Category: Be Inspired

Robert W.T. McKinney, GCI senior pastor in the Bahamas, was born in Freeport, Bahamas. “I was born on December 19, 1961, then born again on December 20, 1981.”

Robert first became aware of WCG when only eight years of age. “I grew up in Freeport, where I graduated from Hawksbill High School in 1979. One week later I began my employment as a banker, and was fast-tracked to become a bank manager. My experience was to prove very beneficial later in pastoral ministry. I became pastor of our congregation in May 1995 after the senior pastor left over the changes. Prior to that, I served as assistant pastor.”

Robert was always interested in attending Ambassador College, but it took a dramatic event to get him to actually send in an application. “When my childhood friend Nathania Curling was accepted in 1984, my interest in attending intensified. At that time I was interested in her and the thought of losing her led to my applying. I was accepted the following year (1985). We were married a year later and continued as married students. We both graduated in 1989, and since then, she has been my partner in ministry.” Robert continued: “My wife and I thank God for GCI (she grew up in the church as well), and there is no other place we would rather be than right here with God’s people in this part of his vineyard.”

Robert and Nathania have been married 28 years this month (July). “We have three children, Robert Jr, (24), who is completing a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, Gabrielle, (22), who is a pre-med student at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, and Ann-Marie, (12), who will enter the 9th grade in September.”

Robert says what he loves most about being a pastor and being part of GCI has to do with connections. “As a pastor I really enjoy seeing people connect with Jesus and begin to grow spiritually. I also enjoy performing weddings. I truly treasure our international and local connections as a church fellowship.”

When asked about his passion, Robert said, “One of my greatest passions is helping the young people see that Jesus and his way of life is really fun. I especially enjoy working with them at summer camps.” In his personal home life, Robert said he also enjoys gardening.

His most memorable pastoral moments include his family. “Over the years I have baptized a lot of people, but my most memorable moment as a pastor has been baptizing my three children. Other memorable moments have been planting a Sunday congregation in our fellowship and overseeing the purchase and acquisition of our church premises.”

Living in the Bahamas, it’s no surprise that Robert loves the beach. “I feel closest to God when I go to my particular spot on the beach, which I have been doing for more than 20 years. There I enjoy a nice, gentle breeze on my face, smell the ocean, listen to the waves lapping in and meditate on the goodness of God. I always find it to be a time of refreshing and renewal.”

Bharat Naker, pastor of GCI’s congregation in Adelaide, Australia, seemingly has been everywhere. He was born to Indian parents in Tanzania, Africa. “I lived in Tanzania for ten years, in India for two (at age 5 and 11), then at age 12 to 24 in London as part of the East African Indian diaspora. Due to family and church moves, I’ve lived on five continents, in six countries and in eight cities.”

Bharat says he had an enjoyable care-free upbringing, “playing in the streets late into the evening—marbles, cricket, hide & seek—in tropical Dar-es-Salaam.” Bharat was raised a Hindu. “My mother was very devout. I was the last born of seven children. She brought me up with stories from the Hindu scriptures. We would often sit in the evenings listening to and discussing these stories.”

Bharat says that David Nunn, one of his teachers in London, introduced him at an early age to the Bible in a religious education class. Though that didn’t have a significant impact on him at the time, things changed at age 14:“I was looking through a Reader’s Digest for free postage stamp offers and came across an ad for the free Plain Truth magazine. I thought, ‘why not—what harm could it do?'” Bharat started reading church literature and at age 16 converted to Christianity. “At age 21 I started attending WCG/GCI at the Indian YMCA in London.”

In September 1982, Bharat married Urvashi, also the youngest child in a large family. Their two families were interconnected from several generations in India and Africa. “We both come from religious and business families and have siblings spread over four continents.” Urvashi’s brother lives in Toronto and is married to Bharat’s sister. “We went to Switzerland for our honeymoon, followed by a week-long church festival in Bonndorf, Germany. John Halford was there that year and he strongly encouraged us, as newly-wed young Indians from the UK, to apply for college and see what God’s will would be. So we ended up in Pasadena, California, before our first anniversary.”

Bharat and Urvashi (“Katie”) attended Ambassador College from 1983-1986 and he was hired in 1986 by Joseph Tkach Sr. as a trainee serving with Abner Washington in Los Angeles. In 1987 he was ordained and sent to India where he served until 1990, then to Sydney, Australia, and then in 1992 to Sri Lanka, and then in 1997 to Adelaide, Australia, where he lives today. Bharat has been employed in ministry part-time since 1999.

The Nakers have been married for 32 years and have two sons. “Sawan, 24, is a law graduate. And Sajan, 22, is studying hotel management. Sawan was born in London, Sajan in Sydney.”

Of Urvashi, Bharat says, “I would not be in ministry without her—quite literally. When I joined the church, interracial marriage was not an option. God provided a person known to me, of my own background, who came along to church and upon marriage opened the opportunity for us to go to college and hence into ministry. We have ministered together, except possibly in preaching—though she’s my best source of feedback in that area!”

