Pastor Richard Wilson is new minister at Winfield Open Bible Church

You would be hard pressed to find a person who has led a more interesting and diverse life than Pastor Richard Wilson, the new minister for the Winfield Open Bible Church.

When you hear the words, “from sea to shining sea” (meaning from the Atlantic to Pacific) Pastor Wilson has traveled that route and many more during his various careers.

“I have either lived in, stayed at or traveled through every one of the fifty states,” he said, adding “I’ve been to nine foreign countries. I have worked in many different jobs from working at a school for emotionally disturbed children to a long-distance telephone operator to working in the computer industry as a programmer, software and hardware engineer, and in various research laboratories.”

In all, he has had over 18 different jobs in over 50 years.

Pastor Wilson was born in Bexar County, Texas. He has an older and younger brother.

“I grew up as the child of a career Air Force NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) and attended schools all over the U.S.”

He attended Pan American University (now known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) and the University of Texas in Austin during which he earned around 90 hours of college credits.

Pastor Wilson, his wife Becky and their two dogs moved to Winfield in October of 2024 where they purchased the former home of Carol Klopfenstein. They moved here from Iowa Falls where Pastor Wilson was pursing his Pastoral Studies at the Iowa School of Ministry (Assembly of God) in Des Moines, while Becky worked as a lawyer handling court appointed cases.

“I moved to Winfield for the specific purpose of becoming pastor of the Winfield Open Bible Church,” explained Pastor Wilson, adding, ”I am not retired. I am a full-time pastor.”

He is a Vietnam veteran.

“I was drafted into the US Army in 1969 and served a year as a Combat Medic serving with the 101st Airborne Division.”

While in Vietnam, he earned a Bronze Star with “V” device for Valor in Combat, a Purple Heart, and his Combat Medic Badge for providing medical assistance while under enemy fire. He left the service after serving his required two years.

After three years as a civilian, he decided to go back into the US Army and attended Jump School to become an Airborne Paratrooper. Much of his first two years were spent on Special Duty Assignments.

Some of the other positions he held wh ile in the Army were Nuclear Biological and Chemical Warfare NCO at Battalion Level, Training NCO, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counselor, and Medical Supply NCO.

Pastor Wilson was an atheist when in the military. He claims that he was a devout atheist saying, “When you are being shot at, shelled, with men laying wounded and dying around you, and you don’t think you are going to survive and you don’t call out to God you really are an atheist.”

In 1976, while attending Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical warfare, God gave him a vision of the End Times. Pastor Wilson did not see God, but sensed his holy and loving presence very strongly. Combined with the vision of the events of the End Times and the explanation from God that humanity would bring it self to the point of extinction, Richard came to know the truth that God did exist and thus became a Christian believer.

Pastor Wilson met his wife Becky in 1986 while he was part of a church witnessing team going door to door inviting people to church. They were married in Travis County, Texas and have been married for 36 years. They are the parents of three sons. Justin, Nathan and Joshua and have two grandchildren.

In a series of dreams in January of 2010 Richard received the message that it was time to move from their home in Burnet, Texas. Pastor Richard prayed for God’s guidance in deciding where to go and the Lord gave him a distinct leading to move to Iowa. Pastor Richard and Becky have lived in Ames, Mason City, Iowa Falls, and now in Winfield, Iowa.

When asked the pros and cons of living in a small town, Paster Wilson answered, “The pros are getting to know your neighbors, less noise, confusion and crime. Cons, major stores are further away.”

Kayak, fishing, artwork, computer graphics, and writing are activities Pastor Wilson enjoys when he finds time to relax. He wrote and published through Kindle Press titled, “Warn the Church.” He listed God and “deep-sea fishing in his kayak” on his bucket list.

“Insanity” is his pet peeve, and his advice for youth is, “Seek God.” If he had the power to change anything he replied, “Himself.” When asked something you know now that you wished you had known then, he answered, “God, personally and intimately.”

We welcome Paster Wilson and his wife to Winfield. They are well on their way to becoming a vital part of our community.

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