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     HIS Four... Ministries, Charlotte County 's own southern gospel quartet, have been singing together since 1990 to share the gospel of Jesus Christ through song for HIS Glory! Each of our members have given their hearts & lives to Jesus Christ and have made decisions, along with their families, to serve Him. Our aim is to be a ministry of encouragement to the believer as well as reaching the lost through testimony and song. But in all things... we want to glorify God. We have seen lives touched as the Lord has ministered through our music over the past 17 years.
    HIS FOUR… Ministries is a unique part-time ministry. We are not a family group or all from one church, but are comprised of people from different churches in the Charlotte County area, and all work regular full-time jobs. We minister through a variety of music in our concerts from favorite hymn medleys, some accapella, southern gospel, to worship and praise. We are charter members of the Florida Gospel Music Association, an organization designed to uplift Jesus Christ through gospel music and ministries from the state of Florida .  We are also members of the Gospel Post , a newspaper that promotes part-time music & evangelistic ministries in the State of Florida .   In 1999 at their Annual Convention HIS FOUR… Ministries received the “ Gospel Post Fan Award” for Favorite Mixed Group.  And at the 2002 Convention HIS FOUR… again won the Favorite Mixed Group of the Year.

    Jim Reuter is the baritone vocalist and also plays the piano. His wife, Cheryl, fills in the high tenor,  and John Jordan brings in the rich lead vocal.   Yes, currently the group is sharing their ministry as a Trio, with the Lord being our “Fourth Man!”   The group originally started out with just four singers and Jim playing a keyboard, thus the name HIS FOUR...!   Although we’re currently without a bass singer, we continue to pray the Lord blesses us with another bass singer so we will be a quartet again.

The group got started back in 1990. During a county wide evangelistic crusade in January 1990, Jim and Cheryl and a former bass singer Larry Taylor were singing in the mass crusade choir. Jim and Larry had sung together in a church quartet that they attended together back in the 80's but hadn't sung together for quite a few years. Larry asked Jim when he thought he would put a quartet together again. Turning around Jim saw Paul Bruno (an original member of His Four and member of the church Jim was attending) in the tenor section and asked if he would like to sing in a quartet. He said sure! Jim called another friend from his church, Tom Bunton (the other original member of HIS Four) when he got home from the crusade and let him know about the quartet idea. Tom thought it would be great and also said he had a sound system so they could really get started. The timing was right and God even provided the sound system. The original HIS Four... group performed about 15 concerts that first year in Charlotte County churches.     

The ministry of HIS FOUR… was fashioned after the ministry of “The Mullins Family”.   Roger & Cherie Mullins, their son Buddy Mullins and Paul Lancaster made up the first “Mullins Family” group Jim & Cheryl and Tom Bunton saw at their church for an Annual Jubilee.   Each year for a week’s time he Mullins Family did testimonies and songs, as well as Brother Roger bringing the message each night.   Although we don’t have a preacher in our group (some of you may disagree on that one) we do share our testimonies and word from the Lord along with our music, in much the same way as Brother Roger did at the Jubilee’s.   What a blessing the Mullins Family have been in our lives and to our ministry.

    The current group members stay very busy with our families and jobs. When not ministering in concert some place, we each are sure to be found in our home churches for worship.  Jim does commercial cabinetry installation work for a Punta Gorda cabinet company, putting in 50 to 60 hours a week. In years past he has been part-time pianist, music/choir director at their church, but with the advancement of HIS FOUR.. Ministries he has had to let that part of his ministry go for the past 17 years.  Now that we have slowed our schedule while looking for another singer to join our group, Jim has been asked to get back to work at Peace River Baptist Church in Punta Gorda, where he will be the Music Director/Pianist.  In the fall he will also be taking charge of the church choir; therefore, Sunday morning concerts will be out for awhile.  We are still looking forward to singing on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.  
Cheryl takes care of all the bookings, promotional materials, and financial records for the group since she has her own Accounting and Tax Service business- Tax Savers located in Murdock,  Florida .    She is currently helping Jim by singing with the Praise Team at Peace River Baptist, as well as being part of the choir.  
Our current Lead/Tenor singer is no stranger to most of the Charlotte County residents.   John Jordan has been the Music Worship Pastor at First Christian Church for the past 10 years.   Upon his leaving FCC this spring, John is finishing his Masters Degree in Music Worship and is helping HIS FOUR with the Summer Concerts.   We truly are blessed to have such great friends to help us our in our time of need.  Check out John’s other ministry at www.celebratingchrist.org to see what else he does in his spare time!  
The group had been without our own Lead/Tenor singer since June 2006 when Dan Serrell moved to Ohio .   Our friend Michael Bartos filled in for the concerts from June to September 2006 and then Jim & Cheryl did two concerts as a Duet in October 2006. 

Over the years various new singers have come and gone as well as having added band members to add a little flavor to the southern gospel sound. Following are the various group members from over the years and what they did with the group.  When we look at all the great guys the Lord had spend time ministering with us, we are amazed at HIS goodness to our ministry all these years.  Some of you may remember them:

