Category: Be Inspired

While attending confirmation classes for the Lutheran church, David Gilbert felt God impressing on his heart to become a pastor. “Shortly thereafter, I attended a campaign featuring David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade. At that meeting I went to the front of the auditorium and confessed Jesus as my Savior. After that, I began reading as much material on the Bible as I could get my hands on. That’s where literature of the Worldwide Church of God comes in.”

That impression on his heart proved to be a calling and Dave now pastors two GCI congregations: New Covenant Community Bible Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Grace Christian Fellowship in Kenilworth, New Jersey. He also serves as a district pastor for GCI in the New York City to Philadelphia corridor.

Dave grew up in western Pennsylvania where his dad was a general contractor, building homes and churches. “I first attended WCG in 1969 after having been interviewed for Ambassador College by longtime minister Jimmie Friddle.” David was accepted to AC and attended from 1969 to 1973. “After graduation, I returned to Pittsburgh, where I held a number of jobs, including route sales, insurance sales, construction and finally personnel manager for an electrical distributor.

I served in the Pittsburgh church as an elder and was called into full-time ministry in July 1984. We moved to Ohio, where I served as Assistant Pastor under Dave Fiedler in the Toledo-Findlay circuit. In 1988, we were given our first solo pastorate in the Waterloo-Mason City, Iowa circuit. We moved back to Pennsylvania in October 1994, serving in the Philadelphia church. In 1999, I graduated with a Masters in Ministry from Biblical Seminary. Shortly thereafter, I began pastoring the Lehigh Valley congregation in addition to Philadelphia. In 2012, Lehigh Valley closed and I took on Kenilworth, New Jersey in addition to Philadelphia.”

Dave and his wife Hinka have been married for 37 years. They have two sons, David, who is a high school principal near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Nathan, who is studying pre-med and medical technology at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. They have one three year old granddaughter, Esther, born to David and his wife Anna.

Of Hinka’s involvement in ministry, Dave says, “Hinka is the quintessential pastor’s wife and has always been actively involved in children’s ministry, women’s ministry and being an encouraging ear for members and pastors’ wives.”

Dave enjoys hunting, the outdoors, archery and firearms, but his passion is “to help mentor a new generation of leaders in my churches.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Dave said, “Studying and teaching the Word of God and loving the people God has entrusted to me.” About being part of GCI, Dave said, “GCI is the only denomination I know of that gives genuine hope for humanity (Trinitarian theology).”

Dave gives credit to Don Lawson who was “always affirming and helpful to me as my pastor in Pittsburgh” and to David Fiedler who Dave calls “a very balanced pastor.”

Dave’s best moments as a pastor and with God revolve around his family. His most memorable moment as a pastor was when he baptized his own children. And when asked when he feels closest to God, Dave said “I have a wonderful marriage and I feel closest to God when I’m close to Hinka.”

Dewey Peterson, pastor of GCI’s church in Crossville, Tennessee, tells his story:

I was born in Jamestown, New York in 1937, the second of six children. Both my mother and father enjoyed the rural life and when I was seven years old the family moved to a small farm just outside the small town of Busti, New York. As a youth, I helped with the farm work and each day milked (by hand) some of our dairy cows before going to school. I hunted, trapped and harvested crops for neighbors to make a bit of extra change. I graduated from Southwester Central High School in 1955.

My wife Georgia and I were married in Ithaca New York in 1958. We have four children: three sons, Scott, Michael and Joel; and one daughter, Jennifer; and seven grandchildren. Three of our children attended Ambassador College. Two sons have PhDs and our daughter and youngest son, both AC graduates, went on to earn MBAs.

My post-secondary school education was accomplished primarily at Cornell University in Ithaca: BS 1959, MS 1963, and PhD 1963. My focus was on the engineering aspects of food manufacturing with Dairy Science as my primary area of study with minor studies in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering. Upon receiving my PhD I accepted a position with the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, Michigan in the Research Department. I advanced through a number of positions in both the US and Canada and finished my career in 1997 as Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Kellogg Canada Inc.

