Charles Kelley grew up in a Latvian-American home in Los Angeles, California. He committed his life to the Lord Jesus in 1969 when he attended the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles. During his high school and college years, he participated in many international ministry trips to destinations such as Mexico, Canada, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, and Great Britain. He studied at BIOLA University and completed his BA degree at BIOLA in 1977 with a major in intercultural studies and concentrations in cultural anthropology, linguistics, and European history. He studied pastoral ministry at Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX and then earned an MA in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. After serving in several music, youth and associate pastor positions in Paramount, California (Paramount Baptist Church), Arlington, Texas (Pantego Bible Church) and Oregon, he became Pastor of Kingwood Bible Church in Salem in 1984. In 1988, he became Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Corvallis, where he served until 1995. In all, he worked in pastoral ministry for 21 years. He first visited Soviet Latvia in 1985 and was shocked at the conditions the people lived in and, as a result, the course of his changed. Since 1985, he has made more than 150 trips to the Republic of Latvia, giving himself to extensive preaching, networking, pastor training, mentoring and citywide evangelism. Many thousands have taken steps toward Christ as a result of multiple ministry initiatives … nationwide. In 1994, he founded Bridge Builders International. In 1999, BBI launched a Latvian affiliate, Partners Association. He currently serves as Chairman of the Partners Board of Directors. In 1999, he organized Hope ’99, a nationwide saturation evangelism effort in Latvia with evangelist Luis Palau and a team of 150 churches and ministries from 14 countries. During Hope ’99, the message of Christ was presented more than 200 times in multiple settings to more than 50,000 people in 33 cities around Latvia, as well as on national television and radio.Former President of Latvia, Guntis Ulmanis, served as honorary patron of the festival and publicly stood to underscore his commitment to Christ at the closing service. In all, some 5,000 people took public steps toward Christ during Hope ’99. In 2002, Charles helped establish the Latvian Evangelical Alliance and served on its Board for many years. In 2005, helped established the Latvian National Prayer Breakfast Committee to build a Prayer Breakfast Movement in Latvia. In 2007, at the request of Baptist Bishop Peteris Sprogis, he helped establish Baltic Pastoral Institute where Kelley serves as Dean of International Affairs and teaches theology and missiology. His book, Surprised by the Father’s Plan, tells story of his family and BBI. It was released in English in 2005 and in Latvian in 2006. Charles is a lover of art, especially painting. He began painting in 2004 at the feet of two Latvian masters. He was a good friend of the late American artist, Thomas Kinkade. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the new Thomas Kinkade Museum. In 2014, he started a significant ministry to artists and musicians, Imago Dei Latvia. It touches all three Baltic nations with the message of hope and help. In 2003, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga awarded Charles with one of Latvia’s highest honors, the Gold Medal of the Order of the Three Stars. He and Nancy and have been married 41 years and live in Philomath, Oregon, a small timber town near Corvallis. They also keep a small apartment in Riga’s Old Town. They have four grown children, all of whom are married, and nine grandchildren.