Carefree, AZ — Dave Philips, Former Pastor of Desert Hills
“Our entire congregation absolutely loved the UpBuilding Weekend. They're still talking about it and practicing the Biblical principles Ron taught. This was his 2nd visit to Desert Hills and already our people are requesting to have him back!"

Yuma, CA — Darrin Hawkins, Pastor of Sierra Vista
“We had an UpBuilding Weekend while I was in Mexico. At the session for Families only one middle school aged boy showed up. He quickly wanted to go home. By the end of the time with Ron, he approached him and personally thanked him for coming! The reaction of our members was positive and affirmed that no church is too small or too large for Ron's Ministry, and that the Lord works even when the pastor is out of town!

Chatsworth, CA — Stephanie Miller-Mclane, Pastor of St. Stephen
“The UpBuilding Weekend was an exciting kick-off to our Fall ministries. Dr. Rand focused on relationships, praying the Scriptures, effective forgiveness, and sharing our faith in non-threatening ways. All of the presentations were interactive and inclusive of all groups within the church. We were blessed! The Weekend is also very affordable."

Lompoc, CA — Ernie Freund, Former Pastor of First
“Before I retired, I wanted the entire congregation to have a positive experience. The UpBuidling Weekend met that need perfectly! It is designed so that virtually every member is blessed by personal application of the Word of God. There was also a strong emphasis on prayer and an surprise expression of affirmation of me by the congregation!"

Newark, CA — Carl Engstrom, Former Pastor of First
“I recommend an UpBuilding Weekend as an in-house ‘spiritual advancement.’ So do our people. All-yes ALL, of the reviews that we collected were positive! God’s people leave each session with practical ways for Christian living and with a great attitude toward the church.”

Orcutt, CA — Bruce Lethbridge, Pastor of Orcutt
“Speaking as a pastor, the thing that impressed me most was the deep level of sharing that happened between people, especially at the sessions for men and women. Ron’s involving people with the Word helped several of our folks deal with long term hurts that had never been healed. I appreciated this greatly.”

Santa Paula , CA — Mark Kliewer, Former Designated Pastor of First
“We booked Ron to lead an UpBuilding Weekend because, in my opinion, he is the best at what he does — challenge and positively upbuild others. Our elders voted to have him return for a three-week period to help us design some specific ministries and also equip some of our laity to lead these new ministries when he left. He did it. That ought to say what we think about of his leadership among us!”

Thousand Oaks, CA — Tim Beal, Former Pastor of Emmanuel and
                                    Dana Shaw, Associate Pastor
“Each session was tailored to meet the differerent constituencies in our church. This had a tremendous personal effect! As evidenced by the feedback, solicited and unsolicited, many were touched in significant ways that led them to commit themselves more deeply to Christ, their families, and to our church’s ministries.”

Templeton, CA — Charlie Little, Pastor of First
“The Weekend truly blessed our people! For me, it was a powerful affirmation of my place as both shepherd and leader. Ron's emphasis on prayer and his work with the leaders of the church has led me into a more consistent life of prayer for all the people of the church. Because of the Weekend, the congregation expressed their appreciation of my ministry in creative ways! I was renewed in my sense of calling.”

Ventura, CA — Dr. Mark Patterson, Pastor of Community
“The UpBuilding weekend was affordable and easy to host. Ron is a delight to work with, flexible, and strives to work with the leaders of the church and the ministries already in place. Every age group within our church was involved. We had hundreds participate with most attending several sessions. Ron's warm style, humor, and relationship building skills made the event a personal renewal for all."
                       Paul Dugan, Associate Pastor
“The Weekend enabled our people to become "doers"of God's Word, not just "hearers!" Each attendee including our children and youth were given many opportunities to creatively put truth into practice. This included an unexpected congregational affirmation of our pastoral staff, which we thoroughly appreciated!"

