International (MNN) — As part of an ongoing leadership transition, James "Jim"
Allen became acting president of HCJB Global on Monday, June 16. He has served HCJB as senior vice president
since 1997.
Outgoing President David Johnson will take a position with
Development Associates International on September 1, as senior consultant for Latin America. HCJB is in the process of looking for a new president.
Although Allen has not sought the position of interim
president, he felt God calling him to be willing to serve in that role.
"I am extremely grateful for David's leadership these past
seven years," said Allen. "He has challenged and stretched us and helped us to
be very intentional in all of our ministries. He will be greatly missed."
Through his service as acting president, Allen plans to
smooth the ministry's transition as it continues in its mission to empower
dynamic media and healthcare ministries that declare and demonstrate Jesus
Christ. He sees transitions occurring at
three different levels of the church.
"As a mission, HCJB Global is moving from a member-led to a
board-led organization, and there are several elements–including the election
of a new president–that factor into that transition. Secondly, in the U.S. church, because of dropping
income, missions has been forced to find new ways to proceed with ministry.
Finally, on a global level, there are climates that Christians must face every
day–from political to economic–that affect how missions can impact the world."
Allen graduated from Biola
University in La Mirada, Calif.,
in 1964. He received his master's degree
in religious education from Talbot Seminary in 1966, and his doctorate of
ministry from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in 1980. He has been married since 1963, and he and
his wife, Trish, have two daughters.
For 21 years, Allen served as a pastor in the northwestern U.S. until the
Lord began calling him to serve as a pastor to missionaries.
"There were a lot of missionaries . . . winding up in my
office, broken, concerned, frustrated and discouraged," he explained. "Back in
the late 1970s God just started working on our hearts saying, ‘There has got to
be some way we can reach some of these people before they get to this point.'"
The Allens' church in Oregon
sent them on a trip to Taiwan
and Japan
for three weeks. In 1984, they joined
HCJB Global to provide pastoral care and discipleship for missionaries. They have served with HCJB in various
capacities ever since, traveling and ministering in 60 different
countries.
"Trish and I get our deepest satisfaction from seeing God
work in the hearts and lives of missionaries and from knowing that He allows us
to be a part of people's lives around the globe," he explained.
HCJB Global is seeking a new president committed to the cause of
Christ, with good communications, fundraising, and relational skills. Its three main goals for the future include
engaging Sub-Saharan Africa with a combination of life-transforming media and
healthcare, empowering radio stations around the world, and developing a
mobilization center to equip Latin American missionaries to use media and
healthcare in ministry.
