It didn't take long after I had been in youth ministry, to discover the ministry value of taking trips with my groups. It seems like more spiritual growth took place in kid's lives in one week of camp, ski trip, or wilderness canoing, than a whole year of Sunday School.
My full time youth ministry days began in Kansas City Youth for Christ (a city-wide interdenominational youth ministry), before becoming a Youth Director at Hope Congregational Church in St. Louis, Mo. In 1970, I started a local city-wide chapter of YFC Campus Life in Lincoln, Nebraska. Seven years later I took the position of Youth Pastor at Indian Hills Community Church in Lincoln.
In 1980, I served with YFC Campus Life in Omaha, Nebraska and in 1983 moved to Siloam Springs, Arkansas to be the Director of Church Relations at John Brown University. From 1991 to 2006, I was pastor of Fellowship Bible Church of Siloam Springs. I took a sabbatical from my church in 1996 to work with the Jones Center for Families in Springdale, Arkansas, to initiate the "NWA Community Marriage Policy."
In my years in Christian ministry, I've led countless groups of students and adults, on many kinds of trips. I began "All Points Cruising & Travel" in 2006 because of my love for travel and my desire to help pastors and churches discover the many benefits and value of a travel ministry.
Travel And Learning Always Go Together
When I was a little kid, to avoid the scorching heat, my dad drove all night across Kansas to Colorado. I learned about a strange vegetable called sugar beets.
When I was a little older, I remember a trip to Mississippi and learned what racisim was.
At 16, I accompanied my mother on the train to California. Tacos were the going thing in California, but it would take another year for them to come to the mid-west. I like to think I learned a little about economics on that trip.
Travel And Great Memories Always Go Together
In college, I traveled with a small music group that sang in many different churches, over the course of 3 years travelled almost coast to coast. Our team leader had a love for travel and encouraged me to be a traveler.
My wife and I started our tradition of taking family vacations even before our two daughters were born. From the time our girls were small, we always tried to take a yearly family vacation whether we could afford it or not. Today, I wouldn't trade those times for anything.
Travel And Good Friends Aways Go Together
In the last few years, we discovered the joy of taking a major trip every other year with a group of friends. We've traveled together to 8 different countries and several states.
The travel business is a complex and thriving industry, but to me it's more than a business. Now that I'm "retired," once again, I'm finding great pleasure helping put together travel for groups, churches, Christian organizations, friends and family. It's rewarding to see them expand their horizons of faith, and learn by traveling -- to see them build more unforgettable memories -- and to grow closer to the Lord, and to the people they care about.
Any, and all information you send me, whether it be by way of registations, surveys, forms, email, telephone or personal conversations, is completely confidential. It is used only for the purpose of helping me plan and to let you know occasionaly of any outstanding opportunities that might match your interests.
