© 2024 Blake Cromwell. All Rights Reserved.
Blake A. Cromwell
A Life of Faith, Love, and Service
Blake Allen Cromwell
Blake was saved during the Jesus Movement in 1969 as a senior at Hanford High. He teamed up with Vernon Rogers, David Tolladay, and Wes Champlin to begin a Christian coffee house called His Place which was a ministry for the young people of Hanford, Lemoore, and Corcoran. He met and married Rena Keith in 1973. In the seventies, Blake and Rena graduated from Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, with degrees in Biblical studies.
In 1977, Blake accepted a position as an instructor at Shiloh Bible Training Institute in Montana. For the next five years, he taught Bible courses and led students on missions trips to Haiti, Trinidad, and Tobago. He also spent a good deal of time deer hunting in the wilds of the North. No doubt, this is where his son Andrew, born in 1976, learned to love to hunt. In 1979, Blake and Rena also welcomed their daughter, Joanna, into the world.
In 1982, Blake was invited to return to California and join the staff at Koinonia Christian Fellowship as the Associate Pastor. It was during these first years at KCF, that Pastor Blake traveled to Mexico for the first time and was introduced to a new work in Puebla. This first contact has lead to many more connections and the small group of college students Blake ministered to in the eighties is now a church of over 5,000.
In 1985, Blake and his family were sent out by Koinonia to plant a church in nearby Corcoran. For the next several years, Blake and Rena laid the foundations for a viable church in the small town and in 1988 handed over the leadership of Koinonia Christian Fellowship, Corcoran, into the hands of leaders they had trained and embarked on their next adventure.
In 1988, they moved to Mexico. Spending 9 months at language school in Guadalajara and then the next four years in Puebla working with Amistad de Puebla’s Bible school Estandarte para Las Naciones and traveling and ministering in a variety of congregations in central Mexico.
In 1992, the elders of Koinonia Christian Fellowship asked Blake and family to return from the mission field and lead the church. Over the next eleven years, Pastor Blake helped to lead the church to find God’s purpose in Kings County. As the church grew from approximately 250 people to over 1100 in weekly attendance, Blake and Rena always emphasized the power of Christ to meet the needs of people.
As the church grew, Blake hired more staff to help with the work. He also made sure that the church maintained an outward focus, and strongly encouraged the growth of ministries such as the support groups of the Personal Growth Department and programs such as the food distribution program, Convoy of Hope, the evangelistic outreach, Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames, and the New Year’s Eve party for teens, Party 4 Life.
Of course, Rena was not idle during this time. She directed the women’s ministry and was instrumental in the initiation of events such as the annual Ladies’ Retreat at Harris Ranch, the Summer Salad Supper, and the Christmas Tea.
In 2003, Pastor Blake realized it was time for a new phase and announced he and Rena’s intention to hand over the direction of the church to the next God-ordained leader. This transition was a smooth one, and is a testimony to the wisdom and character of Blake and Rena.
Once Blake and Rena retired they split their time between Arroyo Grande, CA and Punta Banda, south of Ensenada, Mexico. They traveled, enjoyed their kids and grandkids and did lots of Blake’s favorite hobby — fishing!
In late July 2023, during a trip to Ensenada, Blake went missing and is presumed to be deceased. While we believe he is no longer alive, our shared faith gives us comfort and hope we will see him again.
Curriculum Vita
Background
- Born: 1952 in Montebello, California
- Children: 1 boy (Andrew, b. 1976), 1 girl (Joanna, b. 1979)
- Conversion to Christ: June, 1969
Education
- Christ for the Nations: A.A. in Biblical Studies, 1976.
- Adelante Language School: Spanish Competency, 1988.
- Christian Life School of Theology: B.A. in Theology, 1996.
Ministry — Local Church
- Associate Pastor, Koinonia Christian Fellowship, Hanford, California (1982-1988)
- Church Planter, Koinonia Christian Fellowship, Corcoran, California (1985-1988)
- Advisor, Amistad Cristiana de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico (1992-Present)
- Senior Pastor, Koinonia Christian Fellowship, Hanford, California (1992-Present)
Ministry — Parachurch
- Instructor, Shiloh Bible Training Institute (1977-1981)
- Instructor, Instituto Estandarte para las Naciones (1989-1992)
- Director, Instituto Estandarte para las Naciones (1990-1991)