JOHN DAY – He may have just celebrated his 79th birthday, but you’d never know it by looking at him. Pastor Jim Dougherty, of the New Life Center Assembly of God Church in John Day, plans to keep working “as long as the Lord allows.”

Dougherty and his wife, Mary, moved to John Day two years ago from Myrtle Point, where he pastored another Assembly of God church for four years. Prior to that, he led a church in Hines.

-“I grew up in Tucson, Ariz.,-but I was born in Chicago, Ill.,” he said.- “It was quite a change when my folks moved (to Arizona) in 1930. I was just 3 years old then.”

-He said God called him to serve in ministry at an early age. When he was 12, God said He wanted Dougherty to serve Him, he said.-

-“I was in another church group at the time, and I expressed that I didn’t want to be in that particular group,” Dougherty said. -“The Lord didn’t speak to me again until 1953, when I got saved.”

Dougherty became saved while he was working at a General Motors assembly plant in Van Nuys, Calif. He was a supervisor, and one of his co-workers offered to pray for him.-

“When that happened, there was such an experience of God it was awesome,” he said.- “I can’t even explain it.”

Mary went through a similar experience, thanks to a neighbor who was leading a Bible study from her home. They soon joined the Pentecostal Church of God. When God’s call came again, they packed up their belongings and started studying at a Bible school near Ft. Worth, Texas.

-After finishing his studies, Dougherty worked at first in a nondenominational ministry in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. After two years, he and Mary moved back to Southern California, where he became a youth minister.- His first pastorate was at an Assembly of God church in El Segundo.

Over the years, he served at five churches in Southern California, and started three himself: in Van Nuys, North Hollywood and San Diego.

Dougherty’s most memorable moment comes from serving at the Assembly of God church in San Diego, where he was pastor for six-and-a-half years.-

-“I’ve really kept in the ministry quite a bit,” he said.

Dougherty and Mary like living in John Day, although the weather is a bit different than in Myrtle Point.- His church is small, with only about 15 members, but he is working to help it grow.

-“Without Him, we can do nothing,” he said.- “We’re depending totally on Him.”

Dougherty and Mary will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary Jan. 3.- They have five children, 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, with another on the way.

-“I don’t feel 79,” he said. “Some people say I don’t look 79.- I like to play a good game of ping-pong. I like to play softball.- I’ve done it for years.”

Ministering to people comes first to Dougherty.- The pamphlet he hands out at church contains the Four Spiritual Laws, an evangelism tool first developed by Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ.

“The most important thing, I think, is that people know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior,” Dougherty said.- “That’s the only thing.”