The Short Version: Randy Gariss has been the Senior Minister of the thriving and healthy College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, Missouri, for 25 years.  He and his wife Julie have been married 31 years, have three grown children, and are now joyfully playing the role of grandparents.   Randy has worked with over 2,500 couples in problem marriage counseling, and over 500 couples in pre-marital counseling.  He is in high demand as a speaker for marriage conference and seminars, and often speaks on college campuses.  He has a Master’s Degree from Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary. The Longer Version: (The longer version may not be any more interesting, but… it is longer!)  Randy Gariss grew up in a ranch family near Lamar in southwest Missouri.  While an undergrad at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, he married “over his head.”  As Randy himself has often said, “Julie will always be the best thing you know about me”.  Upon graduation, Randy and Julie attempted to go abroad as missionaries, but when denied work visas, they took a ministry in the small Missouri town of Walker.  It was there that the Lord opened the door to a life-long ministry of working with families and marriages, and it was there, that the Lord was gracious enough to them, to let them begin their own family.  In 1982, after five years in Walker,  the Garisses moved to Joplin where Randy began his ministry with the College Heights Christian Church. The College Heights congregation is a vibrant and healthy church with many varied ministries, six weekend worship services, and almost 1000 families actively involved.  It was through the ministry of this congregation, and the opportunity to spend almost 26 years in a community, that the material for “A LIFETIME LOVE…Building the Marriage You Want To Come Home To” was developed.  After working with thousands of couples, it became painfully obvious that there were some truths too important to miss; yet as a culture we missed them completely. To watch our culture is to see good, likeable, and very bright people desperately wanting great marriages and homes yet failing, simply because they don’t understand the key concepts that make love work.  Great relationships and great marriages don’t come by some luck of the draw, but instead are the result of understanding essential concepts and then choosing to have the personal character that lets you live out those concepts.  As Randy began to teach and mentor these concepts to individuals, families, small groups, retreats, and seminars, lives and homes were changed.  While Randy is primarily a Senior Minister of a great church, he often speaks on college campuses as he helps singles, dating, and engaged couples wrestle through the issue of “Why can’t Americans stay in love?”   He also regularly works with marriage conferences and retreats helping couples build or restore the family and marriage they want.  He has also worked in individual sessions with over 2,500 couples in problem marriage counseling and over 500 couples in premarital counseling.  While he is certain that no one will confuse him for a TV star, he has also served as host of a nationwide syndicated public service series entitled “A Family Moment”.  This one-minute series… “shown nightly between the weather and sports”, was broadcast in dozens of markets and addressed family issues.  In working with families and leadership teams he has been given the opportunity to work internationally.  Families in such places as Afghanistan, China and Laos have given him the privilege of seeing the home through different eyes.  Being in love for a lifetime transcends cultures, and every great home stands on universal, Biblical principles. On a personal level, Randy and Julie have been married for 31 years and have three children.  Troy is an attorney in Kansas City and is married to Molly, Katie is a Physician’s Assistant working in orthopedic surgery and is married to Josh, and Megan is entering her junior year at Ozark Christian College.  Basketball with the kids, furniture building, and occasionally chasing a golf ball out of bounds, have been his hobbies throughout the years. Julie is the brightest spot of his life.  She is talented, creative, and extremely gracious. She is in high demand as a women’s speaker.  When the phone rings at their house and someone says “We’re looking for a great speaker..” he simply hands the phone to Julie!  Randy has a Bachelor of Theology Degree in New Testament studies from Ozark Christian College in Joplin, and he has a Masters Degree from Cincinnati Bible Seminary.