Port Hueneme , CA — Dr. Kent Meads, Interim Pastor of Westminster
"When I was at Eastminister in Ventura as an Interim, Ron led a stategic retreat for the congregation that had lost its pastor of 26 years. His insights and personal sharing accomodated our needs and moved us from laughter to thoughful reflection and interpersonal sharing in small groups. Lives were changed during the weekend. This was a time of healing, renewal, blessing, and refreshment."

Longmont, CO — Glenn Perica, Former Pastor of Central
“The Weekend was outstanding for several reasons: the cross generational appeal; the humor mixed with sound Biblical teaching; the commitment to bring people to a personal relationship with Jesus; the challenge to ordinary Christians to become extraordinary Christians; and the personal encouragement of our church staff.”

Fruitland Park , FL — Bill Birdsall, Former Pastor of New Life
“I highly recommend an UpBuilding Weekend for churches that desire to "hear in a new way" the Biblical message of Christ for all ages." Dr. Ron Rand was great with positive surprises and excellent ways of getting our folks involved in their faith walk. He loves to have a good time and his spirit is infectious. Ron's personal faith in Christ is witnessed by his prayer emphasis and faithful use of the Bible."

Jacksonville, FL — Ron Smith, Pastor of St. Johns
“During our UpBuilding Weekend, our people experienced practical ways to pray, extend forgiveness, and to build relationships. During the Sunday morning service, Ron encouraged people to both express written appreciations with short notes to the pastoral staff and to commit to pray each week this year for the pastoral staff. Well over one-third of our congregation stood for personal prayer in response to Ron's call for prayer."

Jacksonville, FL — Doug Ganyo, Associate Pastor of St. Johns
“We at St. Johns were uniquely blessed to have Dr. Ron Rand speak to our men, women, youth, families, and church leaders. Here is a sampling of some of the testimonies of our people: "Ron made the Scriptures come alive for me." "I found that I was actually able to pray God's Word." "He moved me to write a letter of rec-onciliation to my son." Each session was a witness to Christ, biblically grounded, filled with faith stories and had great humor."

Jacksonville, FL — Terry Lucarelli, Pastor of Lakewood
“The UpBuilding Weekend positively affected all aspects of our congrgational life! God used it to bring about many significant "defining moments" in the lives of our lay people AND may I add, my own included! We have already invited Ron to return next February to lead us in a Personal Faith Sharing Seminar, a natural follow-up to our first Weekend."

Leesburg, FL — Stephen Husley, Pastor of Lake Square
“Ron's love of our Lord and the Church is obvious! So is the fact that he is a person of prayer! He has a unique gift using Scriptures creatively. Each session was incredibly insightful and enjoyable by all. Our congregation was challenged and encouraged. He is a superb motivator and as an added bonus, he is also an excellent preacher!"

Orange Park, FL — Tim Roberts, Pastor of Orange Park
“The UpBuilding Weekend guided our congregation in a dynamic time that spiritually renewed all in attendance! There were opportunities for ALL ages of the church. The Weekend not only addressed the congregation's spiritual needs, but it also met mine as well!

Seminole, FL — David Miller, Pastor of Faith
“Ron's been with us at Faith several times. Each time our people want to have him back! That says a lot!

St. Petersburg , FL — Bill Martin, Former Pastor of Northeast
“Ron is a warm-hearted, upbeat PCUSA pastor who's specialty and giftedness is upbuilding congregations in practical application of God's Word. We asked him to design a special weekend for us with a theme of Deepening Relationships. He did it with special emphasis on our staff, elders and deacons, and entire congregation. I am confident that your congregation could greatly benefit from time with him."

Aurora, IL — Chuck Legvold, Pastor of Westminster
“The UpBuilding Weekend hit its target of building up the whole family of faith. The response was overhelmingly positive. My personal relationship with Jesus was refreshed and I was personally moved to see dozens of people make either first-time commitments or re-commitments to be followers of Jesus."

