Honouring Krista Penner and Celebrating a New Chapter
It is with deep gratitude and joy that we share an important staffing update from the Fellowship Pacific Ministry Centre and Northwest College and Seminary with our family of churches across British Columbia and the Yukon.
After more than 17 years of faithful, visionary service, Krista Penner will transition from her role at Fellowship Pacific to a new position at Northwest College and Seminary, where she will serve as Director of Leadership Development, beginning March 1, 2026.
As part of Northwest's Lilly Endowment collaborative grant project, Krista has been hired as the new Director of Leadership Development to train and support regional leadership development staff across Canada, including Fellowship Pacific, Fellowship Atlantic, Fellowship Prairies, our Fellowship churches and AEBEQ/SEMBEQ in Quebec, as well as the Baptist General Conference, who will recruit and mentor future pastoral leaders to be trained through Northwest in partnership with local churches.
Krista began serving at the Ministry Centre in 2008 as Director of Women’s Ministries, and later widened her impact as her gifts became clear. In Women’s Ministry, Krista’s gift for speaking was already evident, and it proved to be a powerful tool in expanding Fellowship Pacific’s mission and vision. She loves to use the Word of God to help people become excited about the future God has for them. Over the past several years, Krista has made an extraordinary impact as Team Leader of the Build Team at Fellowship Pacific. Her work has shaped leaders, strengthened churches, and influenced the future of ministry across our region and beyond.
Krista’s passion for developing the next generation of church leaders has been evident in every role she has held. Through initiatives such as Immerse, our in-church leadership education program, she has helped pastors and emerging leaders grow in theological depth and practical ministry skill. Her leadership has been instrumental in building pathways for learning, mentoring, and coaching, creating spaces where leaders are formed, encouraged, and equipped for lasting gospel impact.
Many churches have experienced Krista’s gift for vision-casting and connection through peer-to-peer mentoring, EQ Boot Camp, leadership coaching, and special projects, which have strengthened our fellowship. Her heart for collaboration, her thoughtful leadership, and her genuine care for people have left a lasting imprint on Fellowship Pacific.
We are excited that in this new role, Krista’s impact can reach beyond our region and across our national Fellowship. While her daily presence will be missed at the Ministry Centre, we celebrate that her calling continues in a role that closely aligns with her life’s work and passion for developing Christ-centred leaders. We are grateful that this move deepens the partnership between Fellowship Pacific and Northwest College and Seminary, and we look forward to the ways Krista’s leadership will continue to serve the broader Church.
We give thanks to God for Krista’s faithful service, her leadership, and her enduring commitment to developing leaders for the sake of the gospel. Please join us in expressing our gratitude for all she has contributed to Fellowship Pacific and in praying God’s blessing over her as she steps into this next chapter.
With gratitude,
Brent Chapman, Regional Director of Fellowship Pacific
Barton Priebe, President of Northwest College & Seminary