Rob and Beth Chadwick: Pastor, We're Walking This Road With You

Rob Chadwick: We grew up in Michigan, got married and went to Portland, Oregon, for schooling and serving in youth ministry. In 2000, we moved to Littleton, Colorado, to serve at Bethany Free Church—now Calvary Bethany Church (EFCA)—for seven years. After that, we went two hours south, planted Table Mountain Church (EFCA) and pastored there for 17 years. We were involved with church planting and church planting teams, and then we were contacted to pursue the district superintendent role in the EFCA Pacific Northwest District. So, a little bit less than two years ago, we moved back out to that region. 

Beth Chadwick: Even before we got the position, we knew we wanted to be available to encourage pastors and wives and people in ministry. We thought, “Is there a job out there for leaders that just need someone behind them going, ‘You got this!’” It's been a good fit to be a couple who have walked these roads before. 

Rob: The Pacific Northwest district is actually one of the oldest EFCA districts in the nation. Elim Evangelical Free Church is 140 years old. Scandinavians migrated out there for fishing and cutting trees down, and really had a missionary mindset, which is how churches and camps were started. We've got a handful of churches that are close to, or more than, 100 years old in that group. It's a tight-knit district with high ownership. I say jokingly, “DS stands for district storyteller.” As we travel from church to church, we tell stories of other EFCA churches, about the 1,600 Free Church congregations in the nation and the 500-plus ReachGlobal missionaries, about the district and the way we care for churches. Just constantly dripping that story. Over time, I think it helped to draw the district together, and say, “We are part of something bigger than ourselves.” Pastors all over the place feel isolated, and pastors in the Pacific Northwest feel culturally isolated. So, we're just saying, “You're not alone. We're walking this road with you.”