Belvidere, IL — Bob Kopp, Pastor of First
“As I reflect upon the UpBuilding Weekend, I see a continuing response and trans-forming impact upon our congregation! Each session was highlighted with explana-tion, interaction, and personal application within a context of Biblical fidelity. I truly recommend Dr. Rand and UpBuilding Ministries with highest enthusiasm!"

Kokomo, IN — Jerry Van Auken, Former Pastor of First
“We hosted the Weekend at my former church, Tabernacle Presbyterian, at the end of our interium pastor time and the beginning of our new pastor's coming! The timing was perfect! What a tremendous way to unite our people of all ages around a common theme of upbuilding. The Weekend gave us a jump-start to new beginnings."

Fishers, IN — Steve Ebling, Pastor of New Hope
“New Hope has never hosted a renewal event before. What a great start the Week-end was for us! I was blessed to see people of all ages challenged to grow in their faith in Christ. Ron has a great way of teaching and then ensuring that accountabil-ity and follow-up take place. For example, my wife and I entered into a month-long prayer covenant with another couple after the session for Couples to pray for each other's marriage."

Noblesville, IN — Eric Gale, Pastor of First
“As pastor at the same church for 14 years, I am always looking for fresh ways to stir the congregation to a new level of devotion to Christ. The UpBuilding Weekend did just that. There was never a dull moment! Great emphasis was placed upon im-mediate application of the scriptural teaching. The few days Dr. Rand spent with us brought encouragement and new challenges to our faith and family life."

Gaithersburg, MD — Greg Seckman, Former Pastor of Gaithersburg
“Our community is made up of people who lead busy lives. The unique structure of this Weekend allowed people to choose the segments they desired to attend. As a result the overall attendance superceded ALL of our previous conferences!”
                                  Bill Craig, Former Associate Pastor of Gaithersburg
“I have known Ron for years and can tell you with confidence and from experience that he has a genuine love for the church. I know that God would use him in the life of your congregation as He used him in ours. Months have passed since our UpBuilding Weekend but I still hear positive feedback from the event.”

Pine City , MN — Jim Ellison, Former Pastor of First
“I strongly urge every pastor to consider an UpBuilding Weekend. I am well aware that there are so many programs that come across our desk. This one is definitely worth your time! The Weekend focused on every person of every age in the church. This is one of its strengths. It also provided for me a marvelous break to sit back and listen for a change! I was deeply moved several times!"

Richfield, MN — Pam Cooper, Former Director of Congregational Life
“One of the strongest benefits of an UpBuilding Weekend is the way Ron enlists the participants to be accountable to one another through prayer covenants. I saw this demonstrated at the men’s, women’s, and marriage events. Participants paired up and made a covenant to pray for and to phone one another the following month.”

Kansas City, MO — Doug Burford, Former Pastor of Ward Parkway
“I saw the Spirit of God affect people’s lives in significant ways through the UpBuilding Weekend at our church. Almost as great as that, I barely had to lift a finger as the host pastor! In addition, Ron said those things to our congregation which need to be said to nearly every congregation, yet can only be said by a guest minister. He said them with great tact and discernment.”

Kansas City , MO — Joe Pallikkathayil, Former Pastor of St. Luke
“Our UpBuilding Weekend was a refreshing renewal time for the whole church! Dr. Rand is a superb communicator of the Good News of Jesus Christ in humorous, joyous, experiencial, and memorable ways. We were so blessed that we have already scheduled Dr. Rand to return in September 2006 to lead a Friendship Evangelism Seminar for the entire congregation! UPDATE: The Saints at St. luke have now been twice blessed with Dr. Rand's second visit! God will bless your con-gregation, too, when you host an UpBuilding Weekend. I guarantee it!"

St. Joseph , MO — Cliff Mansley, Former Pastor of Brookdale
“I simply can't say enough about the tremendous value to our entire congregation the UpBuilding Weekend was! Each major age or affinity group was affected. Each session included practical, compelling, Christ-centered messages that challenged people to put their faith into action--and they did just that! Topping off the Weekend Ron brought an inspiring, heartfelt sermon to the Sunday morning services that blessed the entire congregation!”

