About the Author

Biography

Ralph Franklyn Porter was born on September 28, 1942, in Long Beach, California, to Lowell Dean and Phyllis (Martin) Porter.

On a mission trip to Mexico in 1963, he met Helen Young, and they were married in September 1964. Helen knew she was called to missions work, and that led to nearly 20 years of ministry in Guatemala with the Central American Mission, later renamed Avant.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts, Biola University, 1964
• Postgraduate studies, Talbot Theological Seminary, 1965
• Master of Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1969
• Doctor of Ministry, Dallas Theological Seminary

Ministry

Dr. Porter has spent decades in biblical education and pastoral ministry. From 1970-1978 and again 1983-1988, he served as Professor of Bible Exposition at the Center for Theological Studies in Guatemala. During 1979-1982, he served as President of the Guatemala Bible Institute in Chimaltenango.

He served as pastor at the Evangelical Free Church in Salt Lake City from 1989-1996, then moved to Tucson, Arizona to pastor the Evangelical Free Church there from 1996 until 2001.

In 2001, Dr. Porter moved to Warsaw, Indiana, where he pastored Pleasant View Bible Church until his first retirement in 2011.

After his first retirement, Dr. Porter served as an Interim Pastor at several churches throughout the Midwest before retiring a second time in 2018.

In 2019, he heeded God's call to return to full-time ministry, pastoring Union Church of Guatemala in Guatemala City until his third retirement in 2022. He now lives in Warsaw, Indiana.