Rick & Carol calenberg

Sending Agency: SIM

e-mail: Rick e-mail: Carol

Rick and Carol both knew early on that God was calling them to overseas missions work. Rick grew up in a Christian military family and lived many places including Japan. Meeting missionaries taught him of the need for people willing to serve in countries and cultures not their own to bring the good news of Jesus Christ. Carol knew, when she and Rick were dating that saying “yes” to him meant saying “yes” to missions.

Rick served at a Bible church in NW Indiana and then taught at Moody Bible Institute for 10 years. In 1984 they joined SIM and moved to Jos, Nigeria, where they both taught at JETS – Jos ECWA Theological Seminary for seven years. His involvement with students at JETS included evangelistic outreaches and establishing an outreach basketball ministry. Rick and Carol returned to the Chicago area where for six years Rick taught at Moody Graduate School while Carol studied and completed her Master’s degree. They returned to Nigeria in 1997; this time in an administrative role with SIM.

Rick and Carol's connection with SWBIBLE began while Rick was serving as NW Regional Director for SIM in Portland mobilizing churches. Rick also served as an adjunct professor at Multnomah Seminary and Western Seminary, teaching and discipling students, imparting to them a vision for overseas ministry. Carol was involved in speaking at retreats and conferences and counseled women at Shepherd's Door, a ministry of the Portland Rescue Mission to homeless women and their families.

Rick served as the International Director for the Romans Project from 2011 to 2018. As a close friend of John Corey, he jumped at the opportunity to combine two of his passions, equipping pastors and ministering in Africa! He remains on the board as Romans Project International Director Emeritus.

He then served as the head of the missions department at Dallas Theological Seminary for a few years, while helping to start the Romans Project in India. But Africa kept calling; he and Carol returned to Liberia in 2019 to help establish the Evangelical Seminary of West Africa, which is where they now serve.