Bob Bender

I had the privilege of being raised in a pastor's home where my siblings and me followed our godly parents into the gospel ministry. I have spent 55 years in Christian ministry as an itinerate speaker, Student Pastor, Associate Pastor and Lead Pastor since 1980 retiring as Pastor Emeritus from Cross Fellowship Church here in Colorado Springs in 2022 after serving almost 20 years there. I have served as a Southern Baptist Convention officer in three different states most recently as President of Colorado Baptists.

By God's grace and for God's glory, I have had the privilege of raising $65 million for kingdom causes and hope to meet my goal of $100 million before I re-retire. I have had 10 years of formal theological training with a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and a Master's and Doctorate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary having been an Adjunct Professor at Gateway Seminary for 24 semesters.

Tell me about your differentiators, core values, advisor philosophy, etc. I am passionate about seeing that retirees are fully funded for fun AND fruitfulness as Director of Ministry Relations here at HIS Envoys Group. I am also humbled to be one of the signature speakers for Retirement Reformation--our partner company here in our Colorado Springs office. I also thoroughly enjoy engaging our current and future investment clients and retirement plan participants assisting them in fulfilling God's preferred future for them in their retirement years. My values of loyalty, excellence and integrity are filtered through my spiritual gifts of leadership and service motivating me to lead with a servant's heart.

I have been married to my beautiful wife Beverly for 50 plus years with three children and eleven grandchildren--all in Colorado Springs. I enjoy any active sport and working on our English Tutor built in 1931. According to the 16 Personalities template, I am a "natural-born leader, full of passion, influential, authentic, altruistic, bold and loyal."

My interest in the financial services industry began when I served as a trustee of a large Christian financial services firm with over $13B in assets under management of over 50,000 participants. After retiring from pastoring, I was presented with this wonderful opportunity in early 2023 to use that experience along with my relational equity to serve pastors and non-profit leaders in the Colorado Springs area. I introduce them to HIS Envoys Group differentiators of biblical responsible investing and quality service. My experience of over 50 years in local church ministry well equips me with insight as I visit with other pastors and non-profit leaders with my approach of helping to solve their financial challenges rather than just selling products. Everything that is accomplished in this world is done so in the context of relationships which are of great value to me as well of course to our Heavenly Father.