The board received Barrentine's retirement letter, setting Oct. 31 as the effective date, and appointed an executive director search committee. They board announced a search for an interim executive director, with the aim of naming that person by the next scheduled board meeting in September.
Barrentine, now in his 46th year of ministry, has served as the second executive director-treasurer of the BCI since it was organized as a convention in 1995. He succeeded O. Wyndell Jones, who retired in 2001. Prior to the organization of the Iowa convention, three executive directors served the Iowa Southern Baptist Fellowship: David Bunch, Robert Stuckey and Jones (who served both the fellowship and the convention). Southern Baptist work in Iowa was first led by Avery Wooderson, superintendent of missions for the Iowa Baptist Association, an association of the Missouri Baptist Convention.
In his letter to the board, Barrentine stated, "We intend, so long as the Father gives us life and strength, to continue in HIS service. We also intend to continue to advocate on behalf of the Baptist Convention of Iowa and for other state conventions such as this one. We covet your prayers and promise ours."
Barrentine moved to Iowa from Little Rock, where he had been the Arkansas Baptist State Convention's missions team leader.
Barrentine also has served as a director of missions in Arkansas and Texas and as a missionary to Paraguay for the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention). Prior to his missions and denominational service, he was a pastor in Texas and Mississippi. Barrentine is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and Mississippi College in Clinton.
His wife Joan also has announced her resignation, effective Sept. 30, as the partnership and ministry consultant for the Iowa convention's missions team. She served for the past year in the capacity as a part-time employee and for several years previously as a volunteer.
The Barrentines plan to move to Clinton, Miss., where they have purchased a home.
Richard Nations is the publications editor for the Iowa Baptist, the newspaper of the Baptist Convention of Iowa.
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