Thane and Laura Ury

In 2004, Thane and Laura Ury joined One Mission Society, appointed to teach at the United Wesleyan Graduate Institute (UWGI) in Hong Kong. Since 2011, Thane has been on loan to Asbury University.

Thane grew up in the Far East, and in the mid-’80s, he and Laura pastored at a Chinese Church in NYC. While in Chinatown, Thane felt the tug to pursue further studies and later accepted a teaching post at Bethel College in 1989, where he taught the Old and New Testaments, apologetics, philosophy, and various theology courses for 15 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Asbury University, an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Andrews University. In addition to teaching for Bethel and Asbury Universities, he has taught in Canada, Costa Rica, France, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Romania, Singapore, and Trinidad.

While he adjuncts at Wesley Biblical Seminary, God’s Bible School, and Kentucky Mountain Bible College, his favorite classroom has always been in East Asia. Thane spends several months in East Asia each year working on Asian matters, mentoring, writing, and fundraising for various projects, with the balance of time spent in Wilmore.

Laura grew up the child of Salvation Army officers, earned a B.A. in art from Asbury University, has illustrated three published books, and has had work published in the War Cry, the official publication of the Salvation Army. She has taught art for many years, both privately and in the art departments of Granger Christian, Bethel College, and Hong Kong International Christian School. She continues to be involved in women’s ministries and is on the leadership council of Titus Women. In 2015, she completed her MFA in painting from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, and adds paint to canvas just about every day. Laura is currently an adjunct instructor for Asbury’s Art Department.

Thane is seconded to Asbury University, serving as a scholar-in-residence in Intercultural Studies. This involves writing, research, some recruiting in East Asia, and teaching, but primarily focuses on a handful of Asia-related initiatives. Laura serves as an assistant at every turn, and they both designed and launched Asbury’s China Semester Abroad, which aligns with their ongoing passion to disciple the disciple-makers and leaders for the Asia of tomorrow.

While the Urys have primarily worked in and out of SE Asia for 20 years, Thane has transitioned to teaching and mentoring young church leaders in eastern Mongolia (Choibalsan), stewarding the original mandate to till, sow, and reap for the wider Asian harvest. Nestled between Russia and China, Mongolia is quite tactical, and Thane’s basic strategy is threefold: 1) Robust Bible training for young Mongolian church planters and missionaries to China, 2) Leverage openings in the extreme east to reach Mandarin speakers, and 3) Write, translate, and publish theological books and discipleship training material from our theological tradition.

“Hutch” recently shared the Gospel in five predominantly Buddhist villages, and proclaiming Jesus' name from the rooftops is the ongoing passion to this “Mongolian call” (Acts 16:6-10).

The Urys have four children, including Cameron, who pastors near Seattle. Bethany served as a missionary to the hill tribes in northern Thailand for a decade and is now transitioning back to the States. Bryce works in media production, specializing in videography and filmmaking. And Lauren is a homemaker in Mississippi. The Urys have 14 grandchildren.