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Living Water Bible Fellowship |
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Deric was born and raised in the small town of Parker, South Dakota, and, because of the influence of his parents and grandparents, became a Christian at an early age. After a car accident in high school, he fully surrendered to the Lord and committed his life to serving Him wherever and however He would lead. God lead Deric to Northwestern College, a small Christian school in St. Paul, MN, where Deric earned a B.A. in Bible and Ministry. After several experiences at a Christian camp and with the missions organization, Youth Works, Deric believed God wanted him to pursue full-time vocational ministry, using his gifts of service and counseling. It was during his senior year of college that Deric felt the call to Army Chaplaincy. He decided to attend Denver Seminary because of its renowned chaplaincy specialization and mentoring program. Deric also joined the Army Reserves as a Chaplain Candidate and enjoyed two summer internships at Ft. Jackson, SC. It was the fall of 2007 when Deric met Rebecca, who was also attending the seminary. Just eight months later, in June 2008, they were married in Littleton, CO. After graduating with a Master's of Divinity, he was led to LWBF to fulfill his two years' pastoral experience for Army Chaplaincy. He is thrilled to be here and excited about what God is doing in and through LWBF. Deric enjoys listening to people's stories, working on his 1970 pick up truck, eating (especially spicy food), reading, and running.
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Rebecca grew up an Army Kid, which had her moving every 2-4 years and living all over the place (Kansas, Virginia, Kentucky, Germany, etc.). Because her family kept returning to Virginia, and because most of her extended family currently lives there, she considers that to be her home state. She became a Christian at an early age as a result of Christian parents and grandparents, and while in high school, she caught the "short-term missions bug" and felt the Lord calling her to vocational ministry. She attended Mary Washington College, a small public school in Fredericksburg, VA, and earned a B.A. in English and a VA State Teacher's License for grades K-6. The Lord provided many outlets for her to use and grow in her exhortation, leadership and pasturing gifts, including Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and as a youth pastor for her church. Immediately after graduating from college, she moved to Ghana, West Africa, to spend a dramatic life-changing year teaching first grade at an International Christian School. Afterwards, she returned to Northern Virginia and worked at an engineering corporation and then taught third grade at Christian school in a low-income African American neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Then Rebecca felt the Lord calling her to seminary, and she enrolled in Virginia's Regent University. A year later, she transferred to Denver Seminary, then met Deric, got married, and changed her last name to Sneller. In December 2008, she graduated with a Master's of Arts in Christian Studies. She is excited about serving the congregation of LWBF and the community of Alamosa, and is looking forward to being a part of God's ministry here. Rebecca enjoys traveling (and collecting foreign currency), friendships, working with children, eating good food, singing, and dancing. |
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Like so many in my generation I grew up a child of multiple divorces, an unstable family life and a vague belief that there was a God, but that he was uncaring and couldn't be trusted. After high school I had no plan or ambition in life; I was living day to day, just drifting. God used a man holding a John 3:16 sign at a football game to change my life. I started following Christ at age 19 and discovered that I had found purpose and meaning. One of the areas that God started working on immediately was my shyness - before God entered my life I was afraid of my own shadow! But as the truth of God's complete love and acceptance sank in, I began to see myself and others differently. Elizabeth and I got married at age 23. I didn't seriously consider becoming a pastor until I was 26. After three years of seminary we headed (with 2 kids) to the Philippines thinking that we were going to spend the rest of our lives there, serving people in the name of Christ. In 2003, by God's providence, we came back to the states (with 3 kids) - Elizabeth's illness had gotten too severe to continue on. In late 2003 we started talking with the people of Living Water about serving as pastor. We showed up in January of 2004 and have considered ourselves blessed to be here. The Lord continues to mold and shape me. The longer I'm a Christian the more aware I am of how much I am in need of God's grace and mercy. I am in complete awe that Jesus would love me enough to bear my sins on the cross. In terms of my ministry as pastor, my heart is to call people to come under the reign of Christ (what every person is made for) and to progressively develop a church family that 1) lives by the love and truth found in the gospel and 2) exists to glorify Christ by reproducing disciples and churches around the world. |
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Living Intentionally For Each Other |
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Pastor’s Welcome |
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Greg is working on his bio, so as soon a s we get it we will have here for you to read. |
