About

"My name is Dick Maxwell and I surrendered to Christ in 1985. I came from a background steeped in drugs, alcohol and sinful dysfunction. At first I didn’t have any strong discipleship and suffered emotionally which resulted in a long road out of sin and into knowing His Lordship. I was eventually led to a church in 1990 and have been a part of it ever since, interrupted by five years helping establish training schools in the Dominican Republic. The name of the church is Calvary Chapel Worship