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Dr. J. Wendell Runion
Dr.
Runion was born on a mountain farm in Madison County, North Carolina. His
childhood was that of a simple lifestyle in a rural mountain culture. The
Runion family was influenced by a heritage of strong Christian values. The
church was a very powerful influence in the growth and character of the entire
family.
At the age of 14, Dr.
Runion was saved in a small mountain church after being under strong conviction
for over two years.
After graduating from
Charles D. Owen High School in Swannanoa, North Carolina he worked on secular
jobs. At the age of 28, God called him to preach in July of 1970 after moving
to Pensacola, Florida in 1968. He then attended the Pensacola Bible Institute
in Pensacola, Florida for two years. In 1982, he received a Bachelors Degree of
Theology from Trinity Baptist College in Knoxville, Tennessee and an honorary
Doctor of Divinity from that same school. In 1993, he earned his Ph.D. in
Religion from Emmanuel Baptist University in Conover, North Carolina. In 2003,
he received a honorary doctorate degree from Giza Baptist Bible Institute in Cairo, Egypt.
In 1972 after moving his
family back to North Carolina, Dr. Runion became Youth Minister at Trinity
Baptist Church in Asheville, NC where Dr. Ralph Sexton, Sr. was the pastor. He
was ordained on January 22, 1973 by the late Dr. Sexton.
On October 13, 1974, God
led him to start Asheville Baptist Tabernacle in Asheville, North Carolina.
This church became very influential in Western North Carolina along with a
Christian School and Bible College ministry.
In 1992, he helped to
found Anchor Baptist Bible College in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina and served
as its President until May of 1999. During those years the school graduated
many that are now serving in missions or the Pastorate around the world.
After traveling to Egypt
on several mission trips the Lord led Bro. Runion to resign his pastorate of 21
years and go full time into a church planting ministry. He founded International
Baptist Outreach Missions, Inc. in January, 1996, and since that time, with Dr.
Runion as President the mission has either strengthened or started over 80
churches with national pastors in several countries of the world including
Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Lebanon, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The mission is the owner
and operator of WKJV, a 25,000 watt 24 hours
a day Gospel radio station in Asheville, North Carolina.
IBOM, Inc. is a ministry
commissioned out of the Northwest Bible Baptist Church in Elgin, IL, where Dr.
Keith Gomez is the pastor. IBOM, with the help of Providence Baptist College in
Elgin, IL, has started a Bible college in Alexandria, Egypt, and
Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippines. The mission has also started
Providence Baptist Bible Institute in Malaba, Kenya. All three of these schools
are affiliated with PBC in Elgin, IL.
Dr. Runion has also
served with the Congressman of the 11th Congressional District as an
advisor on church and religious matters since 1990.
He also preaches many
Revivals, Missions Conferences, Prophecy Conferences and King James Bible
Conferences around the world.
Dr. J. Wendell Runion
(Above) - Dr. Runion and the I.B.O.M. flag
(Left) - Dr. & Mrs. Runion
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