While living in Michigan we attended the Grand Rapids WCG church and later the Kalamazoo church where I was ordained a deacon before moving to Canada in 1973. My wife was first drawn to the church after listening to The World Tomorrow broadcast. As is often the case, I was not convinced. However, when Georgia demonstrated such solid faith, conviction and determination, I was reluctantly dragged along and after a period of study was baptized in 1968. Her example was a major milestone in our married life.

After working at Kellogg’s for ten enjoyable years in Battle Creek, I was transferred to Kellogg Canada to head up the Research and Development function. This was especially rewarding since that company had recently purchased Salada Foods. Resettling in Canada was a challenge, especially dealing with the Canadian immigration folks. Because of the high price of housing in metro Toronto we built a home in King City, Ontario, a small village about 20 miles north of Toronto. All our children graduated from King City High School. We lived in Canada for 23 years and attended the Toronto West church the entire time. While there I served as deacon, YOU advisor, director of one of two Spokesman Clubs. In 1987 I was ordained an elder by Neil Earle.

After my retirement in 1997, Georgia and I moved to Fairfield Glade, Tennessee where, at first, we attended the Cookeville, Tennessee church. Prior to our move to Tennessee we received a postcard from the matriarch of a long-standing Church family. Such a warm greeting made Georgia and me believe God inspired our move. While attending the Cookeville Church an opportunity presented itself to start a church in Crossville. After attending a ministerial orientation conference, I became the Crossville church pastor in January 2002. I am still serving as the volunteer pastor of that congregation, New Beginning Fellowship Church. It is interesting how one arrives at a given place in life.

We are a small church but I am ever impressed with the faithfulness and loyalty of our members. Both Georgia and I have learned to love and respect our Tennessee native church friends. Our congregation is much like many GCI churches, we are getting older and some are in failing health. Because of the distance some of our members travel to services we have organized to combine our Sunday worship service with a Bible study at our rented facility, which has turned out to be a blessing.

The strain of leadership in a small church is exemplified in our congregation. Some of our early leaders have had to stop participating. As a consequence, my wife and I have had to pick up the slack. Georgia and I conduct worship services, she on the piano and I lead songs. She also serves as our treasurer.

Aside from my church responsibilities, I am secretary/treasurer of the Cumberland County Ministerial Association. Georgia and I help Habitat for Humanity. I served the local chapter as its second president. In 2011, the Crossville mayor appointed me to the Board of Directors of the Crossville Housing Authority. Both Georgia and I enjoy gardening. Georgia cares for the flowers and I take care of the vegetables. We thoroughly enjoy Tennessee and do not miss the fast-paced life of Toronto.

With October being Pastor Appreciation Month in the US and Canada, it’s nice to hear that one of our own elders has been honored for an achievement that has global impact.

If you know John Meyer who lives in Tracy, California, you know him as an interesting, yet humble servant. What you may not know is that John, now retired, has played a significant role in developing a technology that affects literally billions of people around the world.

Originally from New Zealand, John earned a degree in physics before entering Ambassador College in Bricket Wood, England. In his junior year at AC, he was assigned to work in the college press. At the time, The Plain Truth magazine was just beginning to use color pictures. The press manager asked John to develop the best color separation methods available. While doing so, John came to recognize the limitations of existing methods, which were cumbersome and time consuming. John envisioned a process by which color photographs could be electronically scanned and displayed on a television screen then adjusted to appear as they would when printed. We take this process for granted now—many of us do it routinely on our own computers. But in 1966 this technology did not exist—John was well ahead of his time.

After graduating from AC, John went on to get his Ph.D. in physics and to begin a career at Hewlett Packard Labs where he played a major role in developing the technology that turned his vision into practical reality.

The digital photography revolution came about when a low-cost option for consumers to print out their pictures at home became available. John played a leading role in this revolution by helping to develop thermal ink jet printing and helping solve color communication problems that carried over into the camera domain. These advances resulted in the rapid adoption of digital photography.

John remembers his 28-year career at HP Labs as a wonderful adventure in realizing what was once a rather fanciful vision. His pioneering work revolutionized printing and radically changed the way we take photographs.

Last September, the Royal Photographic Society in England recognized John’s achievements by awarding him the prestigious Davies medal. This medal is awarded for significant contributions in the digital field of imaging science.