Lincoln, NE — Jim Crelin, Pastor of Eastridge
“I often wish people would share with me positive ministries that have impacted their churches. UpBuilding Ministries is one of these. It offers many programs, all of which are inspirational, practical, and Biblical. Dr. Ron Rand led a leaders' training that set a very positive tone for our congregation. He was able to do in a short time what I have been trying to do for three years--develop a pattern for praying for our entire membership! This is one of the values of having speakers who are outside the normal church context. People hear things differently and respond accordingly!”

Omaha, NE — Bill Bowers, Former Pastor of Dundee
“Ron led our annual officers' retreat with a theme of Being an Effective Leader through the Practice of Prayer. To see our Elders, Deacons, and Trustees praying with and for each other using Scripture, was personally thrilling for me as a pastor. We invited him to return for a congregational event. The various sessions were multigenerational. Young children to seasoned saints participated! How rare!"

Apex, NC — Jim Eller, Organizing Pastor of Cornerstone
“Last week our session and congregation had several opportunities to reflect upon the effects of the UpBuilding Weekend. Their affirmations were strong and their personal testimonies of God’s work in their hearts expressed genuine thanksgiving. This proved to be exactly the type of spiritual enrichment event our new church development needed.! We highly recommend it to other young churches looking for a leap in spiritual development.”

Durham, NC — Ray Cobb, Pastor of Triangle
“We've had Ron come twice to Triangle. He runs a ‘spiritual marathon’ by including times with all of the diverse groups in the church. The responses, including my own, have been positive and in some cases life changing. It was a special blessing to have my wife and our high school senior son participate with me in the sessions for couples and men. One mother commented on the Family session: 'We continue to reference the teachings; even our children thought it was a lot of fun.'"

Goldsboro, NC — Drew Clark, Pastor of First
“Dr. Rand uses a small group model, meeting separately with "Seasoned Saints", men, women, married couples, and youth. The fellowship and intimacy that he created went a long way to creating a spirit-filled renewal weekend. Many of our congregation were touched by his sermon on Sunday morning and are still talking about the changes made by the Holy Spirit in their lives as a result."

Hunterville, NC — Vern Dodd, Pastor of Huntersville
“This is my second experience with an UpBuilding Weekend and Dr. Rand. Each time I have been impressed that Ron's teaching displays a special gift for simplicity and his style steadily causes each participant to "take action!" Not content merely to hand out knowledge, he always imparts clear steps for application and provides sound strategy to achieve measurable results. I highly recommend this Ministry!"

Mt. Olive, NC — Steven Wicks, Pastor of Mt. Olive
"I highly commend an UpBuilding Weekend to your church - or even two! Our church members and staff experienced both personal and corporate spiritual growth, enhanced fellowship, practical Biblical teaching, and lots of laughter. We followed up the "UpBuilding the Entire Family of God" weekend with another weekend five months later that focused on "Equipping Member to Share Their Faith" and leadership development. Both weekends were outstanding!"

Washington NC — W. Lee Kinney, Pastor of First
“I enjoyed the opportunity to experience God's power and grace as Ron shared with us. He taught us ways to pray through and live by the Word of God, even in most difficult times. Many people found new hope because of what God did during the weekend.

Wilmington NC — Steve Hein, Pastor of St. Andrews-Covenant
“I have invited Ron to minister in ALL of the churches I've pastored. He blends his pastoral experiences with practical applications of God's Word. He is energetic, insightful, practical, and Biblical in all that he teaches! On his latest visit he lead us in his Friendship Evangelism training Option. A comment by one attendee sums up the training quite well: 'I now know that I can do this!'"

Akron, OH — Mark Ruppert, Pastor of First
“After having Ron for an UpBuilding Weekend, we invited him back for an in-house retreat to help us discern a new call for our congregation. Our congregation and leaders benefited greatly from Ron's many "pearls of wisdom" stemming from his pastoral experience of over 37 years. It was a "watershed" time for us!"

