My life began on the front pew of Oak Valley Church here in Oakdale, CA (then name Full Gospel Tabernacle). My grandfather (the Founding Pastor) and my father were both Pastors here.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I was seven years old (1971). I was also prophesied over that same year that I would be a pastor of a great church. I attended public school through the 4th grade. My father did not like the public school system and planned on opening a Christian School. In 5th grade, I attended a Seventh Day Adventist school. I then attended Oak Valley Christian School until I graduated in 8th grade. In 1978 my family moved to Washington State. At our church in Washington, I was prophesied over again that I would be a pastor of a great church. I attended Christian Schools in Washington. When I was a sophomore, I could have graduated high school, but I wanted to attend public school so I could play sports.
My life took a turn when between 18 and 20. I fell away from God and rather than running towards the calling on my life I ran away. I went to jail, a couple of different times, as my rebellious spirit had overtaken my life. In my mid twenty’s I found my career path in the industrial laundry business. I started as a routeman in 1991 and worked my way up to service manager of the whole state of Wyoming within 10 years. I started being recruited by major companies in the industry. I had the ability to take companies that were not making any money and turning them around for good in a short amount of time. My reputation grew in the industry and I was being recruited everywhere. My career led me to Tulsa, OK; Dallas, TX, Mobile, AL; Memphis, TN; Biloxi, MS; Durham, NC; Ocoee, FL; back to Mobile, AL; and finally landed back in Wyoming. During all my travels I knew God still had His hand on my life. There was a phrase people said about my ability that “everything I touched turned into gold”. I knew there was no way a person without a college degree could accomplish the things I have without God’s continued hand on my life. When I returned to Wyoming I was the Vice-President of the company where I started in the industry.
In 2010 I decided to take a trip to Napa Valley, CA for a golfing trip. I decided to go back to Oak Valley Church. I wanted to see some old friends if they were around. I ran into Penney Jernigan and her family. The Jernigan family and my family go way back. Their daughters attended Oak Valley Christian School where I also attended. Penney and I talked a lot after service and became close friends. After my golfing trip, I went back home to Wyoming. Penney and I started talking on the phone every day and for hours upon hours. We became very close, and I started to fall in love with my childhood friend. In February 2011 I asked her to get her ring finger sized as that I would probably be asking her a question. She was really nervous about it and asked God to give her a sign. One day during lunch she went into this shopping center and parked for a while, then decided to start looking for jewelry stores to have her ring sized. She looked up, just in the distance, was a jewelry store called “Terry’s Touch Of Gold”. In the conversations we had over several months she had learned a lot about me and remembered what people use to say about me that “everything I touched turned into gold”. She knew this was a sign from God and had her ring-sized. In March 2011, I asked Penney to marry me and she said no. I was devasted and heartbroken. A few hours later she smiled at me and said I could ask her again tomorrow. The next day I asked one more time and she said yes. Penney went home to Escalon, CA and I went back to Wyoming.
November 5, 2011, Penney and I were married here at Oak Valley Church. Penney moved back with me to Wyoming where we had found our home church. On my first day back to work, I ended up being suspended for not working during my honeymoon. We took this in stride. I started traveling again for work while Penney stayed home.
In March 2012, I was asked by my employer to do the same work for half the salary. I decided that it was in my best interest to leave the company. Penney started working at a doctor’s office to keep us afloat. I started working at a convenience store. This was a very humbling experience for me compared to the positions I had held in my career. I was recruited again to go to Sacramento, CA with another industrial laundry company. I told Penney I would take the position while she started packing up our home in faith. We ordered a U-Haul and planned on a date to leave. We received the U-Haul and on the day we were set to leave.
In September 2012 we moved to Sacramento to take on a new position. We started attending a church in the area, although we found it was not the church for us. Their beliefs were the same, but it was more/less a performance/worldly church; like the Thyatira church that we read about in Revelation.
In 2013 we moved to Escalon, CA, and started attending Oak Valley Church. God was continuing to bless us in our marriage and spiritual life. From 2014 until 2021 Oak Valley Church did not have a pastor. Due to the lack of a Pastor, the Elders had to keep the church running. Penney and I started getting the church ready for a pastor the best way we knew how. We started with lighting, then sound equipment, computers, etc. I then designed an APP for the church in 2017.
This whole time God had been working on me. I knew there was a distinct calling on my life. I began preaching at Oak Valley Church. God was working in and through me. I was Ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in 2018.
Penney and I have always stood on Jeremiah 29:11 “ ‘For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” It was on our wedding invitations and how we lead our life. With the plans of God laid out for us, we know the path we are on is ordained.
