Jim Renke Retires as Regional Minister
My days as a Regional Minister in the NAB Conference are coming to an end on September 30, 2021. This ministry was the capstone of a life lived in fellowship with my NAB brothers and sisters. I grew up at Willow Rancho Baptist. Art Brust baptized me. I was ordained at the same church after graduating from Sioux Falls Seminary. Ron Norman was the chair of my ordination council, and Ken Fisher was the Area Minister.
As an NAB pastor and Regional Minister, I have been privileged to serve and grow with so many leaders and lay people in our conference. You all have enriched my life with the depth of your love for Jesus, his people, and the world he loves. In times of ministry and family crisis, you have been there, encouraging and challenging us to lean into Christ, his people, and his mission.
From here, I am going to pastor Village Church of Lincolnshire, Illinois. It’s an Evangelical Free Church. They are a congregation known for healing relationships. I hope to serve them as the servant you’ve all helped me become. The Apostle Paul expressed Kris’s and my heart for you all. “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints” (Colossians 1:3–4). Thank you for your love. You will always have ours.
We know that over the years Jim has spoken into the lives of many people. We want to give the opportunity to share with him a memory or a word of greeting as he transitions. If you have something you would like to share with Jim and Kris, please send an email to Christine Okken.
The Gathering in July 2022
We are excited to announce that The Gathering is happening July 2022 in Orange County, California! The team is working on the planning details and look forward to what God will do through this unique opportunity. The specific dates and location are not finalized yet, but we are getting close, so stay tuned!
Not sure what The Gathering is? Great question! It is a missions experience and conference for middle school, high school, and college-age students and their leaders from across the NAB. Through The Gathering, we seek to provide a variety of experiences to dive deeper in faith, community, and service. It provides individuals and groups with the opportunity to integrate what following Jesus on mission may look like in their communities at home.
Save the date for July 2022, and we look forward to seeing you there!
Stay tuned for more details, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact Mike Anderson at (306) 621-9622 or youth@nabconf.org.
Missional Life Reimagined
In Jeremiah 29:5–7, God instructs the Israelites, “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare” (NLT).
Similarly, we are called to pray for and seek the welfare of our cities and communities. Across the NAB, pastors, churches, and leaders are praying for and seeking the welfare of their communities to be instruments of God, working alongside him for the sake of his Kingdom. The ways they do this are as diverse as the individuals who form the body of Christ.
You can read some of the stories of the unique ways these churches are seeking the welfare of their communities by visiting nabconference.org/give/summer. Once there, you can also find out how you can support these missional efforts across the NAB.