Cedarville, OH — Drew Elling, Pastor of Cedarville United
“This was my second experience with an UpBuilding Weekend. Each was received enthusiastically by the various groups of both churches, the families with children and youth, men, women, couples, and leaders. The truths of the Bible were comm-unicated in practical and memorable ways. This church has about 130 members without a budget for outside events. The Weekend was an affordable ministry in today's economic climate. We greatly appreciated this and highly recommend it."

Cincinnati, OH — Tom Sweets, Pastor of Madeira — Silverwood
“The Weekend provided a positive and practical approach to receiving teaching from God's Word followed by immediate APPLICATION of it at every session. This dist-inguishes an UpBuilding Weekend from other church events!”

Cincinnati, OH — Jeff Hosmer, Former Pastor of Northminster
“The feedback from our congregation has been overwhelmingly positive, including several ‘thank yous’ written to the Session for scheduling the Weekend. A serving elder described the worship service as ‘one of the most awesome, memorable experiences of my life.’”

Cincinnati, OH — Erwin Goedicke, Pastor of North
“I've known Ron personally for over 20 years as a colleague (our church provided office space for the first 5 years of UpBuilding Ministries.) Ron brings more than a pastor's heart and years of wisdom and Biblical insight into the Weekends. He brings side-splitting creativity and such clear, practical, and unexpected ways of communicating God's truth that it sticks with you forever! The monthly newsletters are filled with amazing stories of the unique ways God works His many wonders!"

Cincinnati, OH — Bill Gestal, Former Pastor of Sycamore
“I think every pastor prays for a spark: to ignite God's Spirit in our churches, to encourage, inspire, and to challenge, to share the love and grace of Jesus, and to invite people to a living faith in our Lord. Our congregation hosted an UpBuilding Weekend and ALL of the above and more took place! I've known Ron for years and I cannot think of one conversation with him, which has not included a deep time of prayer.This means a lot to me and reveals his personal walk with the Lord.

Cincinnati, OH — Steve Gorman, Former Co-Pastor of Westwood First
“The Weekend provided a number of unique opportunities for the different "constituencies” of the church. Each contained a strong evangelical witness for Jesus Christ and a strong emphasis on prayer."

Cincinnati, OH — George Hupp, Former Pastor of Montgomery
“How do you grow a congregational spiritually? One way is through an UpBuilding Weekend. It took us six years to finally invite Dr. Ron Rand to be a useful tool to help give us the spiritual direction we needed at this time in the life of our church. We have a new spiritual depth in our growth as a result of the Weekend."

Cincinnati, OH — Mike Wheatley, Former Pastor of West Chester
“I have known Ron for many years. He is creative, energetic and Biblically sound and challenging! We could not have asked for anything more: a fun, upbuilding time which led us deeper in our relationships with one another in many practical ways.”

Hamilton, OH — John Lewis, Pastor of The Hamilton
“This was one of the most exciting renewal weekends our church has had in years. Ron's ability to relate to a diverse group is a rare gift that God uses to minister so effectively to His people of all ages.”

Northfield, OH — Art Helin, Pastor of Northfield
“Ron has an uncanny way of helping people do things they don’t normally do but in sensitive, non-threatening ways. I saw people pray together who had never prayed out loud before! I watched God's Spirit move Ron to speak some pastoral words to people who needed to hear exactly what was said! It was awesome and amazing!”

Warren, OH — Paul Gaug, Former Pastor of Champion
“The feedback from our congregation about the Weekend was ALL positive (really)! Even folks usually less than enthusiastic about renewal events were receptive. Ron brought a positive perspective to our denomination's heritage. Also, my personal attitude about pastoral ministry was refreshingly renewed!"

