Bob Stone has been in pastoral ministry since 1966 and has been married to his wife, Nancy, for the same amount of time. Bob and Nancy have 2 grown children and 6 grandchildren. He has a heart for missional activity across the street and around the world. He has traveled extensively overseas and to many local Starbucks and coffee places.
Ministry History
Bob served as pastor of Hillcrest Chapel in Bellingham, WA for 28 years. He enjoyed the pastoral work immensely and Hillcrest afforded him so many outstanding ministry experiences and opportunities that it would be impossible to record or even recall them all. The church had an extensive outreach with many healthy ministries locally and around the world. During his years as pastor he was privileged to see the church grow from 125 to a range of 1600-1800 people. The staff increased to 8 full-time pastors, 12 full and part-time staff; 4 full-time campus pastors and 6 to 8 interns; 3+ counselors plus part-time staff and interns at Hillcrest Community Services; and multiple staff at Hillcrest Kids Day Care. The church started 2 satellite churches and sent out one church planting team to Richmond, BC, Canada. Their university ministry was able to start and/or staff well over 20+ campus ministries in the US, and they have sent many as full-time missionaries. During these 28 years the church saw over 150 people go into full-time pastoral or missionary service, and sent out numerous short-term missions teams. The church had an extensive list of supported missionaries all over the world. Over 70% of regular attenders were involved in small groups.
Bob then served at Shoreline Community Church, where he was privileged to mentor and encourage another generation of young and very talented staff pastors and a staff team (by the way, they mentored him too). He enjoyed the encouraging and fruitful relationship with the church board as well as the great mixture of ages, gifts and ministry passion of the Shoreline Church Community. In keeping with the great tradition of Shoreline before Bob arrived, they have seen a continual growth in missional awareness and activity. Numerous short-term missions trips have been sent around the world with both youth and adults. Their MAPS teams have built schools, churches, homes, and other projects in many strategic places. They began an extensive outreach to a people group in India, a very productive pastoral training in strategic places in the Middle East, and launched a ministry to, and an awareness of orphans, through their yearly Orphan Sunday emphasis. Bob’s greatest delight is what the church calls their hedgehog concept, built on 2 Timothy 2:2 (he calls it being 3 deep). He loved to teach his mentoring class and the Titus 2 small groups for older and young men in the church. SCC’s commitment to small groups, ministry and the church gatherings is summed up in a simple formula: 1+1+1=church (one gathering, one ministry, and one growth group [small group] = church).
Current
Bob’s greatest joy is teaching and mentoring, and he continues to share his gifts through Eagle Flight Mentoring.
OTHER MINISTRY EXPERIENCES AND EDUCATION
- Doctor of Ministry from Western Seminary, Portland, Oregon
- Presbyter and Executive Presbyter, Northwest Ministry Network for 12 years
- Development of Seminar on Biblical Exposition (training pastors to prepare expositional messages) and Scribe School Seminars (Inductive Bible Study)
- Church planting – Calvary Chapel, Seattle, Washington, 1975-1977
- Development of the School of Discipleship
- EagleFlight Seminar and Reflection Retreat (focus on Spiritual health habits)
- Expository notes and summaries through EagleFlight.org
- Canticles (an ancient-future approach to church gatherings)
- Home Base ministries for families
- The Race (an assimilation and maturity program for adults)
- Internship programs at Calvary Christian Assembly, Seattle, Washington and Hillcrest Chapel, Bellingham, Washington
- Board Member, Childcare International, Bellingham, Washington for 15+ years
- Board member, Chi Alpha Ministries, University of Washington and Kidzana, Mukilteo, Washington
- Elder with the Northwest Ministry Network (this is one of his greatest joys!)