On a personal note, John says, “I see this as a blessing from God in that I left physics to come to AC; and, with my wife’s encouragement, returned to complete my graduate degree, such that when I was looking for a job there was a company called Hewlett Packard that was looking to employ someone who knew both printing and physics. Everything that I had turned away from, God gave back to me tenfold.”

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For further details about the Davies medal, click here.

Harry Kall, who pastors GCI’s church in Cicero, Illinois, grew up in the Chicago area. “It was interesting for a Greek boy, born of immigrant parents, to grow up in a predominately Italian and Mexican neighborhood. As I reflect on what brought me to where I am today, I can only say that it was God’s mercies.”

Harry and his wife Ruth have been married for 30 years. “My loving wife has been a fabulous mentor to me. She is a member of my ‘jury of peers.’ She has great vision, compassion and patience.” Harry and Ruth’s daughter Marissa (25) is an orchestra teacher. “We still attend her performances; pretty awesome!”

Harry became part of GCI on June 22, 2003. “Our entire church was added to GCI. Prior to that, I was ordained by and affiliated with the North American Conference of the Evangelical Church of God. The president of that conference was Lorenzo Arroyo (now a GCI regional pastor). All of us in the conference had been members of the Church of God (Seventh Day), headquartered in Denver. In 1996, 32+ churches left that Sabbath-keeping group to form the independent conference led by Lorenzo. Later that year, Lorenzo met with GCI president Joseph Tkach and seven years after that many of our congregations became part of GCI.”

“The short version is that theological reasons led to these decisions,” Harry shares. “Interestingly, GCI was moving on a parallel track; away from Sabbath-keeping and toward the gospel of grace.” Harry adds: “Leaving wasn’t an easy or quick decision. I don’t believe anyone should leave a church or conference unless it is for theological reasons and that is what we did.”

When they joined GCI, Harry was ordained a GCI pastor. He loves being a pastor. “Weekly we gather with other believers who place their trust in us; and, we have the privilege of talking to them about what God is doing in our lives and that of his church. Amazing isn’t it?”

Becoming part of GCI proved to be a great blessing to Harry and the others who joined GCI with him. “Until you have had the feelings of isolation and being a ‘lone wolf’ you cannot imagine the joy I feel being part of GCI and its support system—from its extensive website to its regional conferences and associated activities that occur regionally and nationally. Did I mention our theology?”

Harry, who said the one thing people may or may not know about him is that he gets moody when he’s hungry, and one of his big passions is music. “I’ve never been a person driven by a single passion, but I must say that I love all sorts of music: jazz, blues, concert, bluegrass and most operas. Oh yes, you will also find me gardening in my free time and looking for travel deals.”

When asked about a mentor, Harry shared the following: “There have and continue to be five or six people I trust where I can check out an idea with them. When in doubt, it’s always best to have what I call ‘a jury of your peers.’ Having three to five people who can ‘weigh in’ on a question of interest or concern is a great way of keeping you grounded and puts in check pridefulness or self-righteousness.”

Harry recently retired from being a GCI District Pastor and says the experience was something he will never forget: “I had the awesome and amazing privilege of ordaining elders and deacons. I thank God for allowing me to do that through the years.”

When asked when he feels closest to God, Harry said it is when he is preparing a sermon. “During that time, I am always reminded by him of how much he loves me. When I am in the Word is when I am most reminded that God really, really loves us, that he saved us and that he has given us an everlasting relationship with him.”

Rannie Childress recently was named senior pastor of GCI’s congregation in Attalla, Alabama (he will be installed in a ceremony in October). GCI ministry developer Ted Johnston interviewed Rannie and Bob Miller, the congregation’s former pastor and Rannie’s mentor. The video below excerpts that conversation, telling Rannie’s story—an amazing testimony to the goodness and power of God.

On YouTube at http://youtu.be/HtONous96LM.

Marty Davey, who pastors GCI congregations in Jacksonville, Florida and Woodbine, Georgia was born in North Carolina but spent much of his early years moving between Florida and Tennessee. “This was due to my mother having open-heart surgery several times, beginning when she was age 30. My parents had to depend on proximity to their parents since I was one of four kids and our mother was usually ill. She was one of the original patients of Dr. Michael DeBakey in Houston who pioneered open-heart surgery. His surgeries were successful and my mother lived to be 67. She died in 2004.”

