Meeting One-On-One with Vermont Lawmakers in Preparation for Ministry

September 2014

Since coming onboard about a year ago as Ministry Leader for the state of Vermont, the Rev. Kesterson has attended both Democrat and Republican fundraisers where he has talked to many Public Servants about his intention to establish a Bible Study in the Capitol Building.

He has been greatly encouraged by the response from both sides of the aisle.

While he anticipated some objections, so far, he has found none. The Rev. Kesterson was especially surprised and encouraged that one person whom he had felt certain would voice objections had instead said, “Oh, we need a Bible study badly!”

“Ralph (Drollinger, president and founder of Capitol Ministries) visited and spoke at our church and we hit it off from the word go,” the Rev. Kesterson said. “And it’s been that way since.”

The congregation at Resurrection Baptist Church in Montpelier, VT, where the Rev. Kesterson has pastored for five years, supports the Legislative Bible study effort and has approved the time the Reverend needs.

The Legislature meets from January through April, and in preparation for the coming session Rev. Kesterson will be driving to the Lawmakers’ home districts to take them out for one-on-one lunches so they may become better acquainted.

“My goal is to lead as many men and women as I can to the Lord and have people looking at the Bible and trying to live their personal lives by biblical standards,” the Rev. Kesterson said. “And in the end, it will probably change the way they vote and the way they legislate.”

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Rev. Kesterson joins six other ministry leaders in New England state capitals who are launching similar ministries with Capitol Ministries in order to win and build public servants in Christ throughout the Northeast corridor of America.

The Rev. Kesterson has been married to Melissa for 24 years. Widowed prior to marrying Melissa, he has a 37-year-old daughter, and a 34-year-old son, and two grandchildren. The Rev. Kesterson was graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is working on a Master’s of Divinity at Samuel DeWitt School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. For 15 years he was the pastor at the Lower Northampton Baptist Church in Cape Charles, VA, and spent two years working in Louisiana with the Committee for Plaquemines Recovery after Hurricane Katrina. A master carpenter by trade, Rev. Kesterson served as construction manager for the effort that rebuilt homes for 42 families.

If you would like to join Rev. Kesterson’s prayer team, and/or give to his ministry, you can contact him directly at: rick.kesterson@gmail.com