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Called By God
church she enjoyed “wonderful preaching by Henry Wright and vibrant music.”
The Osborns moved in 2001 to Pacific Union College, where Pastor Osborn
assumed duties in the college church as Pastor for Family Ministries as her husband
became college president.
Norma’s comment concerning her position: "I believe with all my heart, and I am
always totally amazed, that the Lord wants me here. His will for me is my priority."
Ripley, Heather
Heather fought against the call to ministry, then made a deal that she would follow
God’s leading into that field if she didn’t have to speak. “In God’s sense of humor,” she
acknowledges, “I now have a passion for even preaching.”
Her preparation has included her experiences of pastoring while a student, and as an
intern for the Texas Conference, along with her “book learning” that contributed to a
BA in Theology from Southwestern Adventist University and the M Div from Andrews
University. She is currently working on a doctorate from George Fox Evangelical
Seminary in Leadership and Spiritual Formation. Heather has also learned much from
her parents, both of whom are pastors (see LYNN RIPLEY in this chapter).
Heather’s present responsibilities are as senior pastor for a two-church district in
Brownwood and Coleman Counties in Texas. Studying an atlas, one can see that
Coleman County includes a large square of Texas land with a modest population of
9,710. This is farm and ranch country, the setting in which Heather has been nicknamed the “cow pastor.” She explains that a woman to whom she was giving Bible
studies told about having donated a goose and turkey as tithe. Now she has shown
Heather “my tithe cow.”
Ms. Ripley’s frustration arises out of “not enough time to do it all!” God enables her
to deal with this problem by helping her to set boundaries.
What rewards this young pastor? Making spirituality real to a person, something that
affects every part of his/her life; speaking, visitation, young adults’ worship, reaching
people with secular orientation, children’s church, and contemporary evangelism. She
has been privileged to baptize about ten converts.
Ripley, Lynn
Lynn Ripley is associate pastor of the Saint Paul First Church and serves as Women’s
Ministries Director for the Minnesota Conference. Her husband, David, is the conference
Ministerial Director.
Lynn received her undergraduate degree in Theology and Biblical Languages from
Southwestern Adventist University; her Masters Degree is in Pastoral Ministry from
Andrews University. Lynn once served unpaid as an associate pastor, and this act of faith
led to her being hired by the Texas Conference as associate pastor of the North West
Houston Church.

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