Youngstown, OH — David Joachim, Pastor of Westminster
“After hearing about how great an UpBuilding Weekend is, we finally had one. In a word, the sessions were magnetic !” Amy and I enjoyed the Couples time and we are still applying some principles we learned. The men's time gave me a lot to think about; I can't say that I often get to sit at the feet of a really good Bible teacher."

Lake Oswego, OR — Bob Sanders, Pastor of Lake Grove
“The Family session with the younger families was one of the best times I’ve ever enjoyed with this congregation. To see so many children having such fun with their moms and dads was wonderful! A lot of families were strengthened that night!”

Bridgeville, PA — Dan Hrach, Pastor of Bethany
"Our church was in the process of looking at new models of ministry. The greatest part of the Weekend for us was the way Dr. Rand brought our members into an understanding of the power and commitment to prayer. Prayer was a key part of every one of the 8 different sessions conducted. Our staff was overhelmed by the commitment of our entire congregation to pray for us daily!"
                            John Dykstra, Associate Pastor
"Ron's style makes people feel comfortable, yet challenges them in their walk with the Lord. His presentations made Scriptures 'come alive' as a vital part of our everyday lives. He brought to all of us a better understanding of the humanity and the divinity of Jesus Christ in our faith journeys.

Downingtown, PA — Pat Hartsock, Pastor of Central
“We invited Dr. Rand to come and lead and challege us during our November stewardship campaign. Not only was our faith-pledge card response the greatest we have ever experienced but many lives were changed through personal application of God's Word at the various sessions of the UpBuilding Weekend. It was a most rewarding experience for our congregation!"

Elizabeth, PA — Lowell Meek, Pastor of Round Hill
“Four small churches banded together for a Weekend. Often we smaller churches find it difficult to provide quality experiences like this. By joining together we filled our fellowship halls and the high school auditorium where we held a joint Sunday worship service. The Weekend left an indelible impact for Christ in our community!”

Elizabeth, PA — Lori Cotten, Former Pastor of First
“Dr. Ron Rand, who himself pastored a rural community church, led our weekend for four rural congregations with great empathy and insight. He wisely guided us in having the various sessions in each of our churches. This enabled each church to have some personal ownership. The results: an overwhelming response!"

Glenmoore, PA — Andy Curtis, Former Pastor The Forks of the Brandywine
“A comment from one of our men sums up the Weekend: ‘In my time as a Christian man I have been to two men’s retreats and three national men’s ministry events. All five of these events combined did NOT compare to the blessings I received during the three hours I spent with Dr. Rand."

Glenshaw, PA — Dirk Lesnett, Pastor of Eifinwild
“Ron intentionally honors the call and work of a pastor. The specific ways he gives people opportunities to pray for, care for, respect, and support their pastor is spiritually refreshing, reassuring, and rewarding!”

Langhorne, PA — Jeff Winter, Former Interim Pastor
“On three occasions I have invited Ron to come to churches I have pastored. Each time can be summarized in two words...God moved! Ron practically applied the Scriptures and trusted the Holy Spirit for the results. I encourage you to prayerfully consider hosting an UpBuilding Weekend as soon as possible! You and your cong-regation will be blessed."

Meadville, PA — Dr. Tom Sebben, Former Interim Pastor of First
“Presbyterians are inclusive. I thoroughly appreciated the Weekend's theme of meeting with ALL possible groups in the church. Dr. Rand is a man of enormous energy and sensitivity to each group with whom he is working. He is an excellent communicator and his passion for practical application of God's Word is evident!"

Monaca, PA — Marvin Barney, Pastor of First
“What I will always remember is the congregation's response in worship. The Spirit of God was touching lives in a way we had not seen in some time. 45 people either committed their lives to Jesus Christ or rededicated their lives to Him! God blessed Ron with an ability to sense where people are in their faith and then speak to those needs. At our three worship services Ron preached three "different" messages!"

New Castle , PA — Dr. Bill Meyer, Interim Pastor of Clen-Moore
“Dr. Rand was willing and flexible in tailoring his teaching to our personal objectives of becoming a more missional church, especially to the 18-45 year old age groups. Not only did he enlighten our congregation on this theme, but also trained a special group of leaders to train others in the congregation in the future.His other teachings on Effective Forgiveness and God's Grace were life changing for many."