Though Marty grew up in a Baptist family, he shared that “we did not often attend worship or practice our beliefs. After struggling through my high school life with troublesome behaviors and relationships, I left home in Tennessee at 17, moved in with my grandparents in Florida and there began turning to Jesus to straighten out my life. I started reading the Bible during my senior year in high school and started worshipping with WCG in Gainesville, Florida in January 1976. I was baptized in June 1976.”

Marty went to Ambassador College in 1977 and there met Australian native Yvonne Verwater. They graduated from Ambassador College in 1981 and were married in August that year. They just celebrated their 32nd anniversary. They have three children, Amanda (Rick) Larson, Michael and Michelle.

Hired upon graduating from AC, Marty and Yvonne began their ministry in Houston, Texas. Since that time they have served as assistant pastor or associate pastor in Charleston, West Virginia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Mount Poconos, Pennsylvania; Muncie and Richmond, Indiana (their first assignment as a senior pastor) and since 1995 in Jacksonville, Florida and Woodbine, Georgia.

“Sharing God’s love and Jesus’ beautiful teachings with others,” is Marty’s favorite part of being a pastor. His most memorable moments include, “baptizing my three children and coming to see Jesus more clearly in his New covenant.” What he loves most about being part of GCI is, “being around the sincerely committed members and ministers as, together, we live out our new life in Christ.”

Speaking of Yvonne, Marty says, “Yvonne has been and still is, the perfect pastor’s wife: always faithful, deeply caring about the parishioners and serving others with a wonderful spirit of teamwork and humility. She presently coordinates the preteen children’s Sunday school program in our Jacksonville church and is a great encourager and source of wisdom. While she is active and supportive in church ministry, she maintains her own identity, interests and relationships, which help her to have a balanced and healthy outlook on life and ministry.”

In his free time Marty loves to fish. “I like fishing for real fish almost as much as I like fishing for disciples, but I’m not very good at either—yet.”

When asked about a mentor, Marty said, “I have learned many good things from all six of the pastors under whom I’ve served. Probably the most helpful mentoring came from Hal Baird, the first pastor who trained me. He was one of the kindest, warmest and most caring pastors one could imagine. His approach showed me what true ministry looked like.”

Marty says he feels closest to God “when prayerfully reading his word, or when peacefully observing the beauty of nature around me.” Regarding his passion, Marty said, “I like everything good in life and hope to stay around as long as possible in reasonable shape. I really like being human, so far, though I am excited about the new model as well!”

Mark Mounts, pastor of Community Christian Fellowship in Houston Texas, grew up in Quinter, Kansas, population 900. He became interested in WCG at age 17 and then attended Ambassador College where he met his wife, Debra. They celebrated their 29th anniversary in May. “We have been blessed with two children, Ryan and Courtney. They are adopted and are biological brother and sister. That’s rare and their story would be a book in itself. They have been a light in our lives; I can’t imagine them not being around.”

Mark’s life story centers around several key events. “I have one sister named Tamara. She was born with moderate cerebral palsy. Because of this we had to travel over an hour to a specialist for her weekly treatments until I was around nine years old. I believe this made me somewhat sensitive to the needs of others. I saw how my sister struggled and in spite of her physical deficits made the best of what life dealt her.”

Another event that transformed Mark was the separation of his parents when he was in seventh grade. “My parents had been having trouble for some time, but due to my age and the fact that we didn’t talk much, this was a traumatic shock. It was then that I unfortunately became familiar with emotions such as fear, hatred, anger and resentment. I felt that if my parents didn’t care (which wasn’t true), neither did I. So, I went off ‘the deep end’ at age 11. That lifestyle lasted until I was 14 when I realized that the only one I was hurting was myself, so I came clean. A few months later my parents got back together and we moved to a different town.”

