Why the Prodigal?
Because, like the son who was welcomed by his loving father in the Gospel, I made my way back to my Heavenly Father. Like you and so many others, I had "stuff" that made me feel unclean, unwanted, unloved, unworthy, and definitely ungodly. God met me on my way back from the pig pen my life had become. He forgave me. He gave me hope. He set me free and clothed me in His Righteousness.
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Who Is Shirley Wood?
Shirley Wood, Bachelor in Religious Science, Master of Theology/Practical Ministry, Doctor of Ministry
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Graduated from Southside High School in Muncie, IN
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Attended Mississippi County Community College
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Vanguard Bible School
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Logos Bible College and Graduate Schools
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Earned Doctorate of Ministry in February of 2006
I pastored a small church in Northern Indiana in the early 80’s, during which time I was featured on a TV program out of South Bend with Steve Sumrall. In 1985, I stayed in Germany for several weeks with a missionary who served as liaison to between the underground missionaries behind the Berlin Wall and the missionary headquarters in the US. (By the way, when the Berlin Wall was still up, one didn’t want to accidentally cross into East Berlin without going through proper channels…the soldiers get real cranky over that.)
Late in 1986 I left Indiana and the ministry and headed to California to do “my on thing” not unlike the Prodigal we read about in the Gospels. We will call those the missing years for now. However, I did work for the Disneyland Hotel and a large construction company as a payroll specialist.
I moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina in 1991. One of the better moves in my life. In 1997, I regained my senses and decided to come home. Like the Prodigal who, covered in pig slop and muck, I turned and gave the pigs in that pigpen a “permanent wave” goodbye and came back to home. Fully welcomed by the Heavenly Father who was waiting, yet some of the brothers and sisters still at home try to sniff and look to see if any of the past is hanging on so they can run and tattle. Thanks be to God, there’s not even a piece of stray straw or a whiff of ‘piggy pooh’ remaining. As the Word says, “He whom the Lord sets free is free indeed.” I am thankful.
I have since poured myself into several para-church ministries. One is Three Streams Family Health Center. As one of the founding board members, I spent 4 years on the board and am still on call as a chaplain providing Pastoral Care for patients needing guidance and counsel. Three Streams is a primary care medical provider for the non- or under-insured in the area. Services are provided at a sliding scale and we have been meeting the needs of those in the community that don’t make enough for insurance and make too much to qualify for county help.
I am the Mountain Regional Director and on the Executive Presbytery Board for Logos Global Network out of Jacksonville, FL. From this position, I, with the other Presbyters provide oversight to the corporate directors for operations of Logos Global Network, which is the umbrella for Logos University, Logos Bible College and Graduate Schools, Logos Education Network, and Universidad Cristiana Logos. Logos has Bible Schools in 35 countries around the world. (For more information visit www.logos.edu.)
This will be no surprise, but my ministry is called Return of the Prodigal and is an outreach to the disenfranchised Christians who have been so burned by organized church and also to the sheep who have scattered and run because they feel disqualified by mistakes they have made in their lives. My goal is, through Christ to bring restoration to the wounded heart.
In my spare time, I am the staff accountant for a small water utility just outside of Asheville, NC.
My home life is shared with Tiger Wood, an 18½ lb. black cat and my grandmother, who stays with me about 9 months out of the year…she takes care of me.