Welcome Transitional Pastor Ron Routledge

Ron Routledge was born at Freeman Hospital in Joplin and has deep family roots in the Seneca area. Marrying his high school sweetheart, Louise Ann Stonebraker in 1983 (in Springfield!) and creating a beautiful family together are two of Ron's greatest accomplishments. Together they have 4 children and a grandson: Rebekah, and her 3 year old son Kaisyn; Ransom, a 2008 graduate of Drury University; and identical twin daughters, Ronikah and Monikah. They joyfully live and work together upon a 10 acre organic farm, Heavenly Acres, in Brookfield, Missouri where Louise Ann stays very busy caring for animals, while also growing and canning lots of produce.

Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s in Education from MU-Columbia, Ron later moved his family to Kentucky where he earned his Master of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary. Having served as a Senior Minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for the past 20 years, Ron has recently been trained in Transitional Ministry. The clarity of his calling is summed up in this personal mission statement: "As Transitional Pastor, God calls me to shepherd and strengthen the heart of the Church, one congregation at a time." He continues to immerse himself in the principles of organizational health, leadership and change as it applies to the Church, the Body of Christ.

In addition to providing leadership for multiple Ministerial Alliances, Ron has offered personal and spiritual growth workshops over the years. Energized about partnering with the leadership team at Central Christian, he welcomes the opportunity to assist in the formation of a new chapter of ministry while also assisting in the mentoring of the future Senior Minister. All glory to God for a life full of grace!