During this time of turmoil, Mark’s sister started “living a lifestyle that was disruptive to our family. Because of this, I withdrew, feeling I had to take care of myself in the middle of all this chaos. She spent 35 years in that lifestyle and has been sober for six years. It’s a miracle that she’s alive and it’s great to have her back. Through all of this I knew that I wanted to work with people. So at 14 I decided I’d become a therapist. But God had a different idea.”

Mark’s life wasn’t all turmoil. During his young years, he became interested in shooting. “My father had lost his left eye at a young age in a tragic incident. Because of this he never played catch with me. But there was one thing he could do well: shoot. So, at the age of five he placed a single-shot 22 in my hands. I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Mark’s father had been reading WCG/GCI literature for years. “When we moved closer to a town with a WCG church, he and my mother started attending but didn’t force me to. One day I asked my dad what this new church’s idea was regarding heaven and hell. My reason for asking was because of things I had done during my teenage years, I honestly didn’t have much confidence that I had any chance of making it to heaven. He explained to me that there was more than one resurrection (according to our old beliefs). Ironically, that changed my life. For the first time I perceived God as merciful and the rest is history. I’ve been attending ever since.”

After graduating from Ambassador College in 1984, Mark took a job in business. “I am so glad I had a chance to see the heart and core of the business world; it was eye-opening to say the least. Everyone thought that I would be hired into the ministry straight out of college. I’m glad I wasn’t. God’s timing is perfect.”

Mark was hired as an associate pastor in 1987. “Full-time pastoral ministry has given me the opportunity to work with thousands of people and to pursue the desires of my heart. Later I had the opportunity to obtain a graduate degree in professional counseling. I have been given the opportunity to do what I truly wanted to do since my teenage years: work with people. I am constantly blown away as I see God work in deeply intimate ways in people’s lives. Through the experience he has given me, I feel I now am able to appreciate even the smallest of things and no longer take anything for granted.”

Mark credits GCI for changing his life and soul at its core. “When we changed our doctrines, it forced me to ask myself why I would affiliate myself with a legalistic religious organization that was known as a cult by most of the world. That depth of soul-searching has been going on ever since. God has used his process of change to help me understand that change truly is my reality. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, not even in the next hour. But no matter what life may bring, I know to the depths of my soul that his will is being done for something much greater than just the way I feel about it. Grace set me free and continues to do so every day.”

When asked what he enjoys doing apart from pastoring, Mark said he loves to cook and exercise. “There is just something about food!!! First I love to eat it, and I really love to see how it can bring people together—it’s just cool.” He and Deb work out and cycle at a health club and ride bikes together fairly regularly.

Mark shared his most memorable moment as a pastor: “When I had been employed less than a year, I received a call from a member whose 16-year-old daughter had given birth to a profoundly premature little boy. I had to scrub up and put on gloves and a mask to enter the neonatal ICU. When I saw that incredibly small and frail little boy, I couldn’t believe it. I prayed for him and placed my fingers on two parts of his little body that weren’t covered with tubes or medical tape. That child died and the grandmother, who was a member, basically tore up the waiting room in grief. It was then I knew I could not do this job without relying totally on God. I would learn that even more deeply in the years to come.” As a result of learning that lesson, Mark shares that his passion has become developing a relationship with Father, Son and Spirit. “There is nothing else that matters.”

Asked when he feels closest to God, Mark said, “Honestly, when I’m at my worst. I have had to learn to trust that God shows me that side of myself on his timeline. Not so that I can shame or discredit myself, but so I can be thankful that he shows me that characteristic that I know I must surrender. It brings me closer to him. It has taken me years to finally understand this principle.”

Mark shared that he and Deb will be empty-nesters this fall. Deb is looking forward to getting even more involved with the congregation and their outreach.

This update is from GCI pastor George Hart who reports on the recent birth of his granddaughter.

The good news is that we have wonderful and precious new granddaughter, Elle Jolynn Dobson, born to our daughter Erin and her husband Craig Dobson of Nashville, Tennessee. However the blessed event wasn’t without some anguish and distress.

On Friday morning, August 16 at around 9:00am Erin was almost completely dilated, so the expectation was that baby Elle would be born in the early afternoon. However time continued to pass and it wasn’t until after midnight that Erin started pushing. She pushed for a couple of hours, but the baby’s head was turned to the side, and she would not rotate. They tried forceps, which only bruised and cut her head.

