Richard Curtis was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in a loving, Christian environment. It was here that he was introduced to Jesus as his personal Savior, and filled with the Holy Spirit at a young age.
During his high school years Rich felt a call of God upon his life and immediately began to respond to that calling. Attending a small Pentecostal church, the church grew by almost 33% (all youth), as Rich began to lead his friends to the Lord and invite them to church. It was also during this time that he became involved with the “Jesus People Movement” of the early 1970’s. This left an indelible mark upon him and his later ministry, of a radical commitment to Christ, and a contemporary way to share that message.
After high school, Rich attended International Bible College in San Antonio, TX, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree. During his time at IBC, he met his loving wife, Linda, who was also a student.
Rich and Linda married soon after finishing Bible college, and have 3 grown children who are all serving the Lord today:
David, their oldest, and his wife, Lindsay, reside in Nashville. David is touring the country with Christian punk rock band, Run Kid Run (on the Tooth and Nail label).
Rachel, their second oldest is married to Clifton, and working at Truman University where she travels to countries all over the world as a recruiter of international students. Clifton, is a former U.S. Marine officer, and will be attending law school beginning in fall 2010.
Leah, their youngest, recently graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH with a major in Dietetics.
After graduating from IBC, Rich and Linda briefly traveled as evangelists before settling down in Southern Illinois to pastor their first church at the young age of 22. They were there for six years before going on to plant two other churches, one in Southern IL, and the other in Kentucky. Altogether, this ministry spanned a total of more than 26 years.
Coming full circle, Rich, Linda and their youngest daughter moved back to Ohio in 2005. Rich took a sabbatical from ministry and began working for U.S. Homeland Security, and Linda continued to work as a nurse, which she has now done for more than 15 years.
Then, in the Fall of 2006, Rich and Linda visited a small, but loving group of people who make up Valleyview Church and, in the early summer of 2007, Rich became their pastor.
Rich says "It's much like the church plants that God has had us do before. The challenges are great, but God is greater."