Sundquist’s dynamic experience spans parish leadership on a number of different levels, all serving widely diverse people and congregations in their personal, professional and spiritual development. Most recently, he was Senior Pastor at the well-known First Baptist Church of La Grange, IL. “I love ministry and I love the Lord. The American Baptist Foundation provides me now with an opportunity to broaden my ministry beyond the walls of any one church in any one community,” Sundquist noted. “I’m stimulated by the thought of touching people’s lives in multiple ways that allows them to ignite their own personal ministries by supporting the Foundation and the myriad missions we fuel in the Great Plains, and around this nation and this world.”
Sundquist and his wife, Karen, have one child. Children have always been a priority for Sundquist, who is well known among young people in and around the churches he has served. He has created programming that stirs their interest to a level that some acknowledge competes with this electronic age.
“What inspires me about John and convinced me he was exactly right for the work the Foundation does,” Wilson points out, “was his significant success in renewing the spirit and growth of several churches, and strengthening their financial positions as well. In a time when the traditional denominations and particularly their inner city churches are struggling for new ideas and relevancy, John brings just the right creativity and abilities to forge the institutional partnerships across denominational lines that are inevitable.”
Sundquist holds a Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL. He has also had international experience in Sweden, and he received mediation skills training at the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center in Lombard, IL. A product of the digital age, Sundquist spent more than three years as a personal computer specialist with responsibilities for campus software at North Park College.
Sundquist, a lifelong American Baptist, is eager to encourage individuals to design their estate plans and make charitable gifts through the Foundation. He says, “American Baptists have a long and proud history of breaking down barriers and touching people’s lives. The Foundation grants me a unique opportunity to connect people who care with the ministries that matter to them, ensuring that those transforming and life-changing ministries have a future with hope.”
The American Baptist Foundation was established in 1985 to promote estate planning among members of the more than five thousand American Baptist churches nationwide.
The mission of the Foundation is to support and strengthen the Christian witness fulfilled by American Baptist congregations, regions, National Ministries and International Ministries in the areas of education, discipleship, evangelism, new churches, healing and justice. The Foundation encourages individuals to include the ministry and mission of these organizations in their wills and other charitable estate plans.
Nearly $100 million in trusts, endowments, and annuities is presently under the Foundation’s management. During its more than two decades of service, the Foundation has generated over one-quarter of a billion dollars in planned gifts. These have gone to support the ministries of local churches, the mission activities among 33 regional organizations, “home mission” throughout the United States and international mission in more than 70 countries.
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.