PASTOR JOHN'S BIO
While living in Chino, my wife Millie was looking for a church to attend and she found a small Baptist church in town. She was committed to her personal spiritual growth and that of our children, I was committed to making money and having more stuff. Millie finally convinced me to attend church with her one Sunday, reluctantly I went. The Pastor was not there that Sunday so I was able to sit in the very back pew and make my way out the door before encountering anyone. Little did I know that Millie had put a visitors card in the offering with my name and address on it. The Pastor visited our home that next week. This would be the beginning of a spiritual process that would completely alter my life. After the Pastor visited I made a promise to attend the next Sunday, that was all the Lord needed to get hold of my heart and save me, transform me and set me on a new course for my life and my family.
It would only be a few years later that we would find ourselves selling our home, packing up all our belongings and moving to (of all places) Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO. This is just north of Springfield MO., about 70 miles from where I was born. For the next 2 1/2 years I worked on my degree in religion, and pastured two small country churches. It was during this time that God was molding me and preparing me for a life time of ministry that would take me around the world sharing God's Word. In early 1979 we moved back to Southern California where I would leave the Baptist Denomination and begin planting and serving the Lord in the Calvary Chapel Movement. Over the next several years I would continue my theological education and in 1986 received my Master Degree in Biblical Studies.
In 1989 our oldest daughter Cassandra went home to be with the Lord. The loss for Millie and I was almost unbearable except for the love and caring of Jesus and God's people who came along side of us. But as it always is with the Lord, when something so tragic as loosing a child happens, God is there to fill that emptiness, not only spiritually and emotionally, but physically. A year later God brought our youngest daughter Lorna Rose into our life. A few years later we were able to adopt her, and have been thankful every day that the Lord can fill a void and give you the opportunity to redirect your love and care to another.
Having been a Pastor for 50 years now and 44 of those years serving in various Calvary Chapel's, both in Southern and Northern California, I can say that the journey, though not finished, has been exciting and blessed by the gracious hand of the Lord. Well, this is by no means the whole story, but it does let you know a little bite about my journey, which is not yet complete. It will be finished when I stand face to face with the One who saved me, changed me and called me into the most awesome and wonderful life anyone could ask for. Thank You Jesus!
It would only be a few years later that we would find ourselves selling our home, packing up all our belongings and moving to (of all places) Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO. This is just north of Springfield MO., about 70 miles from where I was born. For the next 2 1/2 years I worked on my degree in religion, and pastured two small country churches. It was during this time that God was molding me and preparing me for a life time of ministry that would take me around the world sharing God's Word. In early 1979 we moved back to Southern California where I would leave the Baptist Denomination and begin planting and serving the Lord in the Calvary Chapel Movement. Over the next several years I would continue my theological education and in 1986 received my Master Degree in Biblical Studies.
In 1989 our oldest daughter Cassandra went home to be with the Lord. The loss for Millie and I was almost unbearable except for the love and caring of Jesus and God's people who came along side of us. But as it always is with the Lord, when something so tragic as loosing a child happens, God is there to fill that emptiness, not only spiritually and emotionally, but physically. A year later God brought our youngest daughter Lorna Rose into our life. A few years later we were able to adopt her, and have been thankful every day that the Lord can fill a void and give you the opportunity to redirect your love and care to another.
Having been a Pastor for 50 years now and 44 of those years serving in various Calvary Chapel's, both in Southern and Northern California, I can say that the journey, though not finished, has been exciting and blessed by the gracious hand of the Lord. Well, this is by no means the whole story, but it does let you know a little bite about my journey, which is not yet complete. It will be finished when I stand face to face with the One who saved me, changed me and called me into the most awesome and wonderful life anyone could ask for. Thank You Jesus!
