Early Life & Education

Rick Renner (full name Richard Raymond Renner) was born on July 21, 1958 in Sand Springs, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.

He studied journalism and Greek while in college, developing a deep interest in biblical studies, language, and Christian teaching.

Call to Ministry & Move to Europe

Rick and his wife, Denise Renner, married in October 1985 and worked together in ministry in the United States for several years.

In January 1992, the Renner’s and their sons relocated to Latvia (then part of the recently-opened post-Soviet region) to engage in Christian ministry among Russian-speaking people.

Founding Churches & Media Outreach

After arriving in Latvia, Rick planted the church that would become the Moscow Good News Church in Russia (in 2000) and also helped establish other churches in the former Soviet Union.

He founded several entities:

• Media Mir: the first Christian television network targeting the former USSR, Russian-speaking viewers.
• Renner Ministries (based in Oklahoma/Tulsa area) as his international teaching and authorial base.
• Good News Association of Pastors & Churches, an association of churches and leaders in the region.

Under his leadership, the Moscow Good News Church has grown to become “one of the largest Protestant churches in the city of Moscow,” and his TV network reaches hundreds of millions of potential viewers.

Teaching, Writing & Specialisms

Rick Renner is known particularly for:

• His expertise in New Testament Greek and Biblical history, which underpin his teaching approach.
• His prolific authoring: more than 30 or even 100+ books and study guides (depending on source) in multiple languages.
• His emphasis on Christian maturity, leadership training (especially for the Russian-speaking church), global outreach, and practical Christian living.
• Among his better-known books are Dressed to Kill and Sparkling Gems from the Greek.

Personal & Family Life

Rick and Denise have three sons—Paul, Philip, and Joel—who have been involved in ministry. Their family moved to and live in Russia, participating fully in the local church and cultural context.

Legacy & Current Status

Rick Renner continues to serve as Senior Pastor of Moscow Good News Church and leads Renner Ministries’ global outreach.

His ministry’s impact includes:

• Training church leaders via the Good News Training Center.
• Publishing books and resources in Russian and English, and distribution into Eastern Europe and beyond.
• Broadcasting via satellite and the Internet to Russian and international audiences.
• A long-term commitment to ministry in the former Soviet Union (30+ years).

Significance

Rick Renner represents a model of cross-cultural ministry: an American-trained teacher who answered a call to serve in Eastern Europe and Russia, built media and church infrastructure in a context many Western ministries did not focus on, and emphasized Biblical language, leadership development, and global outreach.

His writings and broadcasts continue to influence those interested in Christian leadership, Bible study (especially Greek), and Russian-speaking Christian communities.