My Hope Radio: Tell us a little about your family.
Ron Rice: My wife and I have been married for twenty-six years as of June 22, 2011. We have been blessed with three children: Craig (24), Shayla (21), and Devin (17). Craig is married to Andrea (Holt) and they have our first grandchild, Mariah. Craig pastors Mountainview Christian Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Shayla is married to Aaron Sanders and they gave us our second grandchild, Jamin. They live in Scotsburg, Indiana, and are active in the church there pastored by Jacob Sanders.
MHR: Describe your spiritual journey.
RR: As a boy, our neighbors used to take my sister and me to a denominational Sunday school. We lived in a small town in Western Kentucky so it was a smallish country church, but it was my first introduction to church of any kind. Later I attended the Kingdom Hall with our mother while my sister attended a Pentecostal church with our dad. I later “visited” church with my dad and never turned back. I received the Holy Ghost August 11, 1976, and was baptized in the name of Jesus shortly thereafter. I was eleven years old at the time. At about fifteen or so, I felt the Lord calling me into the ministry and preached my first sermon at the age of sixteen. I attended Bible College in Jackson, Mississippi, intending to make a lifelong work of ministry. As it turned out, we spent many years seeking God’s plan while continuing education at the University of Cincinnati. After ten years, God opened a door of opportunity into fulltime ministry in Sacramento, California, with Pastor Allan Abbey. In 2004 we moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, to assume the pastorate there. In 2008 we moved to Salt Lake City leaving the church in Idaho to our son. We are now in Salt Lake City and love it! The Pentecostals of Salt Lake is home to us and we look forward to spending the rest of our earthly days here.
MHR: What is your favorite Scripture in the Bible?
RR: I have several. Isaiah 40:31:”But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” Also Acts 2:37-39, Psalms 25 and 51, to name a few.
MHR: What is your music background? (Who influenced you, when did you start singing, etc …)
RR: I really wanted to play football, which I did in the 5th grade and loved it, though we lost every game. Just before the start of my 6th grade yea, I had an accident and broke my right wrist—no football for me. My parents suggested I get into the beginning band. I learned to play trombone in band from then through high school. While learning my instrument and music in general I began to pick up other instruments and apply the same musical principles. Though I played drums first in church, I found that I loved to listen to and play the bass. In our church on occasion, we would have a “request night” where people would send up written requests for others to sing. Some of the young people would request for me to sing as a joke, but I would try. I was pretty bad.
Through the years in band and other music classes and lessons, I guess my ear for music developed a little better. I made chorale in Bible College, but I think more because I could play bass and trombone than for any vocal skills. I listened to a varied lot of singers, from Kenny Hinson to Russ Taft and even a number of secular singers whose style I liked. I suppose I am a result of a great many influences over the years, from local church singers to Bible College, to recording artists.
MHR: What is one of your favorite songs to sing? Why is it your favorite?
RR:”Indescribabl” by Chris Tomlin—I love the message and the worship it invokes.
MHR: Do you write your own songs? (If so, discuss your usual songwriting process.)
RR: I do. Most often I play with some rhythm or bass line and grow the song from there. The lyrics are typically from life experiences and efforts to express praise and worship to Jesus. On occasion a melody and words kind of hit out of the blue and I scramble to write it down where I can. Sometimes I even have dreams of songs and try to recreate them when I wake up.
MHR: Where can we listen, purchase, and connect with you?
RR: My first project,”Let Me Tell It,” is available through pentecostalpublishing.com All proceeds from the sale of this project go to support the ministries of the Pentecostals of Salt Lake. saltlakepentecostals.org
Fun Stuff
What would you do with a million dollars?
Hmm … Pay off the mortgages on the church and my house and invest in other ministries.
What time in history would you like to visit for a week?
I would like to see Elijah defeat the prophets of Baal … or maybe the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
What is your favorite breakfast cereal?
Captain Peanut Butter Crunch
What is your dream vacation spot?
Wow … Catalina Island, Hawaii, Fiji … so many choices!
Who do you want to send a”shout out” to?
- My church family at the Pentecostals of Salt Lake
- My pastor and his wife, Pastor and Sister Abbey
- My children and grandchildren
- My wonderful wife, Shawna