Free Will Baptist North American Ministries is dedicated to planting churches across America as well as Canada, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Chaplains minister to thousands of men and women serving the nation. And cross cultural church planting specialists connect with people who have come to America from all over the world. Learn more about our ministry: www.FWBNAM.com.

Mark and Donna Thomas Honored for 36 Years of Faithful Service

Pueblo, CO — For 36 years, Mark and Donna Thomas have faithfully served the Lord through Free Will Baptist North American Ministries (NAM) and the broader Free Will Baptist family. When they began their church planting journey in 1988, the department was called Free Will Baptist Home Missions and was led by Mark’s father Roy Thomas. Mark embarked as a church planter after serving as minister to the military at Gateway FWB Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

As Mark and Donna step into retirement and prepare for a new chapter in life, it is fitting to pause and thank them for a lifetime of obedience and their gospel impact. Their journey has been marked by a clear calling to plant churches and strengthen the work of Christ in the largely unreached western states. For 36 years, they faithfully partnered with NAM, investing their lives in places where gospel presence was desperately needed.

Perhaps nowhere is that faithfulness more evident than in Colorado, where Mark and Donna planted two churches. In 1988, they moved to Greeley, Colorado, and planted Highland Hills FWB Church. They remained there until the church was self-supporting and able to call a pastor. This church continues to impact its community today.

In 2007, they raised support a second time and moved three hours south of Greeley to Pueblo West and did it again, establishing a Free Will Baptist church. Although the church isn’t completely self-supporting yet, Lory and Danielle Rawlinson have moved to Pueblo West from Florence, South Carolina, to take it to the finish line.

Church planting is never easy, and planting in the West often comes with unique challenges of spiritual resistance and long seasons where progress feels slow (not to mention snowy winters). Through it all, the Thomases remained steadfast, preaching the gospel, discipling believers, loving and serving people well, and staying the course, even when the work proved difficult. Their ministry has always extended beyond any single location or assignment. They have been faithful representatives of NAM and the Free Will Baptist family, modeling holiness, integrity, and a deep love for Christ and the local church.

As they retire and relocate to Arizona to be closer to family, Mark and Donna are not stepping away from ministry so much as stepping into a new season. Retirement, for them, is not an ending but a transition. Their desire to continue serving churches in the western U.S. reflects the same heart that has guided them for decades. They are committed to being used by God wherever He places them.

We are deeply grateful for Mark and Donna Thomas. On behalf of NAM and the Free Will Baptist family, we thank them for 36 years of faithful service and for believing in the mission of Free Will Baptist North American Ministries. We thank them for loving people, planting churches, and serving Christ with endurance and joy. May God richly bless the Thomases in this next chapter as they continue serving Christ and His Church.

About the Writer: Dr. Brad Ransom is the chief training officer at North American Ministries.

NAM Hispanic Bible Institute Graduates Nine

Greenville, NC — Congratulations to the graduating class of 2025! This December, nine students graduated from the NAM Hispanic Bible Institute at Parker’s Chapel FWB Church in Greenville, North Carolina. This year’s graduates came from North Carolina, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Alabama.

We are thankful for each student’s enthusiasm for ministry and willingness to follow the Lord’s leading. We are also grateful to every administrator, instructor, and pastor who supported them and equipped them for their next season of Kingdom service.

Preservation Efforts Continue at the Ridge Church

New Durham, NH — In addition to recent work on the outside of the Ridge Church building, the inside received a much-needed update last fall. After decades of use, a local team removed and replaced the carpeting and runners on the church aisles and continued maintenance on the building, bell tower, and grounds.

A special thank you to Jewell Thomsen, who sponsored the carpet replacement project in honor of her late husband, Rev. Neal Thomsen.

CELF Now Accepting Applications

Nashville, TN — The Church Extension Loan Fund is currently accepting new loan applications from churches and ministries. If you’re planning a building project, expansion, or ministry initiative, we’re here to help. Visit fwbnam.com/CELF/ for more information.

Note: Please be aware CELF may not be available in all states.