Rick Ives is the Pastor of Missions and the Fellowship Finance Director. His responsibilities include serving as pastor of the Saturday Night Life service, overseeing foreign and local missions at Fellowship, preaching, and coordinating the NewU Adult Education classes. In his early life, Rick was a self-proclaimed atheist, but his life was changed when he decided to become a follower of Jesus while watching an evangelist on TV in 1980. Rick worked for many years in the field of Computer Manufacturing, eventually becoming the manager of a large division. After a career in the business world, Rick entered ministry and has been a pastor since 1989, working in seven different churches. He and his wife, Heather, served as missionaries in Russia for four years where they founded the ministry Russian Reaching Russians. Rick has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Our Lady of the Lake University in Texas. He also earned a Master in Biblical Studies from Christian International in Florida. Rick and Heather have been married since 1987 and they have a daughter named Anastasia. He is also a survivor of throat cancer since 2011!