Children’s Ministry Resources International Board of Trustees
Rick Bergstrom
Rick graduated from California State University Fullerton with a BA in Business with a concentration in Finance and Real Estate. Over the past 40 years, Rick has worked in the financial services industry including being a Regional Vice President for Charles Schaub & Company for 15 years. He is also a Certified Financial Planner. Currently, Rick is involved in residential, commercial, and industrial real estate redevelopment.
Rick continues to enjoy his involvement in various ministries at Calvary Church of Santa Ana. Rick currently serves as the Treasurer of the elder board as well as serving as the Chairman of the Trustees. He is also involved in the college and young adult ministries. Rick got his start in children’s ministry under the leadership of Jim Welles and served for 10 years in Washington.
Rick and Karen were married in 1983 and have two grown sons and two grown daughters and now have 2 grandsons. Rick trusted Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 19 when he attended Forest Home Christian Camp. Several years later he found out that Karen was a counselor then and had prayed for his salvation even though she had never met him.
David Bruner
David graduated with a BS from Texas A & M. David was one of the early pioneers of IFC (In-flight Communications) on commercial airliners. He was one of the founders and executives of AT&T Wireless Aviation Communications and later led the creation of the Global Communications Services group at Panasonic Avionics. David led the Panasonic business unit for over 10 years. After retiring from Panasonic David created, and is now leading, a small aeronautical communications consulting service, Aviation Communications Advisors.
David taught in the church elementary Sunday School for 10 years teaching an inductive Bible study on the book of John for 5th graders under the leadership of Jim Welles. David and Monika have three grown children and two grandchildren. Their children went through Team 3 Ministries that Jim Welles created. This experience convinced David and Monika that all the children of the world need this curriculum in their native language. David has been on the CMRI Board of Trustees since January 2011 when he replaced Sam Ericcson, Founder of Advocates International, following Sam’s death.
Chris Harris
Chris graduated from University of Kansas with a BA in Business Administration. While in school, technology grabbed Chris’ attention and has taken him through a 25+ year career where he has had amazing opportunities at companies like Microsoft to work with and learn from some of the best and brightest in the technology industry. He enjoys helping adults with computers.
Chris has always loved to teach and spend time with children especially in partnership with his wife, Christine. Over the years they have taught Sunday School together, led a Team 3 Ministries class under Jim and Sharon Welles, and served as a troopmaster for Trail Life USA for several years. Chris resides with his wife and 5 sons in Potlatch, Idaho.
Anne Mitchell Stevenson
Anne graduated with a BS degree in Home Economics and Chemistry from Purdue University. Anne worked 5 years for Restaurant Space Design and over 10 years for Peter Swindey Architects and Interior Design. Anne has been on the CMRI Board of Trustees since 2008 helping with administrative work, editing, typing manuals and putting on spirals.
Anne currently reviews Bible Study Lessons for Prisoners for Christ with her husband. She taught Sunday School for many years and ran Game Time for Team 3 Ministry at church for 15 years. Her hobbies include sewing dresses for orphans in Africa. Anne is married and has three grown children and eight grandchildren.
James Welles
Dr. James (Jim) Welles began his career working with children more than 40 years ago. James Welles is currently Founder & President of Children’s Ministry Resources International (CMRI), a non-profit organization established to help the children around the world memorize and retain God’s Word. Two of his eight manuals, Learning About God and Learning About Jesus have been translated into 14 languages. There have been over 60,000 copies given to needy children in over 34 countries, including communist China and Cuba.
Jim graduated with MS in Recreation Administration from CSU, Long Beach. His first job in parks and recreation quickly led to being named the Executive Director for Carpinteria Boys Club in Carpinteria, California. Under his leadership, the club grew from 80 to 430 boys in three years. Jim took the Grad Course in Bible at Multnomah School of the Bible. Passion for discipleship and evangelism led Jim to become a Children’s Pastor for over 36 years working in three large churches. While serving on John MacArthur’s staff at Grace Community Church for 15 years, Jim oversaw up to 2,000 children a week and trained up to 700 volunteers a year. Jim earned his Master of Divinity from Master’s Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry from Phoenix Seminary.
Michael Welles
Michael Welles is currently Executive Pastor of Calvary Church of Santa Ana where he has worked since 2002. Before that he was an auditor and earned his CPA at Arthur Andersen. He graduated from Biola University with a degree in Accounting and got his MBA from California State University, Fullerton in 2009. Growing up as the son of a Children’s Pastor, Michael has always enjoyed serving in ministry and has taught Sunday school and been a high school and college small group volunteer for many years. In addition to serving as a volunteer and Trustee at Calvary Church, Michael also has served on Wycliffe’s Audit Committee since 2010 and has been the Finance Chairman of the SIL International Board since 2016. Michael has traveled to over 50 countries and is excited to see what God is doing around the world through CMRI where he has served on the board since 2008. Michael resides with his wife and daughter in Orange County, CA.
Sharon Welles
Sharon Welles has been on the CMRI Board of Trustees since its inception in 2008. Previously she received her BA degree and teaching credential from Biola University after graduating from Multnomah School of the Bible (Multnomah Univ.) Sharon, a former teacher, has taught school in public and private schools including a summer in Ghana, West Africa with Sudan Interior Mission. Sharon was the Children’s Director for John MacArthur before marrying Jim. After raising their two children, Michael and Michelle, Sharon became a Sunday School Coordinator and a Team 3 Assistant Coordinator with Jim before he started CMRI in 2008. Currently Sharon assists Jim with the administrative detail of CMRI to help children memorize and retain the Word of God. Jim and Sharon have three grandchildren.
