Testimony

I went back to my ways of beer taverns, dancing, fighting and trouble in a Timber Town. I didn’t know it then, but God was about to let me know that he had plans for me. Josie said she was done with that life style and wanted more from life and she started going to church taking our three Children with her, Susan the oldest, Rick our son and then Rose. I continued going to the bars for about a month or so then I began going to church with her.

I surrendered to preach in my hometown Church of Roseburg, Oregon.  With Josie by my side, we stepped out on faith and moved our family to Dallas, Texas to attend Criswell Bible College.  After Criswell, I became the pastor of my first church in Astoria, OR.  Josie and I worked and struggled with the emotional and physical toll that being a Pastor’s family can take. Our faith in God and the belief that the ministry was where we were called is what helped through the difficult times.

I have also done volunteer work as a Chaplin with various Law Enforcement Agencies and local Hospice programs. As a minister and Chaplin, I have walked people through some of the worst times of their lives. Being beside those who are dealing with tragedy, gaining an understanding of what they are going through, I feel I have gained an insightfulness and empathy that allowed me to grow and learn as a Pastor and Minister.

God has called me to Africa twice. One trip was to war torn Sierra Leone to help Pastors overcome some of the trauma that affected them. We could travel in Sierra Leone but only with personal Body Guards and the Sierra Leone Army with us. The next trip to Africa was to Western Kenya where I would speak too and teach “Real Life Discipleship” to 400 pastors and Church Leaders. I also traveled to Israel and Mexico.  Hawaii and Canada were counted as fun trips, but they would not have been possible if I had said “No” to God when He called me in to the Gospel Ministry.

After 50 years of marriage and 37 years in the ministry, We have come to understand that while working in a ministry you may find yourself surrounded by people, yet there are times when you do not have anyone to truly open up and confide in.  Someone that has been there, understands and can offer confidential, prayerful advice.

What we have found through our ministry experiences is that there are no real programs to help ministers that are discouraged or have left the ministry and are hurting. Some have been forced to retire others have been fired. Others feel shunned and or forgotten. Suddenly, they are out of the Ministry and no one really seems to care. We at Paraclete Ministries care and want to Minister as best we can to those Pastors, Ministers and their families and Churches.