McDaniel, Richard and Julie

~ Teaching and preaching in the USA and abroad; Conference speaker; Literature; Instructor and director of the SFMI Training Program ~

Richard grew up in Japan as the son of missionaries. He made a profession of faith as a youngster but did not begin a serious pursuit of the Lord Jesus until he was married and twenty-six years old. At age twenty-one he began a friendship with Julie. They were married a year later.

Julie grew up with godly grandparents and a mother who shared Jesus with her. She didn’t get serious with the Lord, however, until the time that Richard began to pursue after the Lord (12/19/1979 ).

At the time of God’s calling they were living in a very rural environment, off the grid in northeastern Washington State. At this time they had two children: Annie Hope (born in 1976) and Elijah (born in 1980). Very quickly the Lord began to prepare them for His work. They were in love with Him and active in spreading the gospel. In 1984 they were accepted into the Shield of Faith missionary training program, which at that time was in San Antonio, Texas. Two years later they went to Brazil as missionaries. They lived in the interior part of Brazil, working with Kim Sung Joon, a Korean brother who took the gospel to an unreached tribe of indigenous people. Their sponsoring church in Brazil was the Open Brethren (Moravians). After learning Portuguese, Richard’s ministry was to teach and disciple believers to follow Christ. This he did with many individuals and within the Brethren churches of Brazil’s interior. Their third child, Philip, was born there (in 1987).

In 1989 they returned to the USA, not really sure of what the next step might be. In 1990 the Lord led them to locate in Bend, Oregon, which is where the Shield of Faith Mission Intl. (SFMI) is headquartered. Their fourth child, Naomi, was born here in 1990. Throughout the years they have been immersed in ministry in the local church and in evangelism as well as with SFMI. In 1997 they went to Kenya to teach discipleship as part of a team from SFMI. They lived there for one year.

Since 1990, up until the present, Richard and Julie have been actively engaged with SFMI. Richard has taught in the SFMI training program for many years and is the director of training. He frequently speaks at believers’ conferences. He travels to foreign lands for teaching and preaching ministry as the Lord opens up opportunities. He is involved in the administration of the mission and in literature. Julie is a wonderful assistant in all of this through prayer, hospitality, and active participation.