After 30 hours of being in the birth canal, baby Elle went into stress and the doctors did an emergency C-section. They would not let Erin see the baby and rushed her out of the operating room. The doctor’s comment to Erin was, “You have a very sick little girl.” Elle’s heart was in distress, she could not breathe on her own and there was cerebral hemorrhaging. At that point the doctors were not certain she would survive, and what damage would have been done if she did.

Elle was immediately placed in NICU, where she received therapeutic hypothermia to reduce the risk of brain injury. Her body temperature was lowered to 92 degrees for 72 hours and she was sedated with morphine to limit stimulation to her brain. My first view of my granddaughter was lying nude on a cooling blanket with electrodes attached to her head, IVs in her navel and arm and a rectal thermometer. They had just removed the oxygen tube in her nose, running to her lungs.

After 72 hours they gradually warmed her to normal body temperature and began to step down the treatment. For the first time, her mother could hold her. She began to display normal responses to touch and stimulation. But at this point they were still concerned about possible brain damage and seizures from the hemorrhaging. Each day you could see improvement in her responses and overall condition.

The last hurdle was an MRI which was performed this past Saturday, day eight of her life. They were looking for any dead brain tissue. The MRI showed a normal healthy brain! There is still blood between her brain and skull but the doctors said that if she hasn’t had seizures at this point she won’t and the blood will dissolve into her body.

On August 25 they kicked Elle out of NICU and sent her home!

It is amazing how God works. The mother of one of Erin’s best friends is the resource nurse for the NICU. She was able to assign the “best” nurses to care for Elle and checked on her frequently. The therapeutic hypothermia procedure used was invented by a doctor at the hospital, so they have a great deal of experience. Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital is one of the best at dealing with infant trauma.

I was so moved this past week with the faith of Erin and her husband Craig. There were times when I would hold Elle and tears would form in my eyes. Erin would comfort me with a pat on the shoulder and say, “Dad everything is going to be fine. She is in God’s hands. Don’t worry about it.”

Though I’m feeling a bit emotionally drained, I also am feeling the pride of a grandparent and the love of a loving and caring Heavenly Father. I apologize to all grandparents I’ve made fun of for their comments about their grandchildren. Now, I understand!

Family and Christianity are the two things that mark the childhood of Jeff Broadnax, pastor of GCI congregations in Columbus and Chillicothe, Ohio and member of the GCI Generations Ministries leadership team. “I spent my formative years within 15 miles of virtually all my extended family. We saw each other at least twice a month. Family togetherness thus shaped my view of relationships. My father’s parents were devout Christians and expected their six children and all their grandchildren to be at First Church of God on Sunday mornings. Thus at an early age I found myself convinced of my need for time with God.”

Jeff grew up in Cincinnati in the house his parents still live in. “My father began listening to the Radio Church of God in the 1960s. In the mid-70s he sought out the church for a visit. We began attending the Festival of Tabernacles when I was 12 years old in 1977.” Jeff then left for Ambassador College in 1983. “After graduating on a Friday and getting married the following Monday, May 25, 1987, my wife, Karen and I spent the next three years working for WCG/GCI in Pasadena, California. Karen worked in the Spanish department and I first worked in the travel department and then as a ministerial trainee (intern) in the headquarters church.”

Jeff and Karen, who celebrated their 26th anniversary on May 25, have four children. “Our eldest, Jasmine (22), recently graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a double major in psychology and sociology and a minor in criminal justice. Our second, Kristen, went home to the Lord in 1994. She would have been 19 this year. Our son, Kyle (15), is going into his sophomore year in high school and is an honor student and passionate basketball player. Our youngest, Kassidy (5), is heading into kindergarten and ready to take the world by storm.”

Jeff was ordained an elder on March 4, 1989 and served another year in Pasadena before transferring to Big Sandy, Texas. “We spent three years serving as an associate pastor in the local church and the college campus and then we transferred to the Manhattan and Westchester (county) New York congregations in 1993. We were blessed over the next 17 years to serve five GCI congregations in the greater New York City area (Manhattan, Armonk, White Plains and Middletown, New York; and Hillsdale, New Jersey). In 2010 we moved back to the Buckeye State (Ohio) and currently serve the CenterPointe (Columbus) and Voice of Hope (Chillicothe) congregations of GCI.”

