Rich accepted the Lord when he was eleven years old. He started reading his Bible on the bus and talking to people about the Lord. Soon after, he began feeling that he should become a pastor, but dismissed it, thinking that surely everyone felt the same way. During this time when he was growing in faith, he played guitar and led worship in his small country church, and this opportunity made a great impact on him.
After high school, he went to Oregon State University and majored in Business Management. After college he held various management positions in the restaurant business. He was single and living alone at the time and the Lord began to move in his life in a wonderful way. He started reading through the Bible like he had never done before, chapter by chapter, book by book. He also spent many hours worshiping alone on the piano. He began to have a sincere desire to be in ministry, first, by starting a Christian band and then feeling a strong call to become a pastor and to teach God’s Word.
Rich studied at Multnomah Bible College and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology. He also studied at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and was a youth leader before starting his own church.
Rich and Jordi have been married for more than three decades. They have three daughters born naturally and two sons adopted from Russia. They are blessed with beautiful grandchildren.
