VALLEY FORGE, PA (11/11/15)—The Rev. Paul H. Gibson, a native of North Dakota, has been named as the next Executive Minister of the Great Rivers Region of American Baptist Churches.  Rev. Gibson comes to this position from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Bismarck, North Dakota.  Having served as pastor of churches in Arizona, Nevada and Missouri as well as North Dakota, he will assume his new position on January 1, 2016.  He and his wife, Melissa, will reside in Springfield, Illinois.

Rev. Gerald R. Phillips, Chair of the GRR Regional Search Committee, said, “The Rev. Paul Gibson brings some excellent gifts and skills to the position of Executive Minister in GRR. His sense of call to GRR and the enthusiasm he brings are most impressive and welcome. He is a people person with strong pastoral experience and a passion for listening, who expects to learn who we are in GRR before launching a new vision. We are pleased to welcome him and Melissa to Great Rivers Region.”

“Paul will be an excellent Executive Minister as he is a faithful follower of Christ and a good leader.  He is a good listener, he genuinely cares about people, and his outgoing and pleasant personality immediately puts others at ease,” said Rev. Randy Rasmussen, Executive Minister of American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas. ”The Dakotas Region is sorry to lose a wonderful pastor, but we will faithfully pray for God to bless Paul’s ministry in and to the Great Rivers Region!”

Rev. Gibson received a Master of Divinity degree from the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkley, California.  Before that he graduated from Valley City State University in North Dakota and has done graduate work toward a Doctor of Ministry at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.  He is presently Regional Board President of the American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas.

The Great Rivers Region, an affiliate of American Baptist Churches USA, has offices in Springfield, Illinois. There are approximately 230 American Baptist Churches affiliated with the Great Rivers Region and located in all of Illinois and Missouri, except the city of Chicago and some Chicago-area churches.

The new Executive Minister and his wife have two grown children, Hunter and Emily.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.