Jeff attributes a lot of his spiritual growth to his parents and mentors. “My parents (Earl and Bettie Broadnax) and my wife’s parents (John and the late Judy Hunter) have been amazing examples of faithful Christians. Their love for God and willingness to grow and learn has always served as an anchor for us in our faith. I have a number of folks who have actively mentored me in transformational ways but John Halford, Joseph Tkach and the late Dr. Kermit Nelson and Harold Jackson are four men who have intentionally taught me to be more like Jesus.”

Speaking of being a pastor, Jeff said, “I absolutely love being used by God to help others learn and tell the story he is writing in their lives through Jesus. So many of us have no clue of the divine appointments he is setting up for us each day and how he wants us to use our story to help others see that he loves them, really likes them, and has God-sized plans he wants to fulfill through their lives and stories (warts and all).”

Jeff’s most memorable moment as a pastor is personal, but one he wants to share because it is something we all can learn from. “One day in August 2004, God changed forever the way I understood him and Scripture. He had convicted me and challenged me to let go of some bitterness that I was carrying. I told him that I had tried but was unable to do so on my own. I asked him to take that anger and bitterness from me, and when I verbally offered the forgiveness I was withholding and verbally let go of the bitterness I was carrying, it was like scales fell off my eyes. I was able to love in deed and not just in word because he showed me the difference in real life and in Scripture. I will never forget the moment because it was proof that God so loved ME therefore I must love him and others with his kind of love.”

Transformation is important to Jeff, not only in his own life, but also in GCI. “I enjoy being a part of an organization that knows it needed and now has been transformed by God himself. The journey I/we have taken is proof of the kind of God we serve. Our story helps me read the stories of the patriarchs, apostles and people of the parables through God’s eyes not just my own. My training, experience and lessons within GCI make the word of God come to life in real time and I love it.”

When asked what he would like others to know about him that they may or may not know, Jeff said, “That even after 26 years in the ministry, I am still coming to grips with God’s destiny for my life. I am so excited about what’s ahead because I feel God has placed gifts inside me that I haven’t even begun to unwrap in his grace yet. I am soooooo ready!”

Jeff shares that he gets his passion from Luke 4/Isaiah 61. “God has placed in my heart a burden to let him use me to help others discover their destiny in Christ and know that he wants to use every part of their lives. It doesn’t matter if one is incarcerated or incorporated, harassed, helpless or helpful, wise or washed up, Jesus has plans for us all. He wants us to not just find freedom but to experience jubilee in him!”

When does Jeff feel closest to God? “When I read Scripture because I know God is telling every story to me for a purpose. Everything is there to show me something about how he thinks, loves and operates in the lives of people. There are also times when I know his presence through music.”

Many years ago, Tom Smith who pastors GCI congregations in Pittsburgh and Indiana, Pennsylvania, found himself hurrying to his first Saturday evening meal at Ambassador College when he heard a young lady named Pam call out to him. She had been invited to supper at the Walkers who were church members. Mr. Walker said, “I thought you would bring a date. How about him?” Tom shares, “Right then I was running towards them. Pam asked, ‘Want a home-cooked meal with me?’ I accepted and the rest is history.”

Tom and Pam started dating and as Tom notes, “My best friend throughout college became my wife.” Tom and Pam have been married for 42 years and have three daughters, Tonya, Carrie and Katie; and one son, Brandon.

Growing up in Bristol, Tennessee, Tom attended a Southern Baptist church most of his young life. “I was fascinated with the children’s church choir and grew up involved with their youth programs. I helped with the VBS each summer, was a leader of the youth (over 100), was involved in the Royal Ambassadors (similar to Boy Scouts), assisted the preteen choirs and served at the senior care home ministry during the 11:00 am Sunday service (it meant going to the 8:30 am service). I had a church girlfriend and life seemed sweet. UNTIL… we went to Radio Church of God. My former ‘church life’ as I knew it ended.”