Bharat said what he enjoys most about being a pastor is “learning and then teaching as I learn and grow. Also loving and being loved.” When asked about GCI, he said, “One way or another, our belief system (though having changed and grown radically) has always allowed room for people to ultimately come to God, sooner or later. This has been critical for me, as most of my family, including my beloved mother and father, did not (as far as I know) come to know Christ as believers in this lifetime.”

His most memorable moment as a pastor involved baptism. “The first baptism I performed on my own was in India for a wonderful man who had been born so small that I could carry him in my arms and had to baptize him in a large round plastic bin (we were in a hotel without bath tubs).”

Because of local church size and finances, Bharat went part time. ”I now run my own small business importing jute shopping bags from India and selling them in Australia and elsewhere as opportunity permits. Not quite tent-making, more like bag-making.” Being in business gives Bharat opportunity to feed his passion, which is “connecting with people, connecting people to others, hopefully making a difference as Christ works in and through me.”

An example of this connectivity happened last June when Bharat was visiting London where met up with David Nunn, his school teacher from 40 years ago (see the mention of David above). David learned for the first time of Bharat’s Christian journey and was most pleased. David has produced seven DVDs about the Holy Land that sell in some of the same religious stores in Australia where Bharat sells his jute bags!

Bharat says he feels closest to God “at various times in various ways. It may be singing in a congregation or singing on my own to a Bollywood romantic song adapted in my mind and heart for personal worship expression, or when preparing a message where a clearer insight is gained or when reflecting on creation or simply on seeing people going around in crowded places, praying in the knowledge that the Lord loves us all.”

Don Engle, pastor of Grace Fellowship, GCI’s congregation in Wichita, Kansas, was born in Abilene, Kansas, famous for being the home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. “He lived a short walk from my mother’s childhood home, and as a young girl she was acquainted with Ike’s parents.” Don’s father died at the age of 24, leaving Don’s mother with three small children. “My mother remarried a year or so later and we moved to Big Sandy, Texas, to be near what we thought at the time was ‘the one true church.’ I attended Imperial School in Big Sandy for all twelve grades.” Don said he remembers many of the Ambassador College construction projects and often volunteered for work parties. “I especially remember helping to clear the land for Lake Loma. I do not remember a time when I was not a part of WCG/GCI.”

In 1968, Don applied to attend Ambassador College in Bricket Wood, England. “I loved the international flavor of that campus and thoroughly enjoyed my four years there. For some reason, I had a special affinity with the Brits. I traveled through many countries in Europe, including Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece.” Don said he was always interested in going into pastoral ministry but hadn’t been encouraged to do so in college. “Shortly before graduating in 1972, I was shocked to hear announced in a student assembly that I was being sent to be a ministerial assistant in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I have now been in pastoral ministry for over 40 years and have pastored churches in Louisiana, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, New Zealand, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas.”

At the beginning of Don’s junior year in college he met Alexandra. “Alix had just arrived on campus as a freshman from New Zealand. People often say love at first sight is nonsense. Not in my case! The moment I laid eyes on her I had a strange feeling that I may have encountered the love of my life. I was the second guy on campus to ask her for a date. How I remember that date! I was bragging about living on an 80-acre property when Alix quietly informed me that she had grown up on a 5,000-acre sheep and cattle station on the east coast of New Zealand. Although I grew up in Texas, the land of cattle drives, it wasn’t until a trip to New Zealand shortly after we were married that I was able to experience such a thing.”

Don and Alix recently celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary. “We have three amazing children: Jeannine, Chad and Jonathan. Jeannine attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy and is married to Nate who works for Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They have five children: Jack, Alexa, Erica, Ahna and Emmy. Chad, who now lives in Thailand, also has lived in Iraq, Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea. His children, Madyson, Sydney and Nikolae, live in Texas. Jonathan, an accomplished flutist, is the associate director for admissions for Mannes School of Music in New York City.”

Don said one of the most memorable moments of his ministry occurred while he and Alix were attending the ministerial refresher program in Pasadena, California, in 1979. “Joseph Tkach Sr. approached us one evening during dinner and told us, ‘You’re being transferred, guess where?’ I had a feeling it was not going to be a short distance away. I will never forget the look in my wife’s eyes. Four months later we were moving to New Zealand where we spent 10 of the best years of our lives.”

Don has always loved the fellowship he finds in GCI. “We have a special spiritual bond because of our unique journey. We have the dearest of friends who are truly like family to us—scattered across the globe though we may be. How we wish we could gather them all up and bring them within a close radius. Maybe one day that will be the reality. I also enjoy the fact that, as a denomination, we are willing to learn new things and continually refine our theology—to think outside the box a bit from time to time, without completely departing from orthodoxy. The truth about God and our existence is indeed a life-long quest.”

Though Don enjoys being a pastor, he still reflects on the discouragement he faced as we went through our denominational changes. “The only theology I knew came from growing up in WCG. My wife, however, was raised Presbyterian, spending seven years attending an Anglican boarding school, so the changes were much easier for her and she was a huge help to me as I struggled to understand. With her encouragement, in 1996 I attended a pastors’ conference at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Presenting were a number of internationally known evangelical authors and speakers, including Warren Wiersbe. I well remember him expressing concern for the many pastors in attendance who were considering quitting ministry. He implored us to think long and hard before making such a decision. It was as if God was speaking to me personally and it was a major turning point for me. I soon entered a Master’s degree program in Pastoral Ministry through Moody Seminary, which I completed in 2006.”

