In 1964 my dad moved our family to Santa Rosa, California. My mom, always eager to “turn over a new leaf”, announced that we would attend church that coming Sunday. By now I was 15 and protested the decision to attend a small neighborhood church. In the end my mom prevailed with this simple proposition, “Just go this once and if you do not like it you never have to go again”. This was a rare opportunity. By putting in one hour I could get the church issue behind me, for the time being, at least.
On Sunday I appeared at the front of the Santa Rosa Bible Church. Before I could make my way to the door I was met by a couple of young people my age, who took me directly to the Sunday School class in which I belonged. When class time was over and I prepared to leave they pressed me to join them in the Sunday morning service. As I walked from that service I was invited to the evening youth activity. At the end of that activity I was invited to the evening service. I was beginning to think that all of this was a little much. I thought I would be done with this in an hour and now I have been in church for 5 hours on one Sunday!! The youth had a social gathering afterward and then invited me to the Bible Club meeting on Wednesday. By Thursday afternoon I received Christ as my Savior. I have never forgotten how God used the love and acceptance of these young people to expose me to the Gospel of Christ
The small church in Santa Rosa turned out to be a church that loved and taught the Bible. The first week I was saved, I scraped together all the money I had, called the pastor to ask advice, and then went down and bought a leather bound Bible”. I opened it randomly to read and my eyes fell on this verse
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2"Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Eph. 6:1-3;
I was immediately convicted that my life had to change completely. I read the Bible constantly through High School, listened to Christian preaching on the radio and attended church whenever there was something going on.
On my sixteenth birthday my high school leader gave me a concordance, and a commentary on the book of Romans. He proceeded to teach me how to do a word study at his dining room table. From that time on I knew I must study and know the Bible. That began a process of God’s transforming power in my life that is still going on. I give praise to God for His faithfulness to a fallen sinner like me. What a flood of Grace has been poured out on one lost sheep. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
EducationDuring my junior year of High School God placed in my heart the desire to abandon the plans I had for my life and career and pursue some sort of Christian Service. I guess you could call it a "call to ministry." It took me only a few minutes to exchange the my plans for His while at a camp meeting in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I really did wonder what God might ask me to do but felt great peace about leaving the decision to Him.
Through a series of events, God directed me to Western Baptist Bible College in El Cerrito, CA. My own pastor had attended there but all the kids in my youth group were heading to Southern California. Nevertheless, I began my formal education in the Bible there in the fall of 1967. During the summer of 1969 the College moved to Salem, OR. I followed the school there and graduated with a Bachleor of Science in Bible in 1972. In 1974 we attended the University of North Dakota's Summer Institute of Linguistics in preparation for missionary service in Irian Jaya [New Guinea].
Most recently God allowed me to return to study at The Cornerstone Seminary where I completed the MDiv. in June of 2007. Cornerstone was used of God to ignite a renewed desire in me for the preaching of the Cross. I am frankly amazed at how easy it is to become a professional clergyman when we are actually called to be preachers of the Cross of Christ. By His Grace my education finally returned to its original starting point...."To know Christ and Him Crucified."
MinistryMore to Come Soon
FamilyMore to Come Soon