Page 3 - Bridges For Peace Continuing Ed Module 1

not be his life’s calling. As John talked, Doug felt a stirring in his own spirit, and
before the evening was over he told Snook, “Honey, God is calling me to
Christian ministry. We will go together with John to seminary.”

Their father had already urged them that if they ever felt called to Christian
ministry, Westminster Seminary in Pennsylvania was staffed by godly men who
had utter confidence in the authority of Scripture. Suddenly his father’s counsel
seemed the answer to his unsettled heart, and they headed for Boston and on to
Philadelphia with joy, sensing God’s presence and guidance, yet knowing that
they would have to trust God as never before for the supply of their needs.

At Westminster, Douglas began to soak up Hebrew like a sponge, and realized
God had given him a gift for languages. Biblical studies, archaeology, and the
land and language of the Bible enchanted him.

Finances were constantly a challenge. One time they were returning from
Canada after a break, driving their old car, when it died in a small town in the US,
and a garage mechanic confirmed the analysis. Doug and his wife prayed for an
answer. Doug then talked the garage owner into exchanging the car for tickets
for them back to Philadelphia.

st
For their first summer vacation, Douglas served as student pastor from June 1
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to July 21 at his grandparents’ home church, Durham Presbyterian, and their
second summer, they served in Canada.

Douglas learned the joys of debating at University. He also learned the valuable
lesson that while godly men might disagree strongly one should earnestly desire
the ability to disagree with a brother without being disagreeable.

It was a foregone conclusion in Douglas’s mind that he would be ordained by the
Presbyterian Church of Canada, his father’s, grandparents and great-
grandparents church. However, relations between the Presbyterian Church in
Canada, and some of the more evangelical seminaries in the U.S. were
becoming strained, and Doug was caught in the middle.

As part of his ordination process, Douglas was called to an appointment with the
Canadian committee in Toronto. To his amazement, the discussion seemed to
center around how they could keep this young evangelical out of the Canadian
Presbyterian Church, without offending his father who was still actively serving
the as a missionary in Korea! Douglas was turned down, and was later ordained
by the Evangelical Free Church in the U.S.A.

The decision hurt Douglas and his wife immensely, so they turned again to the
U.S. – for citizenship, advanced education, ordination, and a distinguished
career. That career in America would only last for a time, however, because
Douglas’s greater ministry would begin as God led him to move to Israel.