Alix is not only Don’s encourager, he says he would not be where he is today without her and likes to brag about her a bit. “Alix has an intriguing blend of no-nonsense and playfulness that is a perfect balance for my largely sanguine nature. Having her by my side through the years has been invaluable. She is always willing to help in any way that she can and often says her purpose in life is to make me look good! She has excellent computer skills and has, for many years, organized the PowerPoint presentations for our worship services. She also has great editorial skills and was an enormous help in my securing a second Master’s degree through Grace Communion Seminary, especially with the recent completion of my master’s thesis, “Peace When Facing Death.” We both have enormous appreciation for our time serving in pastoral ministry within WCG/GCI for all these years.”

Don says his passion stems from our understanding of Incarnational Trinitarian Theology. “My passion is helping people know that they are truly loved and accepted by God, no matter what their failings may be. There is a huge deficit in this area, even among those who have attended church all their lives. Recently, I completed a year’s residency at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, earning four units of Clinical Pastoral Education and presently, along with pastoring the Wichita, Kansas congregation, I am working part-time as the chaplain in the inpatient unit at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice. I find it particularly fulfilling to work with patients and families as they experience end of life. It is such a potent time to reach people with a spirit of hope. Often this is when I feel God’s presence the most. After retiring from pastoral ministry in August 2015, I hope to work full-time as a hospice chaplain. I have a feeling my best years of ministry are still ahead.”

Don also enjoys guitars and motorcycles. “I love playing guitar and plan to spend a lot more time learning how to play well. My collection includes Fender, Gibson, Takamine and Ovation guitars. Just recently, with the help of my son Chad, I acquired a 2005 Triumph America motorcycle. I’ve been taking riding lessons and look forward to long rides on quiet country roads where I can enjoy the blessing and freedom of God and his creation.”

Leonard Banks, senior pastor of Abundant Grace Church, our GCI congregation in Rochester, New York, started attending the Rochester congregation in 1991. “I was watching The World Tomorrow with HWA and heard him say a few things that got my attention. One was his statement (while pounding on the desk and quoting Revelation 21:2) that, ‘The New Jerusalem is coming down from heaven.'”

Leonard grew up in Rochester with three brothers. “We all were into sports—we played football and wrestled through high school. After I graduated I returned to coach the JV wrestling team. I had aspirations of becoming a pro football player, but two separated shoulders and a concussion (during which I lost my memory—scary) changed my plans. I did get a kick out of going to a football camp in Boston where I met Joe Namath and some other pro football players.”

As a bivocational pastor, Leonard works for the City of Rochester in the refuse department. “I’ve been employed there for 30 years. I’m a professional heavy equipment operator (boom truck)—the truck with the big claw bucket. I have become quite good at picking up things. Just the other day a man watching me said I handle the boom like a surgeon.”

Leonard and his wife Patama have been married for 32 years. “She was born in Thailand and is a great cook. She really helps keep me grounded and focused on the Lord. She is the person that talks about God and Jesus more than anyone I know. Patama is a constant reminder to me that God is in charge.” Leonard and Patama have one daughter, Arianne Banks, and twin stepsons, Derrick and Davin Tillman. They also have five grandchildren, Darius, Geo, Tajh, Drew and the newest, India, who was born April 11, 2014.

After joining GCI, Leonard got to know Ken Williams who was pastor of the Rochester church at that time. “Ken ordained me in August 1999 and took me under his wing to help groom me.” Leonard replaced Ken as pastor 15 years ago.

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Leonard talked about watching people grow. “I would have to say being able to help people spiritually then see them grow in the grace of God and seeing the transforming power of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.”

About GCI, Leonard said, “I marvel at the direction the Spirit is leading our leaders who then funnel that understanding to our local churches around the world. When we come together and share our experiences with each other we see the same Spirit working and achieving the same goal—to make disciples.”

When asked about his most memorable moment as a pastor, Leonard shared a story about someone being healed right before his eyes. “This one was a learning experience for all people involved. This young girl suffers from sickle cell anemia and was in the hospital about six months out of the year. At the age of 13 she was having a bad time on that day with a temperature of 103 and pulse of 170. I anointed her and asked for two things, her temperature and pulse to return to normal; within two seconds everything returned to normal. She didn’t return to the hospital for another 12 years for her chronic illness.”

Leonard noted that his passion is helping people stay focused on our Lord and Savior. “It seems that people easily lose sight of Jesus in the midst of life’s difficulties. I bet you that in every sermon I give, I somehow come back to reminding the congregation to stay focused on Jesus.”

When asked when he feels closest to God, Leonard said, “During the morning devotionals my wife and I have together before I go to work. It helps us focus and prepare ourselves for the day.”

Bernie Schnippert, who recently retired as GCI’s General Counsel, grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where, at age 11, he began attending WCG church services with his parents, Bernard and Irene Schnippert, and his sister, Karen. After high school, Bernie entered Ambassador College in Pasadena, California. He graduated in 1971.

