The head of the family and president of this ministry is Rev. Jim Murk, PhD. Previous to his 39 years of music ministry with his family, Dr. Murk was a professor on the university level for 12 years. He holds 3 masters degrees: (1) M.A. in history from the University of Chicago; (2) M.A. in anthropology from the University of Minnesota, and (3) an M.A. in theology in a combination of course work and practical service at Northwestern and Bethel Seminaries and BJU graduate school. He has taught the full roster of subjects in these fields which has also included descriptive linguistics. He has taught at Wheaton and Calvin Colleges and at the Wycliffe Bible Translator's Summer Institute of Linguistics at the University of North Dakota where the prime purpose of his teaching was the preparation of Christian missionaries. Besides being with Wycliffe he served with the Navigators, Inc., Missionary Internship, Inc., and the colleges mentioned above. In 1967 he launched into a full-time musical evangelism outreach with his family, which has continued to this day. He just earned his Doctorate this spring, 2003, in Biblical Studies through Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport. His dissertation was on Islam, Christianity, the United States and The Last Days, culminating 50 years of study in these subjects.
In the past several years, Jim's teaching gift has been resurrected because of his overwhelming concern about the rapid moral decay of our American culture. Drawing from his broad spectrum of academic training, his sound Biblical perspective, and years of ministering for the Lord, he has a unique overview of understanding which he shares from his heart.
He has written hundreds of substantive, "teaching" letters to scores of politicians, statesmen, judges, TV personalities, journalists and columnists, religious leaders, newspapers and magazines praying to have some Christian influence on those with responsibilities in the public square. He regularly reads scores of periodicals and books and keeps acquainted in detail with all the current news and events of each day.
In his website link, "Jim's Writings", Dr. Murk, shares a few examples of his large body of work. He is most concerned that God's people are informed because the prophet Hosea quoted God as saying, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."(Hosea 4:6) Having been in the academic world for years, he is astounded and devastated by the deterioration of education in America where indoctrination is replacing instruction. Leftist "political correctness" dogma is being substituted for basic, objective truth in all the humanities and social sciences. What one can accurately call "cultural marxism" has taken over the major universities and is filtering down into the public schools.
Motivated by his dedication to his own 15 grandchildren, some of whom are now in college, he has a concern and a hope that his portions of this website may become a source for helpful instruction for students of every age. Any of these articles may be copied from this website for personal use.
From time to time, Dr. Murk will publish lists of vitally important books on various subjects for those who wish to be informed in more detail.
YOUNG PEOPLE ASSISTED BY ANGEL FOUNDATION MINISTRIES:
Dan and Rachel Venberg (and their 3 children) - Lutheran Brethren Seminary, Fergus Falls, MN- are now missionaries to Muslim tribes in Chad, Africa
Jessica Gardner -Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL - is in Mamfe, Cameroon (Africa) as of January 2003, with Wycliffe Bible Translators to assist in linguistics and Bible translation
Jewel (Gardner) Hanson - Bryan College, Dayton, TN - Christian education and Spanish majors, now in church youth work and Christian camping ministries with her husband, Jim, in Knoxville, Tennessee
Esmeralda La Luz - Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL - is working for Spanish Christian radio Esperanza, heading up her church children's ministry, and is going on short term missions trips
Bruce Culpepper - New Orleans Seminary, New Orleans, LA - is preparing for church work and to be an evangelist
Toni Virgin - Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL - is studying International Ministries and is preparing for ministry with children at risk and discipleship through church planting
Deborah Ali - Moody Bible Istitute, Chicago, IL - is preparing for medical missions - specializing in speech pathology, she is from Trinidad
Robin Strachan - New Orleans Seminary, New Orleans, LA - is preparing for full - time Christian service through his home church in the Bahamas
Jaymi Frye - Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL - has been on eight short-term mission trips, is preparing for foreign mission work, and is currently involved in the Summer Association of Youth Outreach, reaching inner city kids for the Lord in Chicago
Ben Stapley - Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL - has been preparing to serve the Lord through drama and Christian video, and is currently living in Chicago waiting on the Lord's direction
Murk Family Trio, Cassettes and CD's, Jim's Writings,
From Mom's Heart, Portraits of the Lord Jesus,