Hearing another’s assurance of salvation verbalized was something that spoke to Dick Read’s heart when only 13 years of age. Because of his father’s military career, Dick lived in many states, as well as two other countries. While living in Omaha, Nebraska, Dick’s life was forever changed. “I was a member of the youth choir at church and we traveled to Lincoln for an all-day Salvation Army youth rally. A member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team shared his story and told us that when he died he knew for certain that he would go to heaven. “That’s something I wanted!” thought Dick. “The next day—May 17, 1971—I responded to an altar call.” For Dick that event was clearly significant in his life as were the next nine years.

When he was 17 the family moved to Oslo, Norway. He lived with friends in Germany during the remainder of his high school years, graduating from Kaiserslautern American High School. He sang in his church’s youth choir which toured both Germany and England, capping off the adventurous teenage years of his life.

As a young teen, he established a relationship with Col. Len Kelly, Command Chaplin at the Air Base. Dick began to recognize God’s call on his life through seeing other godly men like Chaplain Kelly and Billy Graham.

A year after Dick entered Tulsa’ Oral Roberts University, his family returned to the States where his officer father was stationed in Louisiana. Considering colleges, his father informed him he could go to any Tennessee state school, but that wasn’t what Dick had in mind. “About that time Oral Roberts was on TV and I was captured by his charisma. I wanted to go to ORU, but my Dad had said, ‘No way.’ When the right time came time to apply, I asked if I could apply at ORU and my Dad said that we simply couldn’t afford it. I told him, ‘Dad, I don’t know how to explain it, but that’s where I want to go.’ The only way I can explain it now, is it had to be where God wanted me to be and God must have revealed that to my Dad,” explained Dick.

He did attend Oral Roberts University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in New Testament Biblical Literature in 1981 and later earned his Master of Divinity. He joined the Asbury staff in 1980, working with the youth ministry for the next 15 years and later as Executive Minister and Minister of Discipleship. Dick is now Pastor for Biblical Literacy, focusing on the “believing” element of discipleship. A spiritually gifted teacher, this is a natural area of ministry for him. He loves to teach and he loves to study.

Chuck Swindoll and Max Lucado are two of his favorite authors, but he also likes to read the works of Alister McGrath, John Stott, and Jerry Bridges, as well as the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

In 1981, he was ministering to junior high youth when he met his future wife, Cindy, who came to work as a volunteer. They were friends, and then dated for several years before marrying in 1984. Dick says that was one of the best decisions he has ever made. “She is the easiest person to be married to. Cindy has a constant joy and contentment. She has a natural trust in the Lord. Her faith is so real,” Dick explained. “She is incredibly gracious . . . and she overlooks faults.”

Dick says he is proud to be married to Cindy. “I’m also so unbelievably proud of my kids. One of my true joys is just being with them,” he said. Aside from time with his children and Cindy, he enjoys projects around the house and yard.