July 28, 2023
Rick Jett, who was associated with IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service) for almost four decades, and who led the mission agency for 19 years as executive director before retiring two years ago, died on Wednesday.
June 29, 2023
In honor of the 50th anniversary of IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service), we again share a 1991 article about Milton B. Bates, the man who started the disaster relief organization. IDES will mark its anniversary with an open house July 8 at its headquarters in Noblesville, Ind.
September 15, 2021
Three churches had their first official worship service on Sunday: Accelerate Church of Camden County, N.J., Beacon Christian Church of Derry, N.H., and Elevate Christian Church in Lexington, Ky.
January 14, 2021
Rick Jett, who just transitioned to the role of executive director emeritus of IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service), wrote about the origins of the organization in a Christian Standard article from exactly 30 years ago. Jett has a 35-year association with IDES. He served on the organization’s board of trustees for 16 years leading up to his hiring as executive director in 2002. David Stine took over for Jett as executive director Jan. 1. (Click here to read that story.) Jett’s 1991 article is about how and why Milton B. Bates started IDES. Bates was Jett’s father-in-law. (Jett married Milton
January 13, 2021
By Jim Nieman After 16 years on the board of IDES followed by 19 years as the organization’s executive director, Rick Jett has transitioned out of the latter role and David Stine has been named to succeed him. Since 2016, Stine has served as director of operations with IDES—International Disaster Emergency Service—a Christian church/church of Christ organization incorporated in 1973 to provide emergency assistance via missionaries who were in or near disaster situations around the world. “I am honored to continue the legacy of meeting the physical and spiritual needs of suffering people throughout the world in the name of
September 6, 2017
By Jim Nieman Dale Smith has been very pleased with the Hurricane Harvey flooding-related recovery efforts at Cy-Fair Christian Church, Houston, Texas. “It”s been very, very busy, but it is going fantastic,” the church”s interim lead pastor said. “There are challenges, but God is just showing his favor.” Smith cites some statistics: “157 people in the church have volunteered to help. We have 57 people out serving on 7 teams today.” Some teams are being organized to work evenings, as well. (The church averages 300 to 350 for weekend worship.) Smith said an out-of-state minister told him in recent days
November 21, 2015
By Rick Jett I used to feel sorry for the away team. When I ministered in Marion, Indiana, in the mid-1980s, the Marion Giants were the dominant high school basketball team in the state. They were state champions three years in a row. On game day, everyone in town wore purple and gold to support the home team. Nearly 7,000 fans would fill the high school athletic arena. The ceremony before each home game was designed to intimidate the away team. After everyone stood for the national anthem, the announcer would introduce the starting lineup for the visitors. The cheerleaders
By Rick Jett (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received was from Alan Ahlgrim, former senior minister of Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Colorado. About 20 years ago, Alan was teaching one of the graduate classes I was taking at Cincinnati Christian University. One lesson was about personal growth of a leader. He said good leaders are constantly growing. They will read, take classes, attend conferences, and interview other leaders. He explained that growing leaders will set goals. He walked us through an exercise of writing goals and action steps
February 21, 2012
By Jennifer Taylor IDES (Founded 1973) P.O. Box 60, Kempton, IN 46049 www.ides.org Rick Jett, Executive Director Until 2005, International Disaster Emergency Service primarily received donations from churches and individuals and channeled the money to missionaries or U.S. agencies. When disaster struck, churches knew they could trust IDES to manage the gifts and ensure every penny went to the designated cause. Today IDES is still a “top of mind” organization for charitable giving, especially in response to earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters, and as much as 70 percent of its ministry is facilitating these gifts. However, the IDES team
February 28, 2010
By John Caldwell My first experience with the National Missionary Convention was when it came to Joplin, Missouri, in 1965 while I was a student at Ozark Bible College. A few hundred people met at Memorial Hall with Woodrow Phillips, Ozark”s missions professor, serving as president. The halls were lined with displays, mostly homemade. Quite honestly, there is little else I can remember except that I felt honored to be in the presence of missionaries from all around the world whom I considered to be heroes of the faith. It would be many years before I would attend the convention
February 1, 2009
By Ziden Nutt From across the Americas and around the world nearly 4,500 people gathered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for inspiration, information, and instruction at the 61st National Missionary Convention, November 20-23. They came to praise God for what he is doing among those who dwell in every tribe and nation. They came from the smallest of language groups and the largest world-class cities, and places in between. Well over 100,000 registered in support of the convention. The program was designed for all ages, from little Johnnie in a stroller to Harland Cary in his 90s who had spoken at the
August 16, 2006
Rick Jett explains how International Disaster Emergency Services (IDES) works through churches and missionaries to deliver aid in crises, strengthen local witness, and help congregations prepare to respond to disasters.
Sponsored
Sponsored
Sponsored
April 28, 2026
Rick Cherok
April 28, 2026
David Faust
April 28, 2026
Rick Cherok