The Lighthouse Ranch

Dottie Witherspoon and I went to Meher Baba’s home in Myrtle Beach South Carolina in 1971. We then moved to California and lived in Alameda. Dottie took our Blue Tick hound born on the Fourth of July, and went to live on the Lighthouse Ranch with some Jesus Freaks. We named our dog Benjamin after Franklin.Three months later I get a long letter from Dottie inviting me to come live on the ranch and accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

“No thanks!”

There are two things in life I swore I would never do:

1. Go down South
2. Become a Christian

Dottie did her best to corrupt me – after I rescued her and her cat from a Satanist. That’s us up in tree in a park in Boston where we lived.

When Dottie got me down South, I met her father, an ex-marine drill sergeant who buckled over in pain when he beheld this long-haired hippie freak who looked like Jesus. His youngest daughter had crucifed him, but, he kept his peace. However, being a mind reader, I heard this, prayer;

“Oh Lord daughter, don’t tell me you married this – cave man!”

No soner were we on the plane, then Mr. Witherspoon had the Sheriff of Greenville put my name in the cop files. Unfortunately he got my cousin I never met with a rap sheet as long as a coon’s tail – which he sent to Dottie in California with a note;

“Whatever you do, don’t show this letter to Greg. Do not open it in his presence.”

Once open, Dottie read;

You must get away from him – now! Greg’s a dangerous felon who served time for rape……..ect.ect.”

The movie Sweet Home Alabama was a fictional movie. This is the real McCoy! Our movie – never ends!

Jon Gregory Presco the Nazarite

Copyright 2012

Gospel Outreach (Humboldt)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
Gospel Outreach was a Christian Church which emerged in Northern California in 1970 as part of the Jesus movement.[1] It was originally located at Table Bluff, in Humboldt County, California, 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of Fields Landing, at an elevation of 318 feet (97 m) on a bluff adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.[2] The local movement still exists with a school and Church in Eureka, California which was completed in 2009.[3]

1951 view of Coast Guard Station that became “The Lighthouse Ranch” before most of buildings were razed, leaving the signal building. The lighthouse itself was moved to Eureka’s Woodley Island Marina in the 1980’s.Contents [hide]

[edit] Lighthouse RanchDuring the 1960s, members of the hippie counterculture sought to live a simple life, and many were drawn to areas away from large cities where they sought to get back to the land. “Lighthouse Ranch” was an abandoned Coast Guard station, 11 miles south of Eureka, California, situated on the hippie trail that then extended along the west coast of California.[citation needed] The ranch was acquired by real estate agent and pastor, Jim Durkin who purchased 8 acres (32,000 m2) of the surplus Coast Guard property from Norman Kenneth Smith, an evangelical minister, in 1970.[citation needed] Renamed “Lighthouse Ranch” it became a stop over for young adults seeking spiritual direction.[citation needed] Young travelers visited, some stayed, building alternative dwellings such as geodesic domes out of wood, and working the land.[citation needed]

The ranch was subsequently owned by Sabine Ball a German evangelist and manager of social projects who,[4] in later years of her life, returned to her roots in Dresden, Germany as a Christian evangelist.[5]

[edit] Church GrowthBy 1972, Gospel Outreach Lighthouse Ranch had grown to almost 300 members.[1] The group started attending a local Assembly of God church in Eureka and asked the minister Jim Durkin to lead Gospel Outreach.[1] Within a few years the Lighthouse Ranch sent out planting teams all over the world. Throughout the 1970s and 80’s, missionary teams established churches in Palmer, Alaska, Chicago, Brooklyn, New York, Silverton, Oregon, Philadelphia, Germany, Nicaragua, and Hawaii.[1] With 100 affiliated churches worldwide the Gospel Outreach network is one of the denominational legacies of the Jesus People Movement.[1]

[edit] Central MessageIn the 1970s Jim Durkin preached a pivotal message “God’s Purpose And Vision for your Life” that was very similar to the message later developed by Rick Warren in 2002, The Purpose Driven Life.[citation needed] Jim, however, also emphasized repentance, as in a need for a follower of Christ to experience a “turning away’ from past wrongful behaviors.[citation needed] This was a concept that was readily understood by young people who had recently identified themselves as hippies.[citation needed] Jim Durkin practiced what he preached, as he himself was a compassionate, humble, encouraging and caring individual who emphasized the importance of considering the needs of others first, and the personal growth of each individual.[citation needed] The name “Gospel Outreach” reflected the words of Jesus. ” And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel (good news) to the whole creation.”[citation needed]