Keeping the faith
Published: February 7, 2007
As a child growing up in a military family, John Welter lived in a lot of places.
About two years ago, he made the move to program director of the Wichita Falls Faith Mission and in January was named executive director, which he described as a miracle of God.
“God letting me do this is more than a miracle,” he said. “I am blessed to be a part of this ministry.”
Welter, a 1966 graduate of Burkburnett High School and a 1973 graduate of Howard Payne University at Brownwood, was named executive director Jan. 1 after longtime Executive Director Pete Smith retired.
His wife, Jo, serves as the compliance officer at the mission. They live in Archer City.
He was born in Indiana and his family also lived in California, Florida and Germany before moving to Texas.
“My dad was in the Air Force and that’s how we ended up here (Sheppard Air Force Base),” he said.
After high school, Welter joined the Navy and spent one tour of duty in Vietnam and another off the coast of Vietnam.
He moved back to the Wichita Falls area in 1989, was an insurance agent for several years and served as a pastor at Faith Memorial Baptist Church in Archer City on a part-time basis for about 12 years.
He started a jail ministry at Archer City in 2000 and that eventually led to a ministry in an apartment behind the couple’s home.
“It (jail) was where many of them received Christ for the first time,” he said. “When they got out, there were only a few safe havens away from drugs and alcohol.
“So after praying about it, my wife and I built the apartment behind our house so we could minister to those on probation. We did one-on-one discipleships and helped them find jobs.”
He said it was a constant aggravation, though, that they could only minister to so few.
“After three years of praying for God’s will and a better avenue of ministering to the broken and needy, a job opened here (at the mission) for program director,” he explained.
Welter spends countless hours at the mission each day - which are filled with challenges and opportunities.
“So far it’s 5 o’clock in the morning until 7 at night most days. It is never boring. There are more ministering opportunities here in one day than many pastors will see in three months,” he said.
Welter said he came to the mission in 2005 knowing that Smith would retire and he would be his replacement.
“It was an intensive course to learn in 18 months what he learned in 34 years,” Welter said.
Welter said he wants to provide a ministry for some areas that are “not being covered in Wichita Falls,” such as a women’s 12-step counseling program designed for addicts.
“Our community does a great job of reaching out to those in poverty, but there are some opportunities being left out,” he said.
Presently, women at the mission are placed in the men’s 12-step program, he said.
It’s evident Welter loves his new position and ministering to people in need. And it’s the place he wants to be for years to come.
“I want to stay here until retirement … and that’s 10 or 11 years anyway,” he said.
He was replaced as program director by Tim Veal.
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