About

ABOUT RICHARD & PAM SCHUMACHER 

Since January 2008 I have served as Regional Associate Superintendent and Church Planting Missionary for the Evangelical Free Church of America’s Central District.  My primary mission is to advance the planting of new churches among the more than 8.7 million residents of Missouri and Arkansas.  This blog will keep you informed and allow you an opportunity to interact with me in this work.

Born and raised in Chicago I completed undergradute (B.S.C.) and graduate (M.B.A.) studies at DePaul University.  I joined Chicago’s largest bank and for the next quarter century my career was oriented toward corporate banking, capital markets and treasury management at several world-class financial institutions.  My global executive responsibilities and overseas postings allowed my wife Pam and I to simultaneously pursue mission and church planting projects in Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico, Russia and Germany.

After leaving a unit of Germany’s Deutsche Bank in 2001, I decided to reorient my career toward ministry and used a study sabbatical to complete a Master of Arts in theological studies and missions at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis.  My home church of the preceding 15 years invited me to join its staff as Pastor of Outreach Ministries.  During five years of pastoral ministry I advanced my ministry preparation by completing a Master of Divinity degree at Covenant Seminary and by being ordained in the EFCA in 2007.

My partner in life and ministry over three decades has been my wife Pam.  Pam is a nurse-manager for a major national extended care facility operator.  We met through the ministry of InterVarsity and Nurses Christian Fellowship which she served as a campus staff before we relocated overseas.  Pam served on the missions staff of First Evangelical Free Church, the board of ReachGlobal (previously the EFCA International Mission) and has been active in missions and church planting.  Our three adult children are spread across the globe: Dr. Lydia Schumacher lives in Oxford (United Kingdom), Alex & wife Kassie live in California and Elliot lives in Florida.

Please use this blog to keep up on our lives and ministry and as a reminder to pray for the work God wants to accomplish through us.

ABOUT THE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF AMERICA (EFCA)

The Basics
The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of some 1,300 autonomous churches united by a mutual commitment to serve our Lord Jesus Christ with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and obedience to the Word of God. We are committed to cooperate with one another in ministry and fellowship as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission which Christ has entrusted to His Church. The growing ministry of the EFCA currently extends to some 45 countries of the world.

What Does “Evangelical” Mean?
The term Evangelical refers to our commitment to the proclamation of the Gospel and to the authority of Scriptures as being inerrant in the original writings and the only safe and sufficient guide to faith and practice.

What Does “Free” Mean?
The term Free refers to our form of church government as being congregational. Evangelical Free Churches depend upon the active participation of lay people in the decisions and directions.

Where can I learn more?

Follow this link to the Evangelical Free Church of America Web Site: www.efca.org

ABOUT THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND CHURCH PLANTING IN MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS

The Evangelical Free Church of America is divided into 18 districts to better serve the needs of the local church. The Central District is comprised of Iowa, southeastern South Dakota, Missouri and Arkansas. At present, four full-time missionaries support church planting initiatives in the northern and southern regions of the district and among Hispanics and other ethnic communities. For more information, please visit our Central District web sites:
GO TO CENTRAL DISTRICT EVENTS AND PAYMENTS SITE
 GO TO CENTRAL DISTRICT CHURCH PLANTING SITE INCLUDING INFORMATION ON CHURCH PLANTING MISSIONARIES