Mike Jentes Moving West, Leaving thequest

Mike Jentes (shown here with Mindi and children) has informed his network of house churches in the Columbus, Ohio, area that he has accepted a new challenge and will be moving west. Here is an excerpt from his latest e-mail update:

I wanted to share with you the transition that is going on in our lives. You know that through the awesome support and launch of the East Side Grace Brethren Church (www.esgbc.org), we started thequest nearly eight years ago.

It has been a joy to see thequest impact many people's lives, serve our urban communities and start many house churches. Starting in the Short North and spreading all over Columbus and around the world, the light of Jesus has shone through the people and the churches connected to thequest.

At the end of January, I was offered a position with Church Multiplication Associates (CMA). CMA is the District Mission Board of the Southern California and Arizona Grace Brethren Churches, with our friend and mentor Neil Cole as executive director (www.cmaresources.org).

I've been working alongside them for a year & a half in a part-time role alongside my work with thequest. At this time, I know that God is calling me to step into that fuller role with CMA. One of the parts of that opportunity is that I would be in Long Beach, CA to fulfill the responsibilities.

To help make that happen the Los Altos Grace Brethren Church in Long Beach has invited us to come on their staff and help them too. (Phil Helfer- senior pastor, on the Fellowship Council of FGBC, and on the board with CMA - www.lagbc.org ) It is just like our God to make a win-win-win situation!

We came to the decision in the last month or so to follow God's call to serve in these roles. We are now in the process of telling others about our decision.

As far as timing is concerned, I have already stepped up my responsibilities with CMA. We are also looking at making the move to Long Beach at the end of July. There are obviously LOTS of details and things still to come together for a cross-country move. We'd covet your prayers for everything to come together for our family.

In addition, we BEG for your prayers for thequest as choices have to be made about the future. My prayer is that the best days of thequest are still ahead!