Those first few years under John’s and Garry’s joint leadership were foundational to the church and its regular operations in many significant ways. But the co-pastorate wasn’t to last forever. John explains:
The co-pastorate worked for a couple years. But when some of the elders met in the home with the two of us, they made it clear that they wanted to be able to have a relationship with one of us at a time….I agreed, and Garry did not. And that was the beginning of the end. He saw it as a threat to the co-pastorate. So I thought, “Wow, that's a little over the top.”
The disagreement ended up dividing John and Garry and ending the co-pastorate they’d shared. But just like when Paul and Barnabas disagreed and went separate ways in the book of Acts, God used even this disagreement to further His ministry in multiple different directions. John remained on as the pastor of Believers Bible Church, and Garry would go on to continue ministry elsewhere.
After Garry’s departure in January of 1978, he went to pastor a church in Arkansas. “I think someone from the seminary recommended my husband,” Judy says of how Garry found his next ministry opportunity. “And we ended up saying ‘okay,’ because John had developed quite a bit. He was younger than Garry and developed very well to be the pastor by himself.”
At his position in Arkansas and beyond, Garry continued in pastoral ministry in various places for decades. According to Garry’s obituary, “For over 43 years, he faithfully served and shepherded the beloved congregations His Heavenly Father gave him.” He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on February 12, 2023, at the age of 81—and was instantly welcomed into heaven to receive an eternal reward for his faithful service.
Judy speaks proudly of her children’s lives and accomplishments, which are a testament in part to the legacy of faith imparted by her and her husband. One of their daughters, Mary Lombard, became a schoolteacher, and their other daughter, Kimberley Woodhouse, has authored over 40 Christian books. Their son, Ray Hogan, uses his God-given gifts to edify others and strengthen ministries at his church in Alabama. All three children are active and faithful Christian believers. As of 2023, they had six grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Being a pastor’s wife is no small job, and Judy was involved in Garry’s ministry at every church he pastored, starting with Believers Bible Church. “It was such a wonderful start in ministry,” she says, reflecting fondly on the first church where Garry pastored. “As far as learning so many different things and learning [that], when people have problems, you have prayer together, and you just really get into the Word of God and read the Word of God together. In other words, I just thought it was a wonderful experience.”
“It was just a wonderful learning process,” Judy adds. “Everybody seemed to love one another [and] they seemed [to] cooperate. We didn't have any splits or anything like that. I think probably there were a couple of things on doctrine or something, but they would get together, and they would discuss it together, and it seems like they ended up coming together so that we never did have a big split or anything like that.”
Garry and Judy’s experiences at Believers Bible Church would continue to shape their ministry in future years too. “Anything you learn comes along with you,” she explains. “In other words, it becomes a part of you, and then you can help others better in the next situation.” She describes some of the specific things they learned:
Being gentle with people. Listening, going to the Word of God for the answers. Discussion. And then accepting when people do not accept your advice … It's hard when you know God’s Word says something, and you're giving advice to a person, and they don't follow that advice. You just feel so sad….You do a lot of praying behind all of the counseling that you do. You do a lot of praying behind it, and you continue to pray for those people. You can't give up praying for them.
Judy shares a final word on what their time at Believers Bible Church meant to her and her husband: “Love and acceptance. They loved us. Even if we made mistakes, they still loved us.”