A tall man at 6 feet, 9 inches, Bernie says his life has been greatly affected by his height. “I always feel conspicuous when I walk into a room because people tend to stare at me because of my height, and someone is always bound to approach me and ask how tall I am and whether I play basketball. If I hadn’t been in the church, I probably would have pursued basketball more wholeheartedly. I couldn’t do that, of course, because of the church’s former teaching about strict Sabbath observance.”

Bernie met Arlene Pratt of McMinnville, Oregon, at Ambassador College. They married shortly after graduating. “Arlene has been my partner and soul mate through this entire journey over the past 43 years,” Bernie says. “The joys, the highs, the sorrows, the lows. We have experienced it all together, and I could not imagine life without her. We have three daughters, Crystal, Amber and Coral. Our lovely daughter Amber died a year ago from breast cancer. We also have four wonderful grandchildren. Crystal’s children, Clint and Heather, are 17, and Julia is 13. Amber’s daughter, Megan Patrick, is seven.”

Regarding his service in the church, Bernie says, “I have had absolutely awesome opportunities afforded me over the years. I entered the Canadian pastoral ministry about a year after graduation from college. I pastored in Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; and then in Las Vegas, Nevada, before being transferred to Pasadena in 1987.”

At church headquarters in Pasadena, Bernie served as Director of Media Operations before being appointed in 1995 as Treasurer and finally as General Counsel in 2005. “Bernie was a talented and creative church pastor serving our Las Vegas congregation when we asked him to come to HQ to combine all the church’s editorial, publishing and broadcasting functions into one coordinated media operation,” recalls GCI President, Joseph Tkach.

With a tenacious love for learning, Bernie holds both a Juris Doctor degree and a Ph.D. in Management and Administration. Dr. Schnippert has also been an active member of the California State Bar since 1992. “Bernie is one of the most devoted, trustworthy and hardest working people I have ever known,” said retired GCI vice president Mike Feazell. “We met during my sophomore year of college when we lived in the same dorm, and I was immediately impressed with his honesty, his positive outlook on life and his ‘let’s find a way’ approach to challenging projects. People used to call us ‘Mutt and Jeff’ because of our difference in height. Bernie has never ceased to be a faithful and dependable friend.”

Looking back over his career in the church, Bernie said, “The most important contributions that I feel I have made to the church are the successful sales of the Big Sandy and Pasadena campuses during a critical period in the church’s spiritual journey and establishing a sound employee retirement plan.” GCI Treasurer Mat Morgan said, “Working at first for Dr. Schnippert, and then alongside him, during those challenging years afforded me a depth of rich experience that helped prepare me for the work I’m doing now. I count it a blessing to have worked so closely with such a dynamic personality.”

Dr. Russell Duke, President of Grace Communion Seminary, said, “We herald Dr. Schnippert’s decades of service in helping the church and its educational institutions work through challenging transitions, including his assistance in preparing our seminary to meet the legal standards of accreditation. Thank you, Bernie!”

Bernie isn’t all work. “Until I got sick,” he explains, “my passion was fishing and camping. But now that I am mostly confined to my home, I’m back into ham radio, which has been a hobby of mine since I was 12 years old.”

Bernie has been battling a slow-moving carcinoid cancer, a major factor in his decision to retire.

“I want to thank all the people over the years who put their trust in me and afforded me opportunities to serve in so many different capacities,” Dr. Schnippert said. “It has been an exciting, sometimes even wild ride, and it has been my hope and prayer that my contribution to the Church has been a positive one.”

Larry Van Landuyt pastors two GCI congregations in California: North Valley Christian Fellowship in Chico, and GCI in Redding. He was born in Grenada, Mississippi, where his father was in the Army, preparing to leave for Europe during World War II. Referring to himself as “an army brat,” Larry and his family moved frequently: “To Oregon, South Carolina, Maryland, New Mexico and Alaska. Then my father finished his military career at Fort Ord, California.”

Larry’s formative years were spent on one of America’s first rocket bases—White Sands Proving Grounds, New Mexico (later renamed White Sands Missile Range). “Along with rockets and rattlesnakes, my older brother and I spent many hours exploring the desert around the base on our bicycles and hiking the nearby Organ Mountains that lay between the base and the town of Las Cruces.”

Larry’s family has been part of GCI for a long time. “My mother’s family began listening to Herbert Armstrong when he was broadcasting from Portland, Oregon, in the 1930s or 40s. My maternal great aunt was baptized in the mid- to late 40s. Her sister, my grandmother, was baptized sometime later. Then my mother became a member of the Radio Church of God at a spring festival in Big Sandy in 1953 or 54. Her older brother and younger sister also became members. I first attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Big Sandy with my mother about this same time; I was 10 or 11. We never lived in a church area, however, so our contact with the church was only through the radio broadcast, The Plain Truth magazine, the Bible Correspondence Course and the many doctrinal booklets.”

While living in Fort Ord, Larry’s dad traveled to Fresno on Saturdays to attend church. “There he met Herman Hoeh and obtained provisional permission for me to finish high school at Imperial in Pasadena. I attended my senior year there, worked on the college grounds crew that summer and entered Ambassador College in the fall of 1960.”