In July 2021, the congregation voted me in as the Lead Pastor… God’s will is performed through our obedience to His call.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I was seven years old (1971). I was also prophesied over that same year that I would be a pastor of a great church. I attended public school through the 4th grade. My father did not like the public school system and planned on opening a Christian School. In 5th grade, I attended a Seventh Day Adventist school. I then attended Oak Valley Christian School until I graduated in 8th grade. In 1978 my family moved to Washington State. At our church in Washington, I was prophesied over again that I would be a pastor of a great church. I attended Christian Schools in Washington. When I was a sophomore, I could have graduated high school, but I wanted to attend public school so I could play sports.
My life took a turn when between 18 and 20. I fell away from God and rather than running towards the calling on my life I ran away. I went to jail, a couple of different times, as my rebellious spirit had overtaken my life. In my mid twenty’s I found my career path in the industrial laundry business. I started as a routeman in 1991 and worked my way up to service manager of the whole state of Wyoming within 10 years. I started being recruited by major companies in the industry. I had the ability to take companies that were not making any money and turning them around for good in a short amount of time. My reputation grew in the industry and I was being recruited everywhere. My career led me to Tulsa, OK; Dallas, TX, Mobile, AL; Memphis, TN; Biloxi, MS; Durham, NC; Ocoee, FL; back to Mobile, AL; and finally landed back in Wyoming. During all my travels I knew God still had His hand on my life. There was a phrase people said about my ability that “everything I touched turned into gold”. I knew there was no way a person without a college degree could accomplish the things I have without God’s continued hand on my life. When I returned to Wyoming I was the Vice-President of the company where I started in the industry.
In 2010 I decided to take a trip to Napa Valley, CA for a golfing trip. I decided to go back to Oak Valley Church. I wanted to see some old friends if they were around. I ran into Penney Jernigan and her family. The Jernigan family and my family go way back. Their daughters attended Oak Valley Christian School where I also attended. Penney and I talked a lot after service and became close friends. After my golfing trip, I went back home to Wyoming. Penney and I started talking on the phone every day and for hours upon hours. We became very close, and I started to fall in love with my childhood friend. In February 2011 I asked her to get her ring finger sized as that I would probably be asking her a question. She was really nervous about it and asked God to give her a sign. One day during lunch she went into this shopping center and parked for a while, then decided to start looking for jewelry stores to have her ring sized. She looked up, just in the distance, was a jewelry store called “Terry’s Touch Of Gold”. In the conversations we had over several months she had learned a lot about me and remembered what people use to say about me that “everything I touched turned into gold”. She knew this was a sign from God and had her ring-sized. In March 2011, I asked Penney to marry me and she said no. I was devasted and heartbroken. A few hours later she smiled at me and said I could ask her again tomorrow. The next day I asked one more time and she said yes. Penney went home to Escalon, CA and I went back to Wyoming.
November 5, 2011, Penney and I were married here at Oak Valley Church. Penney moved back with me to Wyoming where we had found our home church. On my first day back to work, I ended up being suspended for not working during my honeymoon. We took this in stride. I started traveling again for work while Penney stayed home.
In March 2012, I was asked by my employer to do the same work for half the salary. I decided that it was in my best interest to leave the company. Penney started working at a doctor’s office to keep us afloat. I started working at a convenience store. This was a very humbling experience for me compared to the positions I had held in my career. I was recruited again to go to Sacramento, CA with another industrial laundry company. I told Penney I would take the position while she started packing up our home in faith. We ordered a U-Haul and planned on a date to leave. We received the U-Haul and on the day we were set to leave.
In September 2012 we moved to Sacramento to take on a new position. We started attending a church in the area, although we found it was not the church for us. Their beliefs were the same, but it was more/less a performance/worldly church; like the Thyatira church that we read about in Revelation.
In 2013 we moved to Escalon, CA, and started attending Oak Valley Church. God was continuing to bless us in our marriage and spiritual life. From 2014 until 2021 Oak Valley Church did not have a pastor. Due to the lack of a Pastor, the Elders had to keep the church running. Penney and I started getting the church ready for a pastor the best way we knew how. We started with lighting, then sound equipment, computers, etc. I then designed an APP for the church in 2017.
This whole time God had been working on me. I knew there was a distinct calling on my life. I began preaching at Oak Valley Church. God was working in and through me. I was Ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in 2018.
Penney and I have always stood on Jeremiah 29:11 “ ‘For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” It was on our wedding invitations and how we lead our life. With the plans of God laid out for us, we know the path we are on is ordained.
In July 2021, the congregation voted me in as the Lead Pastor… God’s will is performed through our obedience to His call.