Joel and Deena Royalty

Joel Royalty and Deena De Leon came to Fairhaven Baptist College from diverse backgrounds, but God brought them together and is using them in the ministry today in a wonderful way.

Joel was brought up in a preacher's home, Pastor Ron Royalty of Gospel Baptist Church, in Poland, Ohio. Deena was first introduced to church through the efforts of the bus ministry of Pastor Don Whitecar in Richfield Baptist Church of Richfield, Ohio. As a teenager, Deena desired to go further in her Christian life; and one of the men of Richfield Baptist sponsored her to go to Heritage Baptist School in Cleveland, Ohio, for her sophomore year of high school. Deena so wanted to continue her Christian education that she worked to pay her own way through school for her junior and senior years.

Joel and Deena met in college here and after Joel graduated left to serve as assistant pastor for Pastor Royalty. God has used them for six years there working with the youth group, teaching in the Christian school, helping with the music ministry, and assisting in any way they can.

Recently, they began to pray about the opportunity to go to Mongolia and continue the ministry of Jason and Becky Muller while they are home on furlough. God gave them definite leading to go; and within just a few short months, they will be on the field. They look forward to this opportunity to be drawn closer together as a family and be used of Him there.

When they return, Joel plans to go into the pastorate and believes that God will lead them to that place of service when the time comes.

The Royaltys have two children and are thankful for the teaching and preaching on the home received first from Joel's own parents and then from the emphasis placed on it during their college training.