Larry met his wife-to-be, Judy Olsen, the summer before attending college. “She had graduated from high school and had come to Pasadena from Michigan with her brother Morgan, who was attending Ambassador at the time. We both entered Ambassador College the following fall. We had no interest in each other before or during college. We began dating in summer 1965, a year after my graduation. She had left college after her junior year to pay down her college debt by working full-time in the church’s co-worker department. We were married in Ambassador’s lower gardens on January 2, 1966, mid-way through her senior year of college. Judy always says, “It was a God thing.” I’m sure she’s right; it’s lasted over 48 years. We have four daughters: Chantel, Sheila (deceased), Sharina and Christine, and six grandchildren: Gina, Alexander, Kayla, Dacota Jade (DJ), Nikko and Asher. They range in age from 18 months to 25 years, and in location from the house next door to Christchurch, New Zealand.”

Larry worked as an elementary teacher in Imperial Schools from 1963 until it closed in the mid-70s, and again when it reopened until its final closing in the early ’90s. “God’s love and power are undeniable considering he took a youngster who didn’t like school and wasn’t a particularly gifted student and used him for over five decades to teach children and adults of all ages the value of learning and the joy of God’s righteousness.” When Imperial closed for the second time, Larry was given the opportunity to answer letters in the church’s personal correspondence department. This job helped fulfill one of Larry’s passions, “studying and learning from human history—especially biblical history, which reveals God’s wondrous purpose for his human creation.”

Larry didn’t plan on being a pastor. “I was ordained in a surprise (to me) ceremony in Pasadena on May 14, 1994. About a year later, as headquarters began drastically downsizing, I was offered pastoral training in the Los Angeles church serving under Curtis May in preparation for being given a field assignment. In the summer of 1996, we were assigned to pastor the Chico and Redding congregations, where we continue to serve.”

Of Judy’s involvement in ministry, Larry says she is “2/3 of the ministry of Jesus in which we have had the privilege to participate. She is accompanist, soloist, befriender, consoler, prayer partner, wife, mother, grandmother, refreshment maker, master potluck cook, children’s ministry leader and faithful supporter of the one who does little more than prepare, preach and pray.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Larry said it is “being able to share the joy of God’s grace and love, the really Good News with others whom God is calling.” About being part of GCI, Larry said he enjoys “the sincere bond of fellowship and love among the members and the leadership of the denomination. I also deeply appreciate all the varied opportunities I have been privileged to be a part of in the 60+ years that the Spirit has been leading us through RCG, WCG and now GCI.”

Larry says his most memorable moment as a pastor was “when God opened my eyes, mind and heart to see the joy and peace of his new covenant life of freedom in Jesus Christ, and then having the opportunity to share that joy with others.”

Asked when he feels closest to God, Larry said, “It’s when I’m far away from the accomplishments of humans and surrounded by the beauty and majesty of God’s marvelous creation.”

Neil Earle, pastor of New Covenant Fellowship, our GCI congregation in Glendora, California, was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada. “I heard The World Tomorrow broadcast in June 1965 while still a teenager and was immediately and powerfully hooked. I’d been an altar boy/choir boy in our local historic Anglican Church and had a good grounding overall but here were people saying the Bible was up-to-date in the space age and saying it very well. I experienced a very powerful sense of calling.”

Neil was attending university at the time of his Radio Church of God encounter. “Six of us university types met Dean Wilson on a baptizing tour in 1967 and from then on it seemed fated that four of us should head to Ambassador College. I was surprised to be sent to Bricket Wood, England but looking back I had so many rare opportunities there.”

At the time, Neil was also working as a substitute teacher for the Moravian Mission schools system in Makkovik, Labrador. “I later learned how big a part they played in the evangelical revival of the 1700s. They asked me to be principal of their Eskimo/Settler School further north in Nain, but I was accepted for Ambassador by then.”

One of Neil’s “opportunities” from Bricket Wood was meeting his future wife. “I met Susan, who was attending in Big Sandy, on the Israel Big Dig in 1970—there’s a life highlight right there, if not THE highlight—Susan is my best friend, we’ve been married now for 42 years.”

After graduation from Ambassador in 1972, Neil and Susan were sent to work in Regina, Saskatchewan. “We went through the normal training under some fine men and women. I was ordained along with Bernie Schnippert in October 1973 in the big tent at Penticton, British Columbia—a festival site Canada still sponsors.”

Neil and Susan served in Canada for 21 years, part of “a gung-ho team of ministers.” From there they moved to Pasadena, California. “We were invited (compelled?) to work in Editorial Services as International Editor from 1993 to 1996. Financial pressures of the time led me back to the field on a ‘temporary basis—filling in for about two weeks (they said) at the wonderful Glendora, California church, which had had four pastors in three years. That two weeks led to a 17-year stint so far. As Mr. Tkach Sr. used to say, ‘Life is strange with its twists and turns.’”

