BHM Honorable Mentions

Pastor Andrew Hercula

October 21, 1940 – June 18, 2014

This brother in Christ was the man that the Lord used to restore me into fellowship with Him when I was extremely mad with the Lord and living in rebellion to Him and His words. I was involved and living in everything you could imagine that an unsaved man would, (yet being saved and a member of God’s family) and bringing shame to the name of my precious Saviour and His word. The Lord let me live in the muck for a time while teaching me lessons I needed to learn and letting me reap some of the things I had sown. I had gotten to the point of so much bitterness of life that I hated everything and was looking for a way out and to die. But that was not the Lords plan. He let me wallow in the mud until one day I called a preacher I knew that knew Brother Hercula (the Lord had it worked all out) from years before. He called him on my behalf. Brother Hercula was running a Christian camp ministry for troubled men in Cochranton Pa. with his wife (below) and using the word of God there to win lost men to Christ and restore wandering sons like me to fellowship with the Lord. He agreed to let me go there (Gods idea and set-up). There I was able to repent and return back into fellowship with the Lord by the complete and utter Bible oriented environment and the many Bible classes whereby Gods word cleansed the filth (again) from my mind and spirit and flesh. Brother Hercula was an example to me of what sacrificial service in the name of Jesus is and was all about. He never asked me for anything, only gave to me and my needs (without charge). One of His favorite sayings I picked up from him and like is “we’ll see!” Men will say a lot of things when God has taken them out from bondage that they are going to do (all the this and that’s). Brother Hercula would say, “we’ll see.” Some did, many did not. Another comment I would hear him say that many did not appreciate, but I kind of admired and use sometimes to get a point across was “Ah, blow it out of your nose!” No confusion in that! Another thing the Lord taught me that I have not mastered yet is how important it is for a man to be of “few words.” I really admired Brother Hercula for the sacrifice of silence it took for him to keep quiet and not comment. It really showed the wisdom the Lord had given him. It frustrated me a lot of times trying to get answers from him, but I admired and learned from him. One thing I picked up from him that I seen him do regularly, and I don’t think he knew anybody noticed or even cared, was that after every class, or message he would teach or preach, he would kiss his Bible. I to this day do the same and mean it as he did . His health began to decline in several ways and I was privileged to be and remain at the ministry and help and serve there with and under him for the remaining years of his life. He was in a home for the last few years before he went home. He used to call it “the dungeon.” I knew what he meant. I went and got him out of there on the weekends and brought him to the ministry where his wife and family lived so he could be with them and away from there, and then take him back. He used to laugh at me when I would yell at him for going limp (he was a big man) while I was moving him in and out of the truck from and to his wheelchair. I remember one of the biggest compliments he ever paid me was when I had taken him back to the “dungeon” and was asking him about some important issues concerning the ministry that needed to be addressed and he would not talk about it and said to me he wouldn’t talk about it. I got mad and said some mean things to hurt his feelings and stormed out and headed back to the ministry (about 15 to 20 miles away) and while on the way. I couldn’t stand myself for what I had said and had to turn around and go back to apologize to him. When I got back and walked down the hall to his room and turned to go in he was setting in his wheel chair facing the window which he could look out and see me when I pulled up. I said to him, “Pastor, I’m sorry for the things I said to you. He replied, (I’ll never forget it) “I knew you would be back!” I’ll never forget that. It helped me know a little about myself, you know? I through the thoughtfulness of the Hercula family got to be there at his bedside with his wife, son and daughter when he left and went home, and I’m glad I was. He was a soldier of Jesus Christ and finished right. There’s so much more, but I’ll say Brother Hercula was another God chosen mentor of mine in my walk and journey to get home myself. Thank you brother. I’ll see you over there. Brother Thurman

Dr. Peter S. Ruckman

November 19,1921- April 21, 2016

Saved – March 14, 1949

B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Founder, Pensacola Bible Institute

I begin by saying that this man was hand picked by the Lord as one of my mentors and teachers. I had absolutely nothing to do with the deciding. The Lord decided. The part that I had was obeying and giving “…attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 1 Timothy 4:13 I have many things I want to say concerning Dr. Ruckman and honoring him and wish to say all of it properly. “More Coming Soon!”

Thurman & Wanda Compton September 22, 1962 – Present

If this isn’t worthy of honorable mention I don’t know what would be. People staying married and keeping their vows to one another is almost unheard of in the days we live now. But there are still some that retain their integrity. Let me introduce you to my mom and dad. Beautiful people who I love very much. Married 62 years and counting. Nothing can speak against that. Thank you for the example mom and dad. I love you both.