Professor Vita: James Harriger
James M. Harriger, Professor, Course 301
Rev. James M. Harriger
Executive Director
Springfield Victory Mission
Springfield, Missouri
Education
BA, Mathematics, Messiah College, 1973
MCM, Christian Education, Seattle Pacific University, 1981.
Rescue Mission Experience
1967-69 Volunteered with the Sankey Youth Center, City Mission, New Castle, Pennsylvania.
1971-75 York Youth Center, York Rescue Mission, York Pennsylvania. This was to be a summer job only. God had a different plan, though, and when He told me He wanted me to stay in the city, I said yes, transferred colleges, and began working full-time. I became the Youth Director for the program in 1973.
1975-1980 Union Gospel Mission, Seattle, Washington. As Youth Director for UGM, I oversaw the after-school Bible Clubs, Sunday School, after-school recreation and summer camping programs.
1980-1987 Union Gospel Mission, Program Director. In this newly created position, I supervised the Men's, Youth, Family, Young Adult and Thrift Store directors in the area of program.
1984-1987 Union Gospel Mission, Assistant Executive Director. When the Executive Director was elected President of the IUGM, The Board appointed me Assistant Executive Director to clearly designate one person in charge when the Executive Director was traveling on business.
1987-1990 International Union of Gospel Missions, Director of Education. As the first Director of Education, I wrote curriculum for the Leadership Training Program, the original Growing Together Toward Excellence Manual, compiled how-to information, and worked with the Executive Director on meetings, conventions and publications.
1991-1993 Central Union Mission, Washington, D.C. As the Director of Camp Bennett, I oversaw the operation of the 220 acre summer camp and retreat center and the men's program at the camp while designing a twenty-five year master plan for its development.
1993-present Executive Director, Springfield Victory Mission, Springfield, Missouri. Victory Mission has 50 transient beds, 15 beds in our Christian Recovery Program, and a capacity of 15 in our Victory House for women and children. We minister to men, families and youth, working to provide emergency, residential and educational services that lead to long-term rehabilitation, restoration and re-entry into society as productive citizens. We have expanded our food ministry from 10,000 pounds per month to over 50,000 pounds per month in the past year. Our Back-To-school program helps 2500+ students each year prepare for the start of school, by giving them school supplies, clothing from our Thrift Store, and a $20.00 voucher good at local discount department stores.
Personal Information
- Married twenty-five years to Mary
- Daughters Sarah, 18 and Annah, 14
Thoughts on Rescue Mission Ministry
The most exciting part of serving at Victory Mission has been the opportunity to build a ministry that works in cooperation with the other agencies in our community. We bale for Crosslnes, The Kitchen and Texas County Food Pantry, and share a portion of the proceeds with them. We support the Kitchen Clinic each month, in recognition of the many times we send men and women there for medical help. We share tons of food each month with The Kitchen, the Salvation Army, Deliverance Temple Ministries, Boys and Girls Clubs, Kiddie Cove, Good Samaritan Boys Ranch, Yellville, Arkansas Soup Kitchen, Forsythe, Theodosia, Blytheville, Arkansas, Mountain Home, Ava,and our Caring Communities program with the Springfield Public Schools.
Each month we see men and women make decisions of faith in Jesus. Through our Chapel, personal counseling, Christian Recovery Program, Overcomers Support Group, devotions, church attendance and one-on-one witnessing we present the love of God to many.
I have been a member of the International Union of Gospel Missions since 1981, attended fourteen conventions over the past twenty-eight years of full-time ministry, have lead numerous seminars, contributed to the RESCUE magazine, and prepared RESCUE materials that are still in use today.
I am licensed in the Conservative Baptist Church, through Grace Conservative Baptist, Seattle, Washington.
I am a member of Springfield Downtown Rotary Club, Second-Vice-President of the Kickapoo Instrumental Music Boosters Club, Housing Collaborative of the Community Task Force, the Good Neighbor Coalition and Carver Middle School PTSA. My family and I are active participants at Park Crest Assembly of God Church.
Testimony
I was fifteen when I realized that I needed to ask God to forgive me of me sins and invite Jesus into my heart. I did this one evening, kneeling beside my bed. That night began my adventure with Jesus.
In August of that year, I was asked to be a counselor at a camp for junior high, inner-city boys. God used the experience of working with this group of boys to begin his call of me to the inner-city. I went to York, Pennsylvania after my Sophomore year of college to work with the York Rescue Mission's summer camp program. There, God called me to stay in the city, and to serve Him through the work of the Mission. I said yes, and He has blessed my submission to His call.
Through all of the cross-country moves, the birth and death of our first child, ministry crisis, completing my Masters, and other less intense happenings, God has been with me. I have learned how to lean upon Him when the going is tough, and how to praise Him for each new challenge He brings my way. I know that Jesus is at work in my life, working out His will and molding me into the person He wants me to be.
And now, here in Springfield, Missouri, God is still leading. I am humbled to be the Director of Victory Mission, for many times people praise the work I am doing. I know that it is God doing the work.
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