John Joseph Heide/Mason

I was born right in the middle of the 20th century, 1950. My dad died when I was 7 and I lived with my grandparents in Phillips, Wisconsin and attended Dover State Grade school. Living with them was a great experience and then my mother and her new husband John Heide moved to Warrenville, IL in 1959. This was a great and formative time in my life and I made lifelong friends, won 2 baseball championships and then in 1961 moved to California. This was a time of turmoil in America and southern California led the way in wacko stuff (they still do). Forming a rock and roll band we enjoyed playing the guitar. Between God and my guitar I got through some tough times. I went to Career Academy School of Radio and Televison Broadcasting in 1969 and then got a job in Carthage, IL at WCAZ 990. This was a pivotal time in my life as two Assembly of God ministers came and recorded their weekly programs. They shared the love of Jesus and in March of 1970 I was healed of an incurable disease and Christ changed my life. I went to Ozark Bible Institute in January of 1971 because I wanted to share what Christ had done in my life but I did not know the Bible having not been to church in my younger days. I met Judy Carol Cook at Bible school and we were married in 1973. In 1983 we adopted Juliana Paige Heide and she has been a great blessing and we have had lots of fun and challenging times. I have had a great life, teaching wonderful students at Ozark Bible Institute for 17 years and then doing missions work across America, leading camp meetings, bus trips serving in RV parks, pastoring a church in Leisure World, Seal Beach, California, and Yuma, Arizona.

Singing, working with and reaching out to those in the Second Half of life has brought great joy. I don't want people to speak of me, but to speak of Christ who lives and works in us.