Name: Donald Richard 鈥淩ich鈥� Wood
Graduation Year: 1983
Major: Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
Current Position: Global Discipleship Pastor at Victory Church
City and State: Oklahoma City, OK.
Tell us about your career and what you do now.
- 34 years in Pastoral Ministry (Ordained with the Assemblies of God)
- 18 years in Youth Ministry
- District Youth Director 鈥� Oregon
- National Fine Arts Director 鈥� A/G Headquarters, Springfield, MO.
- Executive Pastor
- Lead Pastor 鈥� LifePoint Church, Vancouver, WA.
- Current Position 鈥� Global Discipleship Pastor, Oklahoma City, OK.
What is your favorite memory from EU?
- Being a part of the 鈥淥riginals鈥� that helped start the football program.
- Learning/observing the heart and call of ministry through athletics from Pastor/Coach Denny Duron and our staff of coaches, including DeAnza Duron.
- Spirit of God moving on our campus during 鈥淪piritual Emphasis鈥� weeks.
- Dorm life
- Meeting my future wife Shari 鈥淪wanson鈥� Wood at EU.
How did EU help you identify/develop your calling?
Being born and raised in the AG, there was an atmosphere, and consistent opportunity to experience ministry at different levels in your spiritual growth. I always felt like God had placed a 鈥渕antle of leadership鈥� on my life. But when I arrived at Evangel, I was placed in the refiner鈥檚 fire, and that is where God began to shape and mold me into who and what I am today.
Being expected to lead my 鈥減eers鈥�, and to be around other Godly leaders helped set me on a course for growth and refinement. Being a worship leader for the football team, a leader in the dorms and in my circle of friends, allowed me to move later into a ministry position and call upon those experiences as a training ground for life.
How did your experience at EU prepare you for life after graduation?
Life for me started before graduation, in that my last year of eligibility as a football player, I also became a 鈥渕arried student/athlete鈥�. The responsibility of a new wife, a home, academics, off-season job, and athletics pressed me into becoming a multi-tasker, whether I wanted to or not.
I will forever be grateful to Evangel for developing in me a 鈥淐hristian Worldview鈥�. Every human being faces the choice of either seeing his or her fellow man as an object or as a blessing. As Christ-followers, we are to see and love each other 鈥渁s Christ loved the church.鈥� That is one of many things that were refined in my life during my time at EU.
What advice would you give a current student preparing for the workforce?
First of all, it is not about you, it is about 鈥�others.鈥� Second, can you learn to 鈥渉onor鈥� those above you and below you, equally? Third, if you will give God your whole heart and life, He will give you a life of blessing and joy that cannot be explained.
What would you look for if you were in a position to hire new graduates from EU/AGTS?
- Are they willing to work hard, after everyone else has quit?
- Will they serve both the greatest and the least equally?
- Will they pursue life-long learning?
- Are you willing to get up again and again, after you鈥檝e been knocked down?