WHO ARE YOU, ANYHOW?
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 14:37:37 -0600
Message-ID: <19980113.143859.2662.1.lifeunlimited@juno.com>
Greetings, "Shoulder To Shoulder" Friends!
I have been getting numerous requests about just who the guy is who
started sending out those "Shoulder To Shoulder" newsletters, and what
LIFE UNLIMITED MINISTRIES is all about.
So, in order to satisfy those curious souls, I'm sending out this note.
I'm certain it includes more information about us than you ever wanted to
know ---- but at least you know. ( If you want "official" information in
our printed brochures, just request it.)
HISTORY OF LIFE UNLIMITED MINISTRIES:
Faced with the call to a very small newer congregation in Iowa in 1975,
Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver were facing a major change in their future. One
of those changes was God's assurances that He was calling them into a
ministry of encouraging pastors, and equipping believers in local
churches.
In 1979, during a church conflict and a time of deep inner turmoil, the
dream of a ministry such as LUM was concieved, and then born in 1980, and
its formation took place that Fall. Its primary themes at that time were
to bring encouragement to pastors, and conduct revivals and Bible
conferences for the purpose of equipping and motivating churches to
become centers of Discipleship and Evangelism.
Centered in the upper Midwest because of a commitment to new work and
smaller congregations, the ministry took the teams to every state but
three north of Interstate 70 from New York to Oregon, and more than a
dozen states in the southern part of the country. The ministry
subsequently has expanded to every corner of the country and into
numerous foreign countries.
LUM consists of a Board of Directors from Missouri, Iowa, and Washington,
giving direction to Executive Director Bob Tolliver and wife Jo Ann, and
Kenny and Kathleen King, Northwest Ministries' Coordinator living in
Kent, WA.
OUR FIVE-FOLD THEME:
LUM's five-fold theme is:
REVIVAL in the Church,
RESTORATION of relationships,
AWAKENING in society,
REDEMPTION of the lost, and the
REALIZATION OF THE GREAT COMMISSION in our day.
FOCUS AREAS:
The Tollivers and Kings operate in six major focus areas:
CITIES: helping Christians discover their "city's" God-given
purpose; discover, understand, and attack spiritual strongholds; promote
spiritual unity; return the elders to the gates of the city; develop
long-term strategies for taking their "city".
CHURCHES: Helping churches rediscover their Biblical purpose,
their need for revival, their call to holiness, their spiritual resources
for ministry, and their calling to help fulfill the Great Commission.
PASTORS: Encouraging, healing, and restoring the pastor's
personal life, vision, family, and his role as pastor.
FAMILIES: Helping families find healing and restoration of
relationships, understand God's purpose for the home, and emplement God's
principles of family life.
INDIVIDUALS: Helphing each person see himself how God sees him,
bring him to salvation, and aid in restoring and discipling him into
entering God's kingdom work.
NATIONS: Bringing the Gospel to the nations and helping
encourage, build, and equip the Church around the world in every nation
to which God opens a door of ministry.
INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY:
Overseas ministry is a big part of LUM, having gone to Trinidad,
Venezuela, New Zealand, Jamaica, Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, Austria,
Slovenia, and Croatia. Since 1994 they have been ministering in Jamaica.
Since 1995 they have ministered annually in Croatia, ministering to the
hopeless victims of the Croatian/Bosnian War, and helping strengthen,
train, and equip the churches in those countries, frequently taking
groups with them. Three trips to Croatia and Bosnia are scheduled for
1998. They are also available to help churches or other groups develop
their own agenda and make their own plans of ministry to countries of
their choices.
THE CHARACTER OF LUM:
>From its inception, LUM has been committed to integrity and usability.
LUM is "S-A-F-E".
S-CRIPTURAL: Our ministry is intentionally and directly
connected to Biblical truth. Each staff member firmly believes in the
inerrant divinely inspired Scripture, and builds his messages on the
principles of God's Word.
A-PPLICABLE: The concept of "tailoring" a ministry by designing
the preaching and/or teaching responsibilities directly to the needs and
desires of the local church gives LUM a unique capacity to minister to
vitually every type of topical need.
F-LEXIBLE: Not only can LUM tailor the Subject, but also the
presentation method and style to fit whatever the church desires ----
revival meeting, conference, seminar, workshop, retreat, interim
pastorate, pulpit supply, concert, etc.
E-XTENSIVE: Whether within the U.S. or in foreign countries,
LUM's ministry extends both geographically and comprehensively. From a
one-night concert at a seniors gathering to an extended intermim
pastorate or long-term commitment to a city-wide movement, LUM stands
ready to serve and to minister.
FINANCIAL TERMS:
LUM is financed through monthly supporters, one time gifts, and by love
offerings or predetermined honorariums provided by churches and
individuals, matters which are agreed upon before the engagement, and
never publically discussed while there.
THE TOLLIVERS:
Bob and Jo Ann are both products of the homes of preachers. Their
fathers pastored churches in Illinois less than 50 miles apart in the
late '30's, but never knew each other. Jo Ann's family moved to Arizona
in the early '40's for health reasons. Bob's father accepted a pastorate
in Tucson in '57 which Jo Ann and her family had helped start a few
months earlier.
The Tollivers have four married daughters and eight grand children living
in Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, and Texas. Three grand children are
adopted from Russia. Three daughters and one son-in-law graduated from
SBU in Bolivar, MO. Bob also attended SBU in 1956-57. Three daughters
have served in overses missions in Japan, S. Korea, Finland, Sweden,
Cambodia, and Colombia, and two sons-in-law are in vocational ministry.
All are deeply involved in church ministry.
Bob transferred to Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, and received a
B.S. in Music Education with a major in voice. It was during this time
that he and Jo Ann were married. Both attended Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX, where Bob earned a Master's degree
in Religious Education with majors in administration, journalism, adult
and youth education.
Bob spent twelve years serving in staff positions giving leadership in
music, worship, education, and youth work. In 1969 he entered the
pastoral ministry, continuing in that capacity until 1982. He also
pastored small churches while traveling with LUM from 1984 until 1993.
Both he and Jo Ann are capable speakers and musicians. While he does
most of his speaking in revival meetings, conferences, seminars,
workshops, university classrooms, pulpit supply and interim pastorates,
Jo Ann concentrates her ministry in seminars, workshops, women's
meetings, and other such settings. Bob is also a soloist, and Jo Ann
plays piano. They also entertain at banquets, senior citizen activities,
and other similiar events.
FINALLY, FOLKS!
If that doesn't answer your questions, just give us a call. If you
didn't have a question in the first place, just delete!
Bob Tolliver
Life Unlimited Ministries
Ph: 417-275-4854. Fax: 417-275-4855
E-mail: lifeunlimited@juno.com
--------- End forwarded message ----------
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