Universal Life Church - Rev. Jesse L. Hoog bio:
When I was a little boy I always said I wanted to be a minister. It was always my dream, it seemed to nag at my inner soul and would never completely leave. On Aug. 23, 2007 it hit me that this was my calling and possibly my life's destiny, after all I was 21, no school, or any job I ever had seemed right, so I contacted Amy at the Universal Life Church Seminary and God and I made it happen! My family has a very long line of Ministers and all are/was God fearing people on both side's and all of a very diverse background and a variety of religions.
Starting on my dad's side, his father Amos Hoog was a ordained Church of God Holiness Minister, I never had the pleasure in hearing him preach or his views, for I was barely 2 when he died, but I do know, he did many good things, the way God would have wanted it. His wife (my grandma) Alice Ledbetter Hoog was an ordained and active Four Square Minister, she even founded the first Four Square Church in the Joplin, Missouri area near Stapleton Village. In her life she had attended L.I.F.E Bible College in Los Angeles, Ca. and Oral Roberts In Tulsa, Ok.
She never lost her faith in God and she even smiled while dying of cancer and said that God had his reasons for everything, she never blamed God or lost faith! Also on my dad's side of the family, his mom's (Alice) father George W. Ledbetter was an ordained and active Southern Baptist and a police Chaplain for the Wichita, Ks. Police Dept. My dad himself, Robert D. Hoog Sr. is an ordained Non-Denominational, he does not practice as a minister but he has always ministered to people through music for the Lord gave him a powerful voice that even helped him to overcome a speech impairment and to graduate high school. Alot of people have even said that I was gave his musical talents. Let's switch sides now to my mom's family. Her father Jack L. Vinyard was an ordained Non-Denominational Minister, he never lead a congregation of his own, but his love for God was none the less!
He maintained his faith through the Korean War and even had his shoulder shot off and re-attached and never blamed God! Instead he told all back home how he and his platoon had saw Jesus save them! He taught all of his grandkids that no matter the sins of your past, that he and God shared the same belief; forgiveness and that he and God loves all his children. When time came for him to live in eternity with his son he missed so badly and God he never shed one tear of pain and talked about the man who was coming to see him in his room.
The night he left we all saw from across the street a man in his room, we believe that man was Jesus or his son Jackie. Now that's about all the ministers in my family but to be very honest, all my family has a strong devotion for God. My mom is a Pentecostal from the P to the L so to speak and her mom was just a down right bred in the blood Christian. My brother is a Universal Life Church Minister the same as I, he is even the one who made me aware of the church's existence.
I guess to break down what actually I am, is a Pentecostal, Four Square and Nazarene Jesus freak! As of now I am just starting out, so my studies come first, for it says; "Study to show yourself approved unto God." 2 Timothy 2:15. So I haven't really performed any services as of now. When I was younger though before the ministry, my grandma Jennie S. Vinyard had a heart attack on her farm south of Joplin, Mo, she went for some time with no oxygen, while my dad gave her mouth to mouth to keep her alive. When she arrived at the hospital they told us she had brain damage and would probably never wake up, so with my family's urging and my grandma's believing in my power of prayer, I took her hand in the hospital and told her, "Grandma it's Jesse I'm going to pray with you now and when I'm done you wake up, OK?" So all in the room bowed their heads and I prayed to God with all my heart and when I was done I said, "Grandma wake up now, I did my part." Sure enough there was her eyes wide open and that day even the doctor cried. Though she was a bit incoherent we all enjoyed four more wonderful years with her. So I suppose that's my only performance as of now.
I truly believe that becoming a part of the Universal Life Church has strengthened me and my faith in God. It has also made me better at forgiving and walking away from a conflict rather than using anger! Just as soon as my classes are through the seminary are finished, I plan to become a full time minister, as well as be a police chaplain. Well I guess to close up this page in my life in this book of fine minister's, I will tell you all a story that happened when I was homeless. I was around twelve and homeless in my hometown of Joplin, Missouri. We were hungry and broke so we went to the local Salvation Army when we had no money for food. Outside the building on a super hot July or August day a homeless man had no shirt or shoes on his skinny body, had went there for some help.
Rather than helping him with clothes as he obviously needed they wouldn't let him in there for food or clothes but they took him a plate and made him stay in the hot alley. The plate of food looked like they was feeding a dog and it really upset me. My family and I was eating in the car. He went to go in the place to ask for more and they pushed him back out and told him NO! I got so upset at them I could of bit a bullet in two for there was only about five others there for supper and they were about to close so quantity shouldn't have been an issue. I said to the man, "Wait a minute" and I ran in there and asked them for food to take home to my brother. They gave me three buckets of food and I went outside. I gave that guy seconds on food and took off my shirt I was wearing and gave it to him. I told him, "God Loves You!"
And before leaving he asked my mom for a cigarette and my Mom gave him one and he lit it but he never took one drag of it not once! He rode off and we pulled off to ask him if he needed a ride cause after all he was on a bike and it was very hot. When we turned the corner he wasn't there, he wasn't even a half block away when we took off. He was just totally gone when we got up there where he had turned just seconds before. I think it was a test of God that he was an Angel! Thank you all for reading my page. I pray it has been pleasing to you all and some how inspired you!
Thanks and God Bless you,
Rev. Jesse L. Hoog
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