Hello,

It's good to be here at Abiding Word.  My wife Cheyenne and I are new to Abiding Word, though not to the WELS.  I have been a member of Beautiful Savior since '99 and Cheyenne since 2001 (or early 2002 - Cheyenne would know better).  I am 42 years old and I'm currently studying for WELS Staff Ministry Certification.  I'm taking online classes at MLC while I look forward to finding out where and how the Lord would have me serve Him and His kingdom.

I am a former Catholic who came to realize (about 11 years ago) through a Bible Information Class (BIC) that I had been deceived by a “different gospel” all of my life.  I determined then and there (in that class) that I was going to do everything I could (with God's help) to seek to know God's truth.  God has been faithful in convincing me of that truth ever since.  I was uninterested in trading one church's teaching for another.  Thankfully, as I thoroughly investigated scripture on my own, God convinced me that the WELS and I were on the same path.  What a blessing we have in sound doctrine in the WELS.

Something else I determined to do in the BIC was to make every effort to pass God's truths on to my wife and children.  All I had to do was meet my wife and have some kids first.  So, God put her (my wife, that is) in front of me a few months later and eventually we got married and had two children...one girl (Keilah - pronounced Kyla, 5yrs old) and one boy (Noah, 3 yrs old this month).  They are amazing if I do say so.  I mentioned passing God's truth on to my family.  What I am really referring to is an intentional, spiritual legacy.  This is a true passion for me and Cheyenne.  If you get to know either of us at all, it will not be long before you will hear us talking about it.  This is my passion for ministry as well.  In whatever role/position the Lord has in mind for me in Staff Ministry, I feel pretty certain it will involve helping others to be intentional about leaving a spiritual legacy to future generations (Deut 11:18-20).   

Please keep us in your prayers as we are always discerning what the Lord has in mind for us in service to Him.  We look forward to every opportunity to serve you in our time at Abiding Word.

That's it for now.

God's blessings to all of you,

Rob Gill