Paul Bruno - Baritone Singer Mar. 1990 to July 1991
Tom Bunton - Lead Singer Mar. 1990 to July 1993
Mike Mitchell - Drums/Bass Guitar Nov. 1990 to Oct. 1995
Bernie O'Grady - Drums Oct. 1991 to Sept. 1995
Keith Perry - Baritone Singer July 1993 to May 1994
Lyn Baker - Sound Technician Jan. 1994 to Apr. 1996
Don Lawson - Baritone Singer May 1994 to Mar. 1996
Tim Martin - Drums Sept. 1995 to May 1999
Doug Sloan - Bass Guitar Oct. 1995 to August 1999
Skip Heule - Baritone Singer Mar. 1996 to Sept.1999
JimWhatley- Sound Technician May 1996 to Nov. 1998
Terry Merriman - Sound Technician Dec. 1999 to 2003
Angel Requena – Sound Technician  Jan 2004 to Present
Larry Taylor – Bass Singer Mar. 1990 – July 2004
Dan Serrell – Lead/Tenor Singer Nov.1999 - April 2006
Al Spencer – Bass Singer  Aug. 2004 – Sept. 2006  
Keith Colie -  Lead Singer  Dec. 2006 – April 2007 

    

In 1999, our band members, Tim Martin and Doug Sloan, who had been with us for over 4 years, turned in their resignations. Since both of their wives had babies in the summer of 1998- Tim #3 and Doug #1- they found they needed to spend more time with their families, which is a God-given priority. With the loss of our band members in 1999, we decided to take them to the recording studio to record our music, one last time, on mini disks. We did this before they left so even if they are no longer physically with us, they are still with us in the music.  Then the only musician we have left is Jim, who plays the piano.

July of 2004 saw Larry Taylor retire from ministry after 14 years serving as the Bass Singer for HIS FOUR…   We held the final concert for Larry at his home church, First Baptist Church of Port Charlotte.    Over 400 people attended, and surprising Larry, his parents came from Tennessee to see him in his final concert with the group.    Larry owns his own funeral home in Punta Gorda, and was opening a branch office in Port Charlotte , as well as the tremendous growth of his business, was the reason for his retirement.   The number of concerts and travel was more than he could handle in his schedule any longer. 

In 2005, we had the privilege, but also with great sadness, to sing at the funeral of one of our own young men.  Don Lawson sang with us from 1994 to 1996.   A few years after leaving the group, Don had been diagnosed with cancer.  He battled for 3 years before the Lord called him home to Heaven.  What a tremendous witness Don had been to many of the folks that surrounded him in life.   We were privileged to have had Don as a part of our ministry.

In 2006 the group lost two members of their group.   Dan Serrell, Lead/Tenor Singer, moving to Ohio in June and then in September the retirement of Al Spencer, Bass Singer, to spend more time with his family.   Through the end of 2006 the prayers for a Lead/Tenor Singer were answered for a season when God sent us a Singer in December of 2006, Keith Colie.   Keith was able to help us get through January to April 2007 until he had to resign for family time as well.   Family is important and we understand when God leads one of our men to re-assess their priorities under God’s leadership.  Each time a member is called away from the ministry, we know that the Lord will meet our needs in HIS time, and are thankful for the many wonderful men God has brought our way over the years.

HIS FOUR... members have become so close, it would be difficult to imagine our lives without our ministry family. The support and encouragement we give each other has helped us not only in the ministry, but in our personal lives as well. We truly have a good time together serving the Lord. Each time a member retires we certainly do feel like we've lost one of the family.   In March of 2000, we held the HIS FOUR... 10th Anniversary & Jubilee, celebrating 10 years in ministry with a 2 day old-fashioned sing. We were with our friends "The Brazells", "Rushing Wind", and Randy Perry- Music Evangelist- singing and preaching both nights. We had a great reunion night with all of the former HIS FOUR... members coming back to sing or play one more song. It was great to have everyone together again.  We’re coming up on 20 years… a 20th Anniversary???? Hummmm, I wonder if we can pull it off!

    HIS FOUR... Ministries has had the opportunity to serve and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with many different churches throughout the state of Florida as well as share the stage with a number of Southern Gospel Greats such as The Kingsmen, Gold City, Anthony B urger, The Speers, The Mullins, The Perrys, The Nelons, The Wilburns,  The Steeles, The Dixie Melody Boys, The Florida Boys, The Freemans and many others. We took a week-long summer tour in 1997 through Kentucky , Tennessee , North Carolina & Georgia . We had a wonderful time sharing our ministry with our more northern friends! In August 1999 we took a long week-end to go back to Kentucky and Tennessee to share our ministry with churches there again. Then in 2000 we took a long weekend to do concerts in South Carolina and Georgia . We headed back to Georgia and Tennessee again in the summer and fall of 2001. In 2005 we took a trip all the way to Western New York . Working our way up thru Georgia, Indiana and then on to Western New York area. What a blessing to be able to share in other area's outside Florida .

    The group has had the privilege of producing 10 albums of the songs we have sung over the years, including some of our own original songs, "My Foot is on the Rock", "Mary's Little Lamb", "The Offer Still Stands", "Defenders of the Faith" and "What a Mighty Master". In September 1996 a CD, For HIS Glory, with 19 of our favorite songs from our last 3 projects, was released. In 1999 "HIS FOUR... HIS Faithfulness" was released in both cassette and CD.  "HIS FOUR... HE Touched Me" came out in March of 2001. Then in 2002 we produced our second “Live” project “HIS FOUR... O What a Time” which, besides 10 group songs, we also added Jim playing 2 songs at the Piano.   In 2004 two new albums were produced “HIS FOUR… Sweeter as the Days Go By” and “Jim Reuter – By Request” a full piano album with 11 of Jim’s favorite songs and hymn arrangements.  Any of the albums & CD's can be ordered (right here on our web site) directly from us or at any of our concerts. HIS FOUR... Ministries is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization with the IRS and all contributions are tax deductible.

    HIS FOUR... members want to serve the Lord with our talents to share the gospel through song to bring others to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. With our unique blend of harmonies, testimonies, and songs we can truly show our love for the Lord by giving of our time and talents as we share our ministry with people all over the state of Florida and the Southeast United States .

 

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