Covenant News

Bolinder Named Midsouth Conference Developer

HOUSTON, TX (May 9, 2000) - Garth Bolinder has accepted the call as conference developer for the Midsouth region and will begin work in August, it has been announced by the Midsouth office.

Bolinder, who has been senior pastor of Hillcrest Covenant Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, since 1987, was unanimously approved at the Midsouth annual meeting. He will serve as conference developer until the Midsouth reaches official conference status and his title changes to superintendent. Conference status approval is expected during the 2001 annual meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC).

"This was an opportunity presented to us that moved from opportunity to what seems to be the call in our lives," said Bolinder about his new position. "I'm excited about the opportunity to be an encourager to Covenant pastors and church leaders, as well as help plant healthy Covenant churches in this emerging region."

A Covenant minister for nearly three decades, Bolinder earned his undergraduate degree in history from Wheaton College and his Master of Divinity degree from North Park Theological Seminary. In 1999, he received his Doctorate of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary under the mentorship of Dr. Haddon Robinson.

Bolinder has served five ECC churches, taking senior pastor positions at Woodstock Covenant Church in Woodstock, Connecticut, and Modesto Covenant Church in California before heading to Hillcrest Covenant. He has been on the Covenant Board of Ministry since 1995 after serving on the Covenant World Relief Commission (1993-95) and the Covenant Stewardship Commission (1987-93), chairing the commission from 1990-93.

Bolinder says change in his ministry direction surprised both he and his wife, Dixie. "I was not pursuing this - it was not even on the radar screen," Bolinder said. "But, when presented with the opportunity, it seemed as if we should pursue it until the lights were green."

Bolinder seems comfortable with his new challenge, encouraged by the support of Midsouth region leaders and those at Hillcrest Covenant Church. Making the near future seem even brighter is the prospect of being part of a team of churches committed to the goal of sharing and modeling their faith in the local community.

"I was attracted to their vision to reach this 'mission field' for Christ," said Bolinder. "There is a vitality and a freshness about this region that is very attractive. There also is the spiritual passion of pastors and leaders we have met that is compelling."

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