From the Cotton Patch to the Community Platform!

Challenging young life; witness a murder; was raped by an older cousin I just met; introduced to sex by an older female babysitter; protected from the harsh street life by a loving mother whose husband was hardly home; watched my mother become a committed Christian and told God to "do the same thing for me," but I was a little slow in becoming a committed Christian even after I accepted the call to ministry. I would speak to the youth, and gradually began speaking in small churches. Became active in community Gospel choir and became a Gospel DJ. Went to a community college; spent a little time in the Navy Reserves and in the Navy where I was hurt and tricked into signing for early release, eliminating me from benefits because I didn't understand the military medical discharge papers said I was "unfit for military duty." When I tried to re-enlist and straighten out my military records, I have been stymied since the 1960s. God provided me a great wife who has put up with my physical and learning challenges while I found my calling in community work, but worked a lot of different jobs to pay the bills and help her raise 5 great children who provided us with 14 grandchildren, and 3 (4 sometime in May!) great-grandchildren. Served in various churches in some capacity; recently called to pastor a small church in College Station, Texas that was about to close. My daughter was greatly blessed by this little church in its hey-day while she was a student at Texas A&M University and insisted that I could not let the little church close! I volunteered for a year and was installed as senior pastor in October, 2017 with the understanding that I would mentor an up-and-coming ministry couple (my daughter and her husband!) who have had ministries in Japan and in England. My education include an AA in Business Administration from Bakersfield Community College; a BA in Christian Education, with a Minor in Psychology and a M. Ed. in Education Administration with a Minor in Counseling from Whitworth University; an honorary doctorate from Bell Grove Seminary; completed 62 units towards an Ed. D. in Organizational Development at Grand Canyon University (just lacking completing my dissertation in order to graduate); graduate of Hilliard Vocational Bible Institute in Ministry Development; and attended other schools taking computers, literacy, family development, Reading, Ethnic Studies, Marketing, Missions, and Church Development. I love to read, research, write (one novel published), sell legal insurance, and am now learning how to be a real estate investor. I am deeply in love with my wife of 52 years who helps to continue to keep me straight!