Area Director
John Groth
Fun Facts
GO TO SCRIPTURE VERSES: 2 Cor 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
HOBBY: Golf, Photography (especially of birds and other wildlife i.e. my dogs), watching British TV shows with my wife.
FIRST CAR YOU OWNED: It could be the 76 Chevy my wife brought into our marriage or it could be the first vehicle I bought which was a new 1982 Honda 750F Super Sport.
FAVORITE BOOK (OTHER THAN THE BIBLE): The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Through the Valley of the Kwai by Earnest Gordon.
HIDDEN TALENT: Using humor as a gateway emotion to much deeper things
BACKGROUND
I had a conversion experience at the end of tenth grade when I was led to Christ by fellow high school students. I was active in Scouting (Eagle) and went to Ursinus College where I was a Health and Phys Ed major with a minor in Greek and three years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. I’ve been in full-time ministry for over 40 years, since graduating from Seminary in 1984. That ministry has included pastoral ministry, being a Chaplain and teacher at a boarding school, 21 years as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain including eight years working in the Department of Defense Mortuary at Dover AFB, almost 30 years as a volunteer or paid staff member with Priority One and I currently serve as adjunct instructor at the University of Delaware (teaching over 500 students a year in very popular classes in the Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences). I’ve been married to my college sweetheart for over 44 years and have three married children, three grandchildren, and always a dog or two. The most obvious thing about me upfront is that I’m 6’7” tall, but I am very approachable when meeting one-on-one, leading small groups, or speaking at any size men’s event.
John’s INTERESTS
I love to read, to mentor men of any age, to help restore and strengthen marriage and family relationships, to speak to church events, Men’s Weekends, civic and veterans’ groups and most of all to enjoy time with family and friends. I work on maintaining strong friendships both inside and outside of the ministry. I am committed to honoring veterans and their families - valuing what they bring to the body of Christ – regardless of when or for how long they served. Having been medically retired with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving eight years at Dover’s mortuary. I work on helping Christians being real about the trauma we’ve experienced in life (see my life verse above and the power that comes from being open, honest and transparent about our weaknesses). I’m honored to have the opportunity to be a strong male and father figure to many of my students – it is some of the most rewarding ministry and relationships that I have in my life.