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Rev. Vic Jungkurth, Ph.D. Vice President, Christopher Ministries, Inc. Challenges. Often times God’s greatest blessings come wrapped up in challenges. Vic became involved in Christopher Ministries when he married Traci Hughes in the fall of 1998. The message of the ministry is based on II Corinthians 1:3-5, sharing the God of comfort, Jesus Christ. Sharing the comfort of Christ is what he personally experienced time after time. In 1995, his wife of 27 years, Faye went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with cancer. As the senior pastor of Columbus Baptist Temple in Columbus, Ohio at the time, it was one of the most difficult times in his life. His Christian testimony began in the Pacific Ocean while serving in the United States Navy. He was saved in Guam on January 7, 1966 at the age of 20. His time in the Navy offered him a wonderful experience to travel the world but the greatest experience was becoming a Christian. After leaving the Navy Vic remained in Guam working with the Christian Servicemen’s Center and studying classical guitar. There was nothing that satisfied him more than playing and singing Christian music. He left Guam after 4 months and returned to Columbus, Ohio where he met Dr. J. Richard Hankins, the pastor of Columbus Baptist Temple. He joined the church and he and Dr. Hankins became the best of friends as Dr. Hankins mentored him. He surrendered his life to full time ministry and headed to Springfield, Missouri where he attended the Baptist Bible College. As a student at BBC he was also recording Christian Music and traveling across the United States. He had a songwriting and recording contract with the Benson Company for two years that included national and international distribution. It was lots of fun and enabled him to preach and sing in some wonderful churches, colleges and military bases while doing various television and radio programs. In 1975, he became the youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Taylorville, Illinois and served there until his families’ life changed dramatically when his father was killed by a drunk driver on May 13, 1977 on his way to Vic’s ordination. Shortly after his death, Vic returned to Columbus to look after his younger brother and Dr. Hankins offered him a position at the Temple serving in the youth and music ministry. In the years that followed Dr. Hankins mentored him. He focused on ministry and education and in 1983 received an Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music from Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport, Louisiana and in 1984 he received a Ph. D. from Heritage Baptist University, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His ministry at Columbus Baptist Temple was 8 ½ years when he got a call from the Southside Baptist Church in Monclova, Ohio to serve as their senior pastor. He served there for 7 years until Dr. Bill Temple retired from the Temple and Vic returned as the senior pastor. During his time as senior pastor his daughter Joy Martin blessed him with two grandchildren Katelyn and Tyler. They reside in Delaware, Ohio. Vic says, “It was an honor to serve at the Baptist Temple for over 20 years and as the senior pastor for eleven years.” His retirement in 2004 opened the door for Vic, Traci and his stepson Stephen Hughes to develop a new ministry with Christopher Ministries. One of the foundational ministries in the organization is counseling. He has spent most of his time counseling. In 2005, God opened another door for him with the Dignity Memorial Organization and he has been able to work with many people facing end of life decisions through seminars and as a family services counselor. All these open doors have provided a broader opportunity for Vic to sing and preach the gospel ANYWHERE the door is open. Vic is available for conferences where he provides music and/or preaching and teaching. For information contact him at Cministry@att.net or by phone, 321-745-0776.
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