Pittsburgh, PA — Stan Ott, Former Pastor of Pleasant Hills Community
“This was one of the best Christian Renewal conferences our congregation has hosted!” Ron’s clear presentations brought simple, practical tools to help upbuild us in our faith, our family life, our marriages, and our journeys of discipleship with Jesus Christ. Also, his love for people of all ages shines through at all times.”
                            Karen Berns, Former Associate Pastor and
                            Paul Thwaite, Associate Pastor
“This is what we observed: singles and seniors felt affirmed; marriages were strengthened; men were challenged in their family relationships and ethics; women were deeply touched and up lifted with laughter; children interacted with their parents; and the congregation was encouraged with hope.”

Pittsburgh, PA — Lance Chapman, Pastor of Hamilton
“Never have I experienced the love of a congregation as I did on Sunday morning in the unique way Ron led the congregation in prayer for me and for my ministry. Then to receive the names of over 80 members who committed themselves to pray for me over the next year was unbelievable! Praise the Lord!”

Pittsburgh, PA — Maxine Jenkins, Associate Pastor of Duquesne
“The Presbytery of Pittsburgh sponsored an UpBuilding Weekend for eleven small- sized congregations. It was Spirit-filled and uplifting for all. I was impressed with Dr. Rand's engagement and affirmation of all participants. Everything was based on God's Word. We also experienced practical ways of incorporating Scripture in our prayers and in how to share our faith.!”

Rochester, PA — Ron Kronk, Former Pastor of New Sewickley
“The Weekend made a profound difference for the church and my ministry. I now have 124 people praying for me daily for the next year. The people are beautifully pastoring me! What more could a pastor ask for. All because of the Weekend.”

Trafford, PA — Dennis Macaleer, Pastor of Level Green
“Ron, here's a letter from a child who attended the Weekend. She's a real sweetheart, and her note was unprompted by any adults. I hope it makes your day, for it made mine! It shows the effects your ministry has upon young ears and hearts!” -'Rev. Rand. Thanks for coming. I now know Jesus better. He loves me just as I am. You are a funny man.'

Pawleys Island, SC — Frank Holsclaw, Pastor of Pawleys Island
“Our Session chose Dr. Ron Rand and the UpBuilding Weekend for our time of congregational renewal because of his impressive background in ministry. He has
a wide variety of experiences and understands pastors and parishioners. These coupled with his application of the Word proved to be a dynmaic combination."

Abilene, TX — Cliff Stewart, Pastor of First Central
“One of the best things for me was to have in Ron an instant pastoral friend. Ron’s experience in the church allows him to empathize and understand. He listens. He affirms. He shares wise insights. He is real. Bottom line is that the Weekend was great for me as a pastor — AND for our people!”

Amarillo , TX — Jeff Conway, Pastor of Westminster
“I've known Ron Rand since the mid-1980's. He is an energetic and enthusiastic speaker who reached out to all of the generations in our church. He adapted his presentations to fit our regular Wednesday night program and continued through the entire weekend. The entire event was a great success!"

Bay Ciy , TX — John Nelson-Pope, Former Pastor of First
“Our UpBuilding Weekend brought renewal to a number of marriages and definitely strengthened family bonds. At its conclusion on Sunday morning, forty adults and young people either professed their faith in Jesus Christ for the first time or they reaffirmed their commitment to Him. Our Session is praying that we can schedule Dr. Rand for another UpBuilding Ministry Option next year.”

Baytown, TX — Richard Kleiman, Pastor of Faith
“The UpBuilding the Entire Family Weekend was just that! It touched and blessed all of our members. One of the things that we found very helpful is that Ron is so thoroughly organized and also very affordable. Our Session was so pleased with what happened that we plan to have him back to do other seminars.”