Neil refers to Susan’s role in ministry as “essential.” “Susan is the registrar at Grace Communion Seminary, so anyone who’s passed through the system knows how kind and patient and capable she is. People remark how we complement each other over the decades and I’d be the first to agree.” We both play senior softball once a week and get to as many Angels games as we can. I’m also trying to finish a book on the history of hockey.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Neil said, “Seeing the Spirit at work in people. We’ve noticed a lot of that in Glendora lately and as I travel around. I appreciate women doing so well as worship leaders, budget assistants and sermon-givers; people bearing fruits that lead to ordination; the responses on people’s faces when they ‘get it’ during a sermon.”

Neil says there are many memorable moments from his many years pastoring churches. “Lately there was an incident on Facebook where a disgruntled ex-member was beating up on me verbally and by the grace of God several people I never really knew came to my defense. That made me feel Christ had been guiding me overall the last 42 years.”

About GCI, Neil said he appreciates “the openness to the rest of the Body of Christ and true Christian doctrine. Being a studious type I like the fact that GCI president Joseph Tkach and his leadership team are so open to us pastors being able to explore the ‘unserachable riches of Christ.’ I love how we are reconnecting to the mainstream in that way. I was even invited to give two seminars to my local Anglican Church about our transition. Very rewarding, like closing the circle.”

Neil’s passions include writing and history. “I enjoy writing—both inside and outside GCI—as a method of trying to connect the gospel/biblical message with what’s going on today. That’s always been one of our strengths as an organization and we have learned to do it better. I teach Church History for GCS and am always amazed at the intelligence and capability of our field ministers—how quickly they “get things.”

When asked when he feels closest to God, Neil responded, “When I go to my prayer room and pray with a Bible open in front of me for a great two-way chat, me mostly listening.”

Willard High spent the first 20 years of his life in North Carolina. “My home was approximately 22 miles west of Raleigh, the capital. My grandparents lived in an agrarian wonderland. Most of my free time was spent working on my grandfather’s farm, playing in the Carolina woods with my dog and fishing with my family. All of my elementary and high school education was in the segregated environment of the Jim Crow South. Despite the disadvantages this presented, I received an excellent education through dedicated, compassionate and effective teachers.”

Now the Senior Pastor of Shepherd’s Community Church, a GCI church in Harvey, Illinois, Willard originally wanted to be a doctor or a movie director, but God had different plans. “I began attending the Radio Church of God with my maternal aunt, who became my guardian after losing my mother. She had been searching diligently for a church that would give her solid Bible teachings and provide guidance in life. I recall that I was at my girlfriend’s house when one of my cousins came running up and breathlessly told me my aunt said the sun was down and I needed to come home. That was my introduction to the rules and regulations surrounding the Sabbath and Holy Days. My mother was a very spiritual person who taught me to read using the Bible. She taught me that the original day of worship established by God in the Bible was the seventh-day Sabbath. My aunt’s discovery of the Jewish Sabbath, while disrupting my social life, rang true to my mother’s teachings as well as what I read in the Scriptures and made it easy for me to accept.”

From an early age, family members were telling Willard his destiny was to attend college. “No one from my family had graduated from college at that time, though there were some brilliant people in my family. As a member of the church, the ministerial couples always impressed me. They all seemed to possess a confidence and breadth of knowledge and wisdom that I desired. It seemed to me that attending Ambassador College would give me a solid biblical foundation, which I felt was essential for a good life. I was headed in the right direction, but by the time I graduated from high school, I could feel my dedication to God slipping away. I decided to attend Ambassador in an effort to stabilize my Christian life. I guess you could say that pursuing a more godly life brought me to where I am today.”

Willard entered Ambassador College in Pasadena, California in 1970 as one of the first ten single African-American students to attend the college. He graduated in 1974 with a BA in Theology. “My purpose for attending Ambassador was to learn more about the Bible and how to live. I had no intent of entering the ministry. I married my wife Brenda in 1975 and we made Southern California our home. We got involved with youth ministry and both she and I loved it. Our pastor, Selmer Hegvold, chose us as coordinators of the local Youth Opportunities United (YOU) chapter, serving the teens of the church. We were ordained as deacon and deaconess and then I was ordained an elder. In 1986 we accepted a full-time call to pastoral ministry in the Washington DC area, working with Richard and Joyce Frankel. During that time we were blessed to start a new church in Greenbelt, Maryland. It was a healthy church, which grew rapidly and is still viable today. Our next ministerial move brought us to Illinois where we pastored the Chicago South church. In two years, the church in Hammond, Indiana was added and we combined the two and that church is now known as The Shepherd’s Community Church. We continue to serve it as pastor.”

Willard and Brenda have been married for 39 years. “We reared two nephews, sons of my wife’s deceased sister. Theo is now married and lives in Southern California and Thurston lives in Illinois. We have no grandchildren yet.”

Willard says that Brenda has always played a significant role in his ministry. “We have shared ministry from our first days working in youth ministry. It has become more evident as the years have passed that God gave her gifts I do not possess in the same proportion to balance me and get the work done. She is an unusual mixture of administrative assistant, critic, confidante, leader, supporter and encourager. I am blessed that God saw fit to bring her into my life.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Willard said, “I love the nuts and bolts of ministry: the visitation, the fellowship, the worship service in its entirety, the counseling and preaching. There is nothing as wonderful as feeling the inspiration in doing these things. It is more precious than silver or gold.” About being part of GCI, Willard said he appreciates our grasp and approach to Trinitarian theology. “It is a very practical and natural approach that allows for and encourages real-life application of our theology to our relationship with God and others.”

