PASTOR APPRECIATION
October is Pastor Appreciation month! This is an opportunity for churches and individuals to express appreciation to their pastors.
We are excited to share some special updates with you!
NEW REGIONAL OFFICE SIGNS
Open Bible Churches revealed their new logo at our national convention in June 2025. For many years, the national office and our regional office had different logos. Our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) thought it was a unifying gesture to have a single logo at our national and regional offices. You can see in the photos that we have completed our signage at the regional office, and we continue to update all the logos on our documents, website, and marketing pieces. If you would like to use the national logo in your church, you can download it from the national website along with the logo standards.
Exterior Sign
Interior Sign
The GATHERING 2025
We had a great turnout of pastors and leaders at the Timber Ridge Resort in Lake Geneva, WI. It was wonderful to see people making connections. Eric and Elise Malm, Ft. Des Moines Open Bible, Des Moines, IA, led our worship, along with Skyler Sanford. Pastor Ryan Hart, founding pastor and senior leader from Kingdom Church in St. Louis, MO, was our guest minister. He brought two staff members, Jordan Paske and Glory Castello to assist him in ministering to us. People experienced God’s presence in prayer, worship, Word, and encounter times with the Lord. We granted RICHEY awards to the following couples:
Pastors Matt & Nicole Miller
Multiplying Disciples Award
Pastors Matt and Nicole both grew up in pastor families and have been engaged in ministry throughout their lives. Pastor Matt is the Lead Pastor and Pastor Nicole is the Family Pastor at Life Church in Waverly, IA. They love seeing lives changed and have often accompanied their students to camps and Breakaway. This May, Life Church had their largest graduating class of seniors and many of these students were encouraged to enroll in Open Bible College, our online ministry school. Because of the number of students, Waverly has our first onsite cohort with Open Bible College. Matt also serves on the INSTE Bible College and Waverly Christian School boards. Nicole is also a licensed realtor and serves on the Central Region board.
Pastor Josh & Zia Bingaman
Multiplying Leaders Award
Pastor Josh and Zia transplanted into Open Bible Churches when Josh became Associate Pastor and Director of Harvest Bible Institute at First Church in Des Moines, IA, in December 2016. In April 2022, they became the Lead Pastors at First Church. At that time, the ownership of Harvest Bible College transferred to Central Region and the name was changed to Open Bible College. Pastor Josh continues serving as the Academic Dean. Zia serves alongside Josh in the ministry and is homeschooling their five children. Pastor Josh and Zia have sent out the following lead pastors from First Church: Pastors Kurtis & Natalia Rupe, Iowa Falls, IA; Pastor Caleb & Carrie Fritz, Chippewa Falls, WI; Pastors Doug & Sheri Rohrer, Des Moines, IA; Pastor Brett & Melissa Cox, Belvidere, IL.
Pastors Eric & Shenna Pluff
Multiplying Churches Award
Pastors Eric and Shenna were attending the Clear Lake Open Bible Church, Clear Lake, IA when they received credentials with Open Bible. They had founded Sojourners, a ministry to churches in need of pulpit supply or pastoral transition assistance in north-central Iowa. They shared their vision with us at our 2023 Gathering in Davenport, IA and we discussed a shared partnership with the region. Pastor Eric has since become the Discipleship Pastor at Clear Lake Open Bible and both Eric and Shenna are filling pulpits and leading INSTE to raise up future pastors. As a result of their ministry, two churches have recently affiliated with Open Bible Churches – Faith United Church in Rockwell, IA and Praise Community Church in Mason City, IA.
CONGRATULATIONS
Skyler Sanford, our Next Generation Director, proposed to Annie Schmidt on Saturday, October 4, 2025, and she said…YES! Congratulations, Skyler and Annie! Annie is from Clear Lake Open Bible Church and Skyler is from Ft. Des Moines Open Bible.
COMFORT
Laura Simonson, mother of Michael (Teya) McDougal – pastors of Shalom Hill Church in Richfield, MN, passed away September 16, 2025. Services will be held Saturday, October 18, 2025.
Articles
October
5 Components of an Unplugged, Acoustic Worship Set
7 Ways Satan Brings Attacks on the Church
8 Spirit-Led Steps to Renewal After Pastoral Burnout
September
KidMin Volunteers Who Don’t Quit: How to Retain Team Members
Rediscover the Mission Field Right Where You Live
August
Children’s Church Rules: 6 Standards for Every Congregation
10 Biblical Truths About Evangelism That Every Christian Should Know
