Ben Hanna has served as a pastor, missionary and nonprofit leader with over 30 years of experience in global missions, church planting, and leadership development. He has led nonprofits in Africa, Europe and the US. A graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ben also has certifications in nonprofit management and professional fundraising from UT Austin and Boston University. He has worked as a Church Planting Consultant and later helped start and lead the Pastor Strong Initiative with Texas Baptists. Ben and his wife founded the River Fellowship House Church Network in San Antonio.

Internationally, Ben pioneered Bridges for Christ, International, delivering over $1M in aid to post-war Serbia. He and his wife served with the International Mission Board in Eastern Europe, leading strategic outreach and relief efforts in Serbia, Bosnia, and Slovakia for ten years and together founded a nonprofit to bring life changing medical care to those who need it the most. They have been married 34 years and have 4 grown children and one granddaughter.