Willard said he has many passions, but if made to choose, he’d choose reconciliation. “I have been a chapter leader in the Office of Reconciliation and Mediation (ORM) since shortly after its inception. Also, I have served as President of the Center for Multicultural Communities, in Illinois, and studied with the Center for the Healing of Racism, in Houston. The mission statement of our congregation reads: “We strive to be a spiritually sound, friendly and nurturing fellowship; using our gifts to serve our neighbor, proclaim the gospel and promote reconciliation.”

Willard noted that his congregation has spent the last seven years in a “Covenant of Shared Space” with First Reformed Church of South Holland. “We not only have shared space with them, but also ministry, and we have developed close friendships. When we first began meeting in their building, they were an all-Dutch congregation. We have been blessed to help them assimilate new members from the African-American community around them. Now they are multi-ethnic and quickly growing. The time sharing their building is about to end. God has provided a facility of our own in the neighboring community of Harvey, where we picture him doing great things.”

Willard’s most memorable moment as pastor was the 50th Jubilee Celebration of GCI in Chicago. “It was unbelievable—more enjoyable and rich with meaning than I could ever have imagined. The roster of guests was phenomenal, including pastoral couples who served in Chicago area congregations along with Mrs. Helen Jackson, wife of founding pastor Harold Jackson, and Dr. Joseph Tkach. Clearly, God smiled on this event and made it more glorious than we ever could have on our own.”

Willard said he feels closest to God in the great outdoors. “I love nature! Perhaps it’s a return to my roots, but I feel closest to God when I am out in his creation. There is no temple that can match the intoxicating feeling of standing under a flowered trellis with the sunlight illuminating the ceiling. No man can build anything to match the Grand Canyon or duplicate the awesome view you see while sitting 30 feet off the ground in an oak tree as the forest comes alive at the rising of the sun.”

Harry Sullivan pastors three GCI churches in the United Kingdom. He says that, growing up, he often learned the hard way: “An early photograph shows me with a bandaged hand. My grandmother had a cooker in her farmhouse. Apparently, it was explained to me that I shouldn’t touch it. But I have to prove things for myself and so I put my hand on it. The predictable result was a painful burn. I’m more careful with hot things now, but I still have to prove lots of things for myself.”

Harry grew up outside Belfast, Northern Ireland where he developed a love of nature. At age 15, he started listening to the radio. “I used to listen to pop music on Radio Luxembourg, often in bed under the blankets when I should have been asleep. The World Tomorrow came on at 11:30 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays. I started reading The PlainTruth and various booklets and began the Bible Correspondence Course. All these made sense to me. They appealed to my rather argumentative nature, overturning the teaching of main-stream churches. A lot of things I did as a result were essentially negative: not eating unclean meat, not celebrating birthdays and Christmas. This was not well received by my parents and they were opposed when in 1963, at age 18, I began attending Radio Church of God services in Belfast.”

Harry then determined to attend Ambassador College. “Despite going to a good school, I disliked the petty (in my view) discipline. I made a lot of serious mistakes in my teenage years and knew I needed to make wide-reaching changes in my life. Unhappy at home, I decided to go to Ambassador. My parents were totally opposed, but I applied and was accepted. I began college in Bricket Wood in October 1963.”

Harry says college turned his life around. “Bricket Wood had students from many different parts of the world and one learned a lot from interacting with them. Many of the friendships made then still continue. Ambassador shaped me and my thinking. I came to repentance in April 1964 and was baptized a week later. I graduated in 1967.”

After graduation, Harry started working full time for the college. “I started in Buildings and Grounds—the campus was still being developed at this time and I was involved with many different departments helping in the building process. Later I worked in the Purchasing Department until Bricket Wood closed in 1974. Then I found a job in purchasing in Watford, England where I became a director of the company.”

In 1971, Harry married Tina Knudsen, and they are in their 43rd year of marriage. “God gave me a Proverbs 31 wife, supporting me throughout my time in ministry. She often visits with me and provides insight in many counselling situations. She leads worship and runs ‘Open the Book,’ telling and performing Bible stories in the local primary school.”

Harry and Tina have two daughters. Shevonne (born in 1973) is married to Gerald McLarnon. They have two sons, Charles (5) and James (4). Meaveen (born in 1975) lives in Australia.

Harry was ordained an elder in 1983. “I was still working in business and my church duties fitted in on weekends speaking in various congregations and doing some visiting.” In 1981, the family moved to their present home in Bedfordshire adjacent to the farm where Tina grew up. Harry was hired into full time ministry in 1987 and was laid off in 2006 due to UK financial difficulties. “The salary stopped, but the pastoring didn’t. I continue to pastor Luton, Cambridge and Peterborough to this day.” In 1999, Harry had began working as a bereavement counselor. Then in 2007, after being laid off from employment with the church, he went to work as a relationship counselor with Relate Bedfordshire (formerly the Marriage Guidance Council).

