User:RandleLewis

RANDLE LEWIS SELF-INTRODUCTION

1. Call to the Lord & Call to Ministry

I became a Christian in the summer of 1990. Prior to becoming a Christian, I lived a very selfish life. Most of my youth was spent rebelling against my parents, school and anything else I could think of. Prior to graduating high school, my sister and I had to move out of our parent’s home and move in with our grandmother due to family conflict. This caused me to be bitter and even more rebellious. It was during this time in my life that I began to drink alcohol. A few years latter, during a time of deep depression, I was driving to work one Sunday morning and listening to the R&B station I always had on. This particular morning they were playing gospel music and I began to listen to the words of the music. As I drove, I began remembering the things I was taught in Sunday School as a small child. The Spirit of God was speaking to me to repent of my sins and follow him. I was reluctant at first, thinking that I would have to give up all the things I loved to follow Christ. The response was yes, but you will gain much more. At this point I pulled my car over to the shoulder of the freeway and told God that I would give him my life for a month and if he could save me I would follow him, but if not, I had nothing to lose. So I bowed my head and gave my life to Christ. The salvation was immediate. A peace came over me that I could not explain, except that I was filled with the Spirit and had been born again. I rejoiced the rest of the way to work and when I arrived I began telling everyone in the warehouse that I had just accepted Christ and I was a changed man. I know beyond all doubt that Christ had saved me and that I will never be the same. Since that day, I have been trying to follow Christ faithfully. In May 1991 I received the calling into full time Christian ministry. The following Fall I enrolled in Bible college and began pursuing a divinity degree. During my training and ministry experience, I came to realize that what I loved about ministry was teaching and that God wanted me to use my gifts in the teaching field and not in pastoral ministry. To that end, I finished college and enrolled in graduate studies pursuing academic degrees in biblical studies with a view to using that knowledge in the classroom. During this time I married Debbie, and she and I have been active in our local churches ministering and being ministered to. 2. Current Location & Ministry

Debbie and I currently live in Visalia, CA. We moved here in November 2011 for a teaching opportunity at Central Valley Christian High School. There I taught 11th and 12th grade Bible classes and was the head of the Bible department. During our visit to Visalia we visited St Paul’s Anglican Church and when we arrived moved our membership. Our ministry at St Paul’s consists of Debbie serving on an education committee and leading children’s chapel while I have served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, occasional preacher (once about ever 6-8 weeks), preach at Quail Park retirement center during a Morning Prayer service the church leads the 3rd Sunday of every month, and I assist with the high school youth group.

3. Educational & Pastoral Experience

I hold a BA in Biblical Studies (1998, basically the old Bachelor of Divinity degree) from The Criswell College, Dallas, TX. I hold a MA in New Testament Studies (2002) and a MA in Old Testament Studies (2004) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA. I began my ministerial/pastoral experience early in my career. I served a paid intern and assistant in the youth ministry department at First Baptist Church, Dallas. Then I served for a short time as youth minister at a small Baptist Church in Mesquite, TX. It was during my time as a youth minister that I realized that my passion in ministry lies in teaching rather than pastoral ministry. During the remainder of my education I served in various churches teaching Sunday school (both adults and youth), leading small groups, preaching, and serving as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. Shortly after my time at Gordon-Conwell Debbie and I moved from a baptistic, non-denominational tradition to the Anglo/Catholic, Episcopal tradition. This was a result of my growth/evolution in theological understanding for the importance of being apart of a church that was united both historically (vertically) and contextually (horizontally).

4. Experience as a Chaplain/Exam Reader

I have served as an Examining Chaplain for three years as the examiner for Holy Scripture.

5. Particular Areas of Interest within the 8 Canonical Areas

In addition to Holy Scripture, I am interested in: historical and biblical theology; ethics; practical theology; and preaching.

6. Level of familiarity/comfort with Technology

My level of familiarity with technology is about a 4 out of 5. I have done some training on web maintenance but it was over a decade ago.