The Board of General Superintendents has elected Scotland native Jim Ritchie to the position of Eurasia regional director, effective 19 October 2020. 

The Church of the Nazarene’s General Board ratified the election with an email vote coordinated by Gary W. Hartke, general secretary. David Graves, jurisdictional general superintendent for Eurasia, and Verne S Ward III, Global Missions director, prayerfully led the nomination and election process. 

Ritchie succeeds Arthur Snijders, who served as regional director for more than six years. 

“Jim Ritchie is a devoted, passionate follower of Jesus, who has a drive to reach people for Christ,” Graves said. “He is an anointed preacher of the Word of God and committed to the doctrine of holiness and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. Jim is an outstanding and effective pastor, district superintendent, and encourager of leaders. I am excited for the future of the Eurasia Region under his leadership.” 

God has led Ritchie through a diverse ministry background since 1982. Most recently, he has served in the dual leadership roles of British Isles North District superintendent since 2016 and senior pastor of the Trinity Church of the Nazarene, Perth, Scotland, since 2012. 

Ordained in 1998 in the Church of Scotland, he has pastored several local congregations in Scotland and Canada. Additionally, he headed The Scotland Trust as national director from 2008 to 2012; led Power to Live, a youth and school outreach movement as executive director; and founded One Trust, a youth, music, and sports ministry, leading as ministry director. He holds a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Edinburgh University, Scotland.

After he joined the denomination, the Church of the Nazarene accepted Ritchie’s ordination in 2013. 

“We have loved being part of a family of faith with a local and global heart,” Ritchie said. “We feel absolutely at home theologically, ecclesiologically, and missionally with the church’s ethos and priorities.” 

Following his parents and sister, Ritchie gave his life to Christ at the age of 16 and says that he “almost immediately had a passion for missions.” He joined a variety of summer missions teams throughout Scotland. In 1982, he met Maggie on a summer missions trip, and they were married the next year. They have five adult children and one grandson. All of them live for Christ.

Gifted musically, Ritchie ministered through the Christian rock band Triumph across the UK and Europe. He continues to use his talent by helping to lead worship at several Eurasia Regional Conferences, as well as Nazarene district assemblies and national conferences in the UK. 

“Jim comes to this ministry assignment with broad experience in the mission of the Church and is a collaborative leader that builds successful teams.” Ward said. “Jim and Maggie are servants with a passion for Jesus and for every person to have an opportunity to know Jesus. Global Missions welcomes Jim to this ministry of leadership as the Church of the Nazarene is being used of God to fulfill the commission to share hope, love, and truth at every opportunity.” 

“Maggie and I are very honoured and excited to be given this call to serve Jesus and His Church across the nations of Eurasia,” Ritchie said. 

--Board of General Superintendents