The Journey
with Pastor Dave and Joanne Beckwith
One week after their wedding in 1969, Dave and Joanne began their journey in pastoral ministry. And what an adventure it has been—some thrilling joys and successes along with struggles and setbacks. While on a youth trip in their second year of ministry, they were rescued from a fiery head-on freeway collision with a drunk driver--driving on the wrong side of the freeway. Years later, Dave miraculously survived a 40-foot fall—an experience God used to correct and redirect him.
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Dave’s ministry experience includes camp and youth ministry, church administration, and serving as a senior pastor for over 30 years. Joanne has been an active partner in the ministry, working alongside Dave while leading women’s ministries, mentoring, and teaching small groups. Currently, Dave is pastor emeritus at the church where he served as senior pastor for nearly 20 years. Dave also serves as a story writer and small group leader for Saddleback Church, a Retool Trainer for Converge Worldwide, and a pastor for churches going through leadership transitions. Dave and Joanne are writing a personal growth book entitled The Edge: God's Power Perfected in Weakness.
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Dave and Joanne are both graduates of
Biola University. Joanne received her bachelor’s degree in nursing and
works as an RN. Dave did his seminary work at
Talbot (MA-Chr. Ed.), Grace (MA-Biblical Studies), and CalGrad
(PhD-Church & Family Ministry).
Their two daughters, Julie and Tami, and their families are a source of joy in their lives. Family vacations together twice a year are filled with fun and laughter. Dave and Joanne have 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. A love for God’s beauty in nature takes them on hikes and rides on their recumbent bikes. They especially love sunsets at the ocean.
Dave and Joanne are now serving with Standing Stone, a ministry of shepherding the shepherds by caring for full-time Christian ministry leaders and their spouses. Ministry couples enjoy God’s beauty in serene locations throughout the United States while they are hosted with excellence and mentored in love. During this time, their relationship with God, their marriage, and their ministry are nourished and revitalized. Standing Stone’s mission philosophy is simple: “Healthy shepherds have healthy flocks. Our goal is to help build stronger ministry leaders. Strong ministry leaders create strong followers of Jesus and strong followers of Jesus advance the Kingdom of God. As these leaders are revitalized they, in turn, revitalize their followers. They affect multitudes of people and those multitudes of people affect multitudes and the ripple just keeps going. The ultimate return is enormous.”
Having faced the painful side of church life has equipped Dave and Joanne to come alongside other ministry couples. God has given them a heart for those who hurt, and a shared life mission to help others discover God’s power in their weakest moments. One of their greatest joys is sharing a cup of coffee or a meal with another ministry couple—weeping with those who weep, and rejoicing with those who rejoice.
Their two daughters, Julie and Tami, and their families are a source of joy in their lives. Family vacations together twice a year are filled with fun and laughter. Dave and Joanne have 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. A love for God’s beauty in nature takes them on hikes and rides on their recumbent bikes. They especially love sunsets at the ocean.
Dave and Joanne are now serving with Standing Stone, a ministry of shepherding the shepherds by caring for full-time Christian ministry leaders and their spouses. Ministry couples enjoy God’s beauty in serene locations throughout the United States while they are hosted with excellence and mentored in love. During this time, their relationship with God, their marriage, and their ministry are nourished and revitalized. Standing Stone’s mission philosophy is simple: “Healthy shepherds have healthy flocks. Our goal is to help build stronger ministry leaders. Strong ministry leaders create strong followers of Jesus and strong followers of Jesus advance the Kingdom of God. As these leaders are revitalized they, in turn, revitalize their followers. They affect multitudes of people and those multitudes of people affect multitudes and the ripple just keeps going. The ultimate return is enormous.”
Having faced the painful side of church life has equipped Dave and Joanne to come alongside other ministry couples. God has given them a heart for those who hurt, and a shared life mission to help others discover God’s power in their weakest moments. One of their greatest joys is sharing a cup of coffee or a meal with another ministry couple—weeping with those who weep, and rejoicing with those who rejoice.