The Harper Family
(Updated July 2010)
Pastor Ryan and his family have had the opportunity to minister at Adin Community Bible Church since the fall of 2004. This has been a time of blessings and challenges as Pastor Ryan and his wife Erica have learned what it means to be a ministry team in a remote rural setting.
Ryan states, "The people here in the area of Big Valley are some of most generous and loving people I have met. It reminds me very much of the small community I grew up in, in the North valley." Ryan and Erica have enjoyed raising their kids in Big Valley as well. They say that it is a privilege to be able to raise their children in such a place as Adin and Big Valley. Erica states, "It's hard to believe that our son was only three months old when we moved to Adin. Time goes by so fast when you're a mom and also minister in a small town." Pastor Ryan is a graduate of Shasta Bible College & Graduate School located in Redding California. He was raised in an independent Baptist church, and had the opportunity for some hands on training at his home church after graduating, before beginning his ministry in Adin. Pastor Ryan reflects, "I'm glad that I was given the chance to get some practical experience before diving head first into ministry. My pastor really took me under his wing and gave me some insight into some of the things I would be dealing with when it came to ministering in the local church. It wasn't long after we were called to Adin that some of his advice really made sense." Ryan and Erica have had the opportunity to become more involved in the Big Valley community with their job as EMT's. With this job they are able to have contact with people in the community outside of the church setting. Ryan states, "I laugh when I think about the path that the Lord has brought us down. I never would have thought to do this on my own. I never even dreamed that one day I would be a pastor and an EMT. The Lord knew however, and what He decides is best!" During their time here Pastor Ryan and his family have one goal and that is to do God's will. "It's not always easy to know what God's will is" Ryan says. "Sometimes it means just doing what you're doing until the Lord makes it clear what your path should be after much prayer. We look forward to continuing to do God's work here at Adin Community Bible Church for as long as that might be, and in the mean time we look forward to the friendships that we will build along the way, and we also look forward to witnessing the spiritual growth of our community as people learn about salvation and grow in their knowledge of God's word."
