Summit Speaker
Bob Vernon
Bob Vernon began his relationship with God by accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Savior as a teenager. After graduating from hi-school, he started college at BIOLA University. For two years his major was BIBLE, studying under such professors as J. Vernon Magee and Louis Talbot. Bob had made a commitment to serve the Lord; but was not certain about his role in doing so.
God lead him, through a series of circumstances, to join the LAPD in 1954. He changed his major to police science and moved over to California State University at Los Angeles. He continued his education by securing an MBA at Pepperdine University, an advanced degree at Northwestern University and graduated from the FBI’s National Executive Institute.
Early in his police career, Bob began teaching teen boys in a Sunday School class at his church. Bob learned that the boys would listen to his lessons if he illustrated them with police stories. Soon he was asked to teach the entire hi-school department and the class grew to over 100 students.
Bob and Esther (his wife) were invited to participate as leaders of the Hume Lake Christian Hi-school camps on his vacation. This responsibility grew to directing the hi-school camps (four weeks each summer) for many years. Youth directors from many of the churches participating in the camps began asking Bob to speak to their youth groups. Over the years this speaking schedule grew to include adult groups as well.
The Lord expanded their opportunities for service over the years and soon Bob and Esther were participating in conferences, seminars and special church meetings all over the USA. The police department leadership gave Bob permission to leave the city on his days off once each month for this ministry.
By the end of his police career in 1992, Bob was well known as a “follower of Jesus Christ” and had an off duty ministry that was world wide. His opportunities to speak on moral/spiritual issues expanded to secular as well as church related organizations. Bob’s spiritual gifts are teaching Biblical principles in a practical way utilizing his police experiences and evangelism.
