Tyler Ellis

Raised in Portland, Oregon, Tyler earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies and Missions before serving as a college minister for nearly 15 years. He married Jennifer in 2009, and together they are raising three daughters in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tyler is the Founder and Director of English With Friends and the creator of XENOMANIACS, launched in 2026.

NICKNAME: Ty

AGE: 45

COUNTRIES VISITED: 9

MISSION TRIPS: 17

FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza, lasagna, quesadillas 

FAVORITE DRINKS: Coffee, eggnog, ginger beer

FAVORITE DESSERTS: Donuts, molten lava cake & ice cream 

FAVORITE BANDS: Switchfoot, Bing Crosby, Randy Travis, Tim McGraw

FAVORITE BOOK: Safely Home, by Randy Alcorn; You Are Special, by Max Lucado

FAVORITE ARTIST: Norman Rockwell

FAVORITE MOVIES: It's A Wonderful Life, Les Les Miserables (1998), The Shawshank Redemption

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: The Amazing Race, Undercover Billionaire, The Chosen

FAVORITE SPORTS TO PLAY: Soccer, sand volleyball, snow boarding, racquetball and disc golf

DREAM CAR: 1965 Ford Mustang

FAVORITE BOARDGAMES/CARD GAMES: Ticket To Ride, Upwords, Spades

THINGS I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT (besides Jesus): My family, traveling and experiences new people & cultures; helping Christians reaching the nations through international neighbors

FUN FACTS: We own a 1958 double-decker bus Airbnb; distant cousin of Randy Travis & John Stockton; I love wearing checkerboard Vans & Boston Scally caps

FAVORITE PASTIMES: Road trips, browsing antique malls, visiting Frank Lloyd Wright sites

GREATEST HEROES (besides Jesus): William Wilberforce

FAMOUS PEOPLE I'D LOVE TO SPEND A DAY WITH: Dude Perfect, Switchfoot, Dave Ramsey, Willie Robertson, Chip Gaines 

PROUD MOMENTS: Lived in a third-world country for a year; published a book; gave a TEDx Talk

BUCKET LIST: Hike Camino de Santiago in Spain; write a novel; visit all 50 US states; spend the night in a lighthouse; visit Holy Lands; own a 1965 Ford Mustang; have a house with secret passages

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 21:1-7

FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTERS (besides Jesus): Daniel and Peter

FAVORITE PARABLE OF JESUS: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)