Harry’s favorite part of being a pastor is “being able to play a part in people’s lives at significant times. Such times include baptism, marriage and blessing of a child, but most often it is a time of crisis like bereavement. Although one cannot take away their pain, one can walk beside them as they go through it, seeking to put a spiritual perspective on it all.”

Speaking about GCI, Harry appreciates, “our commitment to recognize where and when we are wrong and our preparedness to change. I like the opportunities to come to a deeper understanding of God and the Bible with our emphasis on on-going repentance and change. My spiritual journey with GCI has been a positive one, out of exclusivity to understanding God’s transforming grace. I am also thankful for the friends around the world—some made many decades ago.”

When asked about his passion, Harry said, “I dabble in lots of things. But a consistent hobby begun in college is enjoying good wine (at least as good as we can afford!). I used to buy wine for the college in my purchasing department days. I like trying different grapes, vintages and styles—a small part of God’s amazing creation (Psalm 104:15).”

Harry says performing his daughter’s wedding ceremony would stand out as his most memorable moment as a pastor. This is followed by, “blessing both grandsons at ‘Naming Ceremonies’ (a combination of our church blessing ceremony and a children’s party).”

Like many others, Harry said he feels closest to God “in the beauty of the creation, particularly when it is quiet and one only hears birdsong and insects. We have that blessing around us where we live.” Harry also feels close to God during counselling. “Sometimes I am able to convey a spiritual principle to a person. Afterwards, I reflect on what I said, how I said it and think ‘that wasn’t me’ and realize it came from the Holy Spirit, reminding me that we don’t ‘use the Holy Spirit’ he uses us, as we let him.”

Rex Morgan, a GCI pastor in New Zealand, grew up in Rotorua, Cambridge and Hamilton—towns south of Auckland, New Zealand.

Rex has been writing for many years. “At age 12 I began writing a weekly family newspaper. It was handwritten and distributed just to the five members of our family, but contained all the news of family happenings, along with pictures, competitions etc. Some issues were over 20 pages long. The newspaper continued for almost 300 issues, only stopping when I left for college in England.”

Rex was a teenager when his father responded to a Readers Digest advertisement offering WCG literature. “There was no church in New Zealand at that time, so we received material from the office in Sydney and listened to The World Tomorrow radio program. Although I was a young lad at the time, the church’s teachings immediately ‘clicked’ with me and I devoured the material.”

In 1969, Rex started attending Auckland University. “I began studying economics and accounting, but interrupted this to go to Ambassador College Bricket Wood, England in 1970. After graduating in 1974, I began working in the Auckland WCG office, and here I still am 40 years later!”

Rex has been married to Marilyn (Squire) for 12 years, the second marriage for both. “Our blended family comprises three sons and two daughters. All but one of our children are married. Another daughter, Cherie, died of cancer at age 30. We have five grandchildren.”

Rex’s first responsibilities in the Auckland office were in mailing. “Eventually I was asked to give sermonettes and gradually became more involved in visiting and speaking. I became pastor of the Whangarei church (two hours north of Auckland) in 1979, and the Auckland church in 2000. I also pastor the church in the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Rex said, “Seeing people grow and develop spiritually as they yield to Jesus and participate in the work of the Spirit in their lives.” What he loves most about being part of GCI is, “The depth of fellowship enjoyed with fellow members who have walked together on our incredible journey. To me, the willingness of GCI leaders to follow God’s guidance through our unprecedented doctrinal changes regardless of the consequences has been an excellent example of godly faith and courage.”

Rex said his passion is “explaining the ways of God in speaking and writing.” He still does a lot of writing. “I edit and produce Inside Life, a magazine sponsored by GCI in New Zealand. We have distributed 20 issues since the magazine started in 2006. Church members deliver 7000 copies of each issue to mail boxes in areas surrounding our meeting places nationwide. The aim of the magazine is to show non-believers the relevance and importance of a relationship with God in today’s world. All of the back copies are available at www.insidelife.org.nz.”

When asked about his most memorable moments, Rex said there are several when ministering in a place like Vanuatu. “One time on a small plane, the landing was aborted because the pilot found a large coconut crab at his feet in the cockpit. He circled Port Vila (the Vanuatu capital) until the crab could be put in a container and then landed. The pilot brought the crab over to show us as we collected our luggage. Another special occasion involved participating in a ‘reconciliation ceremony’ in Vanuatu. The previous year, some people had prevented us from entering our own church building, claiming it was on their land. The next year, a delegation of people came, bringing mats and gifts, giving speeches of apology and seeking reconciliation. It was a poignant occasion as two groups of people from different fellowships came together in peace and harmony.”

Rex has enjoyed his 40 years in ministry, full of adventure and surprises. He still finds his peace in quiet places. Asked when he feels closest to God, he replied, “Anywhere, at any time, God is right with us, living in us. But to me there is something very special about a breath-taking outdoor location such as a mountain forest or a sandy beach on a starlit night—all the distractions of the modern world fade away and I’m alone with God in a palpable way.”