Tom was a junior in high school when his dad started studying The Plain Truth and the Ambassador College Correspondence Course. “We were invited to attend the Radio Church of God in Asheville, North Carolina three hours away! Dad didn’t ask me to go with him. But to his surprise, I was up and dressed at 5:30 am on Saturday and asked him, ‘Can I drive?’ He smiled and said ‘Yes’.”

When it came time to apply for college, Tom applied and was accepted to the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture. But his dad wanted him to consider Ambassador College. “I had no interest but was sure they would not accept me, so I applied to appease my dad, thinking he might be more willing then to help me go to UT. It turned out that I was the first of seven young people accepted from the Asheville church.”

Tom attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas from 1966 to 1970. “I thoroughly enjoyed the college atmosphere and social life and travel opportunities. I went to Pasadena on three bus trips, including one that stopped by the Grand Canyon. I also visited Bricket Wood on the way to the first archaeological dig in 1969.”

Early on Tom was told he was not going into the ministry. “I was glad, since that was not my desire. Buck Hammer offered me a job in buildings and grounds on the Big Sandy campus. I took him up on it, asked Pam to go with me, built a home and had two children. In 1977 I remember telling Pam, ‘God has been good to us: new home, two children and a good job!’” That was the year Ambassador College Big Sandy closed, disrupting the life of the young family. “I went into sales with Motorola Radio and was three to four nights a week on the road. We sold our house and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. Pam’s mother died and her father moved in with us (he was 61 with Alzheimer’s). Life got a bit bumpy then, but with God at the helm and Pam at my side, we plowed on.”

A year later Buck Hammer asked Tom to move back to Big Sandy and be his assistant until Buck retired. “We moved to Gladewater, Texas and became active in the Big Sandy church again: In-home Bible studies, game nights, helping seniors, youth leadership, Boys Club, choir, etc. Life was once again good; very good.” Then in1979 Tom was ordained. He talked to God about this new chapter in his life, “In 1970, they said I wasn’t going to be in the ministry! But since they aren’t paying me as a local elder, I guess it’s alright.”

Tom said he had the “wonderful opportunity to learn from Norvel Pyle, Hal Baird, James Duke, Don Ward and Burk McNair. For the next five years my ministerial training was superior to anything I could imagine. And oh yes, I can’t forget 12 years with Lynn Torrance (how’s that for colorful training?).”

In November, 1982, Tom was hired to assist Burk McNair in Big Sandy and Tyler, Texas. “Pam was never paid, but I certainly could not have done it without her. She has the gift of mercy and it spills over with all she meets. Everyone who knows Pam likes her. Even her name means ‘sweet thing.’ By this time our third child was six months old. We moved to Hawkins and I worked eight-hour shifts in the church office on the Ambassador College grounds. Life was good! Then in the spring of 1982 our son was run over by a van on a Y.O.U. track event. No worries, he was playing soccer within six months! (Do you see a trend here? LIFE IS GOOD! then WHAM!!!)”

God knew what he was doing when he called Tom to pastoral ministry. Tom has served many people for many years. What does he love most about pastoring? “Helping people come from conflict to resolution, whether with themselves or others.” Tom loves it when people have their “Aha moment,” when coming to understand their relationship with God.

When asked about a most memorable time, Tom talked about a camp experience. “In 1999 I was a counselor at a Release Time Bible Camp. One of my campers (age 11) shared what God and camp had done for him. His father was not a believer the previous year; he was abusive to his family and a drunkard. The camper had prayed for his daddy to believe Jesus and that week at camp he was glad to announce that his father was a sober camp worker and a believer!”

Tom was quick to point out that God is not done with him yet. “In August 2013, I will go bi-vocational, still serving as pastor with our retirement, but also working elsewhere to supplement our income, possibly as a chaplain.”

In addition to pastoring, Tom is passionate about writing. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Good News Grapevine, though that was more editing than writing. I plan to write a book about my experience in Christianity. I also enjoy working with preteens, camp, church (children’s sermons), etc. I was delighted to assist with the junior camp program we started in 2002.”

When asked when he feels closest to God, Tom said, “When I seek quiet time, at our home, in the backyard or in the woods. This quiet time often includes music; I love hymns, old and new.”