Irving, TX — Dr. Dale Patterson, Pastor of Hackberry Creek and
                     Brian Grassley, Former Associate Pastor
“One facet of this ministry that appealed to us: our people, probably like most, are over-committed, overscheduled, and awfully busy. Everyone was invited to attend various ministry options — so it's not asking them to commit to a whole weekend, just a couple of hours. This feature helped us reach a diverse group of participants in our overall church family.”

Lake Jackson , TX — Dr. Alan Trafford, Pastor of First
“We enjoyed a high-energy Weekend. Dr. Rand has a great way of connecting with people of all ages. Each session was well received. A significant number of people made either first-time or renewed commitments to Christ. It was easy to organize and very affordable. Any congregation and visitors to it will surely enjoy this event. They may find themselves experiencing God - which is what it's all about, after all."

Nacogdoches, TX — Stephen Newton, Pastor of Westminster
“UpBuilding Ministries is wonderfully suited for any church. Sessions are held for specific groups within the church. This means is that no one has to spend the entire weekend at church but are free to attend the particular setting suitable to their interest. Another great practical aspect is its affordability."

Plano, TX — Dr. Rolfe Granath, Former Pastor of Plano
“My testimony is that I was personally upbuilt in my ministry by the Weekend. Ron asks the question:"Who pastors the pastor?" and gives an opportunity for people to write a note of affirmation of me! Those written words of encouragement were like water on the dry ground of my soul! I wrote one for Ron, too!”

Chesapeake, VA — Ralph Herbert, Pastor of Great Bridge
“I highly recommend Dr. Ron Rand and Upbuilding Ministries as a catalyst for growth in your church.. Last year, Ron guided our elders, deacons, and staff in a dynamic prayer retreat in such a winsome way. This year he returned to bless the entire congregation. God uses Ron to touch people! His enthusiastic style and sincere humility facilitates genuine renewal in the family of faith. He will inspire your congregation to seek Jesus Christ in scripture and in prayer. His ministry not only addresses the congregation’s spiritual needs but will meet yours as well!

Hillsville, VA — Ron Kronk, Pastor of Fairview
“This is my second experience with an UpBuilding Weekend and Dr. Rand. We have already invited him back for next year to build on our successes! Ron is a practical, solid theologian and exceptional teacher. Everyone who attended the various session was truly blessed and looking forward to our time next year!

Newport News, VA — Scott Bowerman, Former Pastor of Hilton
“What particularly struck me was the Grace-fulness of the Weekend. Each session and sermon was filled with opportunities for reconciliation, forgiveness, and a fresh start based in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Attendees, myself included, left workshops with a lightness that comes from encountering God’s grace. The response of the congregation to the entire Weekend was enormously positive.”

Waynesboro, VA — Dr. Glen Holman, Pastor of First
“We invited Dr. Rand to come for a Weekend to increase our effectiveness as a congregation committed to evangelism and outreach. Ron's practical teaching and helpful tools were well received by ALL ages and particularly so by parents with young children and teens. We were empowered to see evangelism as something we could do!"

Huntington, WV — Dr. Roger Rabey, Pastor of First
“Dr. Rand's Biblical teaching was coupled with practical application at each session. It centered on keeping our relationships with the Lord and one another healthy and growing. It also included a congregational affirmation of our pastoral staff on Sunday morning. We were indeed blessed by the entire Weekend!"

Mequon, WI — John Gable, Former Pastor of Crossroads
“I recalled meeting Ron about 10 years ago in Waterloo, IA, and remembered him to be Biblically grounded, creatively insightful, and extremely energetic. He was all of these and more! Whether speaking to seniors or singles, children or couples, he always delightfully engaged us in the Word at every session.”
                        Jeff Lincicome, Associate Pastor
“My favorite part of the Weekend was the candlelight dinner for couples. Kristi and I enjoyed being together but also seeing couples laugh, learn, and “leave their own marriage comfort zones” through Ron's humor and practical applications.”

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