Over Birne’s 47 years as President he was joined by dozens of people: Architects, graphic designers, auto mechanics, software developers, print specialists, engineers, website designers, videographers, accountants, drafters, and various administrative experts are just a few examples of the professionals who have served in one capacity or another through Missionary TECH Team as God has used the ministry to help thousands of missions, missionaries, and churches worldwide. Since its founding, the missionaries of TECH have completed over 18,000 projects across all 50 states and in 140 countries. But the incredible story is not the numbers—it’s the impact for Christ.
Seven years after his ministry with TECH began, God led Birne to his next major mile- stone in his life of service to others. He married Lynella Lytle on October 23, 1976. For the entirety of their 48 years together, Birne and Lynella were not only partners in marriage but also in ministry; a ministry that was further expanded with the birth of their sons, Caleb and Jonathan, who they raised with care and love modeled after Christ’s love of His children. This model has been passed on to their beloved daughters-in-law and grandchildren.
Birne was a man with an abiding love for God and a desire to emulate the earthly example of character provided by Jesus. He not only demonstrated this character but gave God the glory and credit for the ability to do so. He was a living example of Paul’s words in Galatians 2:20:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
During most of this life he was blessed with robust health. However, the last 10 years was marked by tremendous physical setbacks. Through them all, Birne maintained his steadfast faith in the goodness and love of God. Though he longed to be in glory with the Lord, he accepted that the Lord still had work for him here on earth and bore with grace these various thorns in the flesh. Through Birne’s impact and the faithful life his story continues and his impact is still reaching and serving the Church of Jesus Christ. He finished well and heard,
Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord."
May we each one day know the joy that Birne does now.
