ABOUT
My name is Kari Yli-Renko, and my whole adult life has been about Sports, Business, and ministry...
It all started in University where I was an all-conference tackle and Academic All-American at University of Cincinnati. Next came a 12-year Pro football career in the USFL and CFL, before going into business, then ministry. While playing football I was involved as a player-leader working with Athletes In Action staff, discipling other players, and speaking to youth, business and church groups. After retiring from football, I operated an award-winning family fun center for 6 years until family illness forced its closure. The center focused on developing children through play. For 6 years I had the privilege of serving as Executive Director of the Ottawa Christian Leadership Centre, a division of ONEWAY Ministries. The leadership center helped connect and equip God’s leaders through workshops, seminars, and small group experiences. I joined Athletes in Action as a full-time staff member in summer 2008, serving as National Director. This brought me back to my roots in Sports ministry, and to multiplying movements. Since 2011 I have been focusing on growing movements of evangelism and discipleship in the marketplace in Ontario with LeaderImpact (a division of Power to Change Ministries). I have been married to my beautiful wife Marquita since 2005. Marquita operates her own small group ministry to women called “Ministry Room”. We have three daughters and four grandchildren, and live outside Ottawa, Ontario Canada. In my free time, I enjoy working out, walking on the beach, and fishing. I am an ordained Baptist minister.
This website and blog are focused on building spiritual movements of evangelism and discipleship. My mission is to help you live a life of increasing spiritual passion, effectiveness and influence to God’s glory. I write on Multiplication, Mission, and Community from a Christian spiritual perspective. Posts are geared to help people pass on their faith and to equip others to do the same. Sometimes I speak and write about stuff that doesn’t fit neatly into one of these categories.
My goal is to create inspiring, relevant content that you can put to work in your personal and professional life. If you are in a position of spiritual leadership—or want to be—then this blog is for you.
I typically post once weekly. To make sure you don’t miss my newest posts, you can subscribe using the form.