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In Pastor Chuck’s early teens, just after finishing a United Methodist confirmation class, he wrote a personal atheist manifesto formerly declaring himself to be an atheist. His declaration had the practical effect of allowing him to be his own god, deciding what is right and wrong according to the dictates of his own sinful heart. He readily confesses that Psalm 14’s assessment of the atheist is an accurate judgment of his spiritual condition through his teenage years.
The fool has said in his heart, While in Marine Corps Boot Camp in the summer of 1990, the Gideon New Testament he received during induction was used of the Lord to call Chuck to repentance and a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He went on to serve six years in the Marine Corps, preaching his first sermon on the forward deck of the U.S.S. New Orleans, and his second sermon on the beach just outside of Mogadishu, Somalia, during the “Black Hawk Down” tragedy. Chuck completed his bachelor’s degree at Corban College (formerly Western Baptist in Salem, OR) and has been the pastor at Beaverton Grace Bible Church (beavertongracebible.org) for ten years. He says, “We are just getting started in a ministry of God’s Word for God’s glory, calling saints to live saintly and sinners to salvation!” Chuck’s ministry is built on the firm foundation of 2 Tim. 3:15-17: “from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” While the Lord Jesus Christ is Chuck’s greatest boast and preaching the Word is his great passion, he doesn’t mind bragging just a bit about his beloved bride Tonya and their six children. She is a committed mother and home-schooler of their six children, Charlie, Jordanna, Joshua, Austin, Karen, and Genny. |