JAARS Leadership Transitions

JAARS board appreciates David Reeves and welcomes Eldon Barkman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WAXHAW, N.C. — April 20, 2010 — Today, following an announcement of the resignation of David Reeves as president and CEO of JAARS and the appointment of Phil McBride as acting president, JAARS Board Chair Judy Boyd provided details concerning JAARS ongoing vision and leadership in a brief address to the staff at the JAARS Center.

In the earlier resignation announcement, she had expressed that it had been a privilege to have Reeves serve JAARS, and that since the beginning of his appointment, he had embarked on helping JAARS enlarge its vision and participation in the worldwide Bible translation task with its current and new partners.

Representing the JAARS board, she then stated that David voluntarily submitted his resignation to the board effective April 2, 2010, and that following his resignation, David and his wife, Jane, would be continuing in ministry with the Bible translation movement in a position to be determined.

In today’s announcement, Boyd highlighted the organization’s role in removing technical and logistical obstacles that hinder Bible translators and support workers from completing the task of Bible translation. She thanked all JAARS staff for their "significant role in the Bible translation process through the JAARS ministry around the world." She also expressed the JAARS board’s appreciation for the senior leadership team in the current leadership transition, and reaffirmed that JAARS is continuing to move forward with its current vision and priorities—that JAARS will plug into where God is working in the global Bible translation movement.

To that end, the board has appointed Eldon “Butch” Barkman as interim president, who will serve JAARS with full authority while the board searches for a new president. The JAARS chair continued in saying that "based upon the foundation of those who have gone before him, Eldon becomes a steward of the dedication, sacrifice and commitment of all of you who have committed your lives to this ministry’s task. This is an unparalleled time in our history that requires clear direction in order to be able to go consistently and continuously where God is leading. Nothing JAARS does can happen without the provisioning of God’s mighty hand—and a significant portion of His provisioning is through you, the staff family. The vision for JAARS [and the Bibleless people it serves] cannot be fulfilled without each of you!"

###