Our friend, sister in Christ, and longtime leader Chris Adams is retiring from Lifeway. After 22 years of service and ministry, our Senior Lead Women’s Ministry Specialist will move on to more time at the beach, more time with her 14 grandchildren, and more time with her husband, Pat, effective March 1, 2017.
If it weren’t for Chris and her obedience to the Lord, Lifeway Women would not exist as it is today. She has pioneered new ground in reaching women in and out of the church; she has led with generosity of spirit; and she has become a trusted voice of authority in women’s ministry training. She will never know how many lives she has touched, or just how how far the reach of her influence extends, on this side of heaven.
Y’all. She does every single study that Lifeway Women releases. Every. Single. One. That’s the kind of discipline, credibility, passion, and loyalty we’re talking about. Thankfully, she’s not getting out of ministry altogether. It will just look different in the future.
In her role, Chris has overseen the relationships between Lifeway Women and churches across the United States, equipping them to minister to women of all ages and stages of life. She’s managed various branches of women’s leadership development and represented Lifeway Women at numerous denominational meetings and events. But how do you sum up the dedication it takes to be used by God to equip approximately a million leaders in the last 22 years?
We are so grateful for Chris—her unending contribution to Lifeway Women, her friendship, and the way she lives out her faith.
On November 1, 2016, Kelly King will assume the role of Women’s Ministry Specialist, and will work together with Chris until her retirement in March. Kelly currently serves as the Women’s Missions and Ministries Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO), a position she has held for 11 years.
We are thrilled to welcome Kelly to this role, and we look forward to serving alongside her in the years to come. She brings immediate leadership experience and expertise to this role. God has gifted her with unique skills that will propel Lifeway’s ministries into the future.
Kelly is also an adjunct professor at her Alma Mater, Oklahoma Baptist University, where she teaches women’s ministry courses. Along with teaching and equipping women, she is pursuing a Master of Theological Studies degree at Gateway Seminary. She has written extensively for Christian publications, including Lifeway Christian Resources.
Prior to her work at the BGCO, Kelly served as the Women’s Ministry Director at Council Road Baptist Church where she and her husband still teach and mentor young adults. She has been married to her husband, Vic, for 28 years. They have two young adult children and a new “son-in-love.”
Join us in thanking Chris for her invaluable contribution to ministry to women and welcoming Kelly to serve in this important role.
