Published Jul 23, 2012
(CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN) As a small-town boy who enjoyed farming on an Owen County dairy farm in Spencer, James L. Ranard never imagined he would plant his dreams in serving the church.
Now he is a semi-retired, 72-year-old minister, bearing the looks of someone half his age, yet still retaining the youthful vigor to do the Lord’s work.
Freedom Baptist Church will have an open house and reception 2-4 p.m. Sunday to celebrate Ranard’s 50 years of service as an ordained minister.
Although Ranard has been an ordained minister for 50 years, he has been doing ministerial work for 57 years, ever since he was 15 years old. He became a Christian his freshman year when he was attending Spencer High School in 1953, but it wasn’t until his sophomore year that he felt a calling from God to be a minister. Read more
