Pastor John Teevan (pictured), who has been senior pastor of the Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren church for the past 16 years, announced to his congregation this morning that he will be concluding his ministry at WLGBC on Sunday, May 28.
Teevan has accepted a position with Grace College as director of the prison extension program, which currently has some 260 for-credit students enrolled in four different prisons. According to Grace president Ron Manahan, the college is seeking to expand its prison-education program and this new position is part of that effort.
In his message to the Winona church, Teevan said, “There are 260 students in four prisons who are Grace College students, many of whom receive Grace College diplomas. My task will be to seek to administer this form of education, make sure that it is a ministry, and to grow the program by working with the leaders of prisons and others in the Department of Corrections. This is the first time that this has been a full-time position.”
Regarding the church, Teevan said, “I will miss the church and especially the people. I am grateful for 16 years of ministry opportunity. . . I believe that the best days for the church are still in the future, and I believe that as we count God in He will guide us.”
Teevan, who was moderator of the FGBC two years ago, previously served as pastor of the Ashland, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church before coming to Winona Lake. He has also been a long-time member of the board of Grace Brethren International Missions.
One of Teevan’s sons, John O. Teevan, is an elementary school teacher in the Warsaw, IN, school system who also serves the Winona Lake church as children’s pastor.