Our Story, Our Beliefs, Our Purpose
About Us
Why Us
Our Story
We have been called by God to this vital ministry. As guests at such blessed retreat sites as Cedarly, Broom Tree Ministries and the former Triple Creek Ranch, we received the loving encouragement and rest needed to keep us strong and our vision and calling in clear focus. In April, 2003, at a Triple Creek retreat seminar, the call of God to this ministry became crystal clear. We believe He is using our varied life experiences to serve those in full-time pastoral ministry.
David has 35 years’ experience as a youth pastor, senior pastor and interim pastor in large and small staff situations. He also served 5 years as a state-wide denominational camp/youth education director. He has served churches in three states in the Midwest. David has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Evangel University and a Masters of Divinity from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. David’s gifts of mercy and encouragement suit him for the retreating environment. His ability to champion the value of retreating, and his passion for pastors, is helping increase awareness of the great need for such ministries. He is committed to helping pastors keep their marriage and ministry in healthy balance.
We love this passage
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
Louise has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and a Masters of Music from Illinois State University, and has completed studies toward a Doctorate of Education degree in Adult Continuing Education at Northern Illinois University. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on the value of spiritual retreat for clergy and other professionals. She has served as a Worship Leader and Music Director at the local church level. As a pastor’s wife, she has partnered with David in small group formation, Christian education, and other aspects of church ministry. Her 15 years’ experience in banking, personnel management and corporate training are additional assets to the retreat operation. Louise enjoys entertaining and is attentive to the details of hospitality. She has a special desire to encourage pastors’ wives by providing them with some special touches that say, “We’re so glad you are here!”
Statement of Faith
Our Beliefs
We believe the Bible to be uniquely God-inspired, the only authoritative Word of God, and the only practical guide for daily living. As the Bible teaches, there is one God eternally existing as three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each possessing all the attributes of Deity.
God the Father is Creator of heaven and earth and all people are created in His image. The Bible teaches that God loves everyone. He invites them to live in communion with Himself and in community with each other. Apart from Jesus Christ, all people are spiritually lost and face the judgment of God because of their sins. However, God gives salvation and eternal life to anyone who trusts and has faith in Jesus Christ and in His sacrifice on our behalf. Salvation can not be earned through personal goodness or human effort. Salvation is a gift that must be received by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.
Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless human life, willingly took all of our sins upon Himself, was crucified and died on a cross and rose again in victory over sin and death. He is at the right hand of God the Father as our advocate and mediator. Some day Jesus will return to complete history and to fulfill the eternal plan of God.
The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, convicts the world of sin and draws people to Christ. He dwells in all believers and is available to empower us to lead Christ-like lives. The Holy Spirit also gives us spiritual gifts with which to serve the church and reach out to a lost and needy world.
All believers are members of the Body of Christ, the one true Church. Spiritual unity is to be expressed among Christians by acceptance and love of one another. Death confirms the eternal destiny of each person. At the final judgment, unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation, while believers will be received into God's loving presence and rewarded for their faithfulness to Him in this life.
These statements reflect a summary of our belief in the central principles of the Bible, which are also presented in the historic creeds of the Christian Church.
Why This Ministry
Our Purpose
God has called us to provide a needed refuge for pastors and their spouses. We are here to provide a place of peace, refreshment and rest for body and soul at no cost to our guests!
"We live in a culture of increased religiosity but decreased morality. Pastors have never had to work harder to serve people than they do now. The pressures are incredible and brutal."[1]
Here are disturbing statistics from the book Pastors at Greater Risk by H.B. London, Jr.:
- 80% of pastors believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively.
- 33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their family.
- 50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job.
- 90% feel they’re inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands.
And in a recent study, LifeWay Research found that although pastoral longevity is not a problem, pastors still reported difficult challenges concerning their work. Among Lifeway's survey results cited in a web article were the following high percentages that simply should not be:[2]
- 80% of pastors expect conflict in their church.
- 54% find the role of pastor frequently overwhelming.
- 71% of churches have no plan for a pastor to receive a periodic sabbatical.
Deer Ridge Ministries was formed to help reduce these troubling stats, to encourage pastors in full time ministry. We provide, by faith, excellent retreat facilities where pastors and spouses can rest and enjoy the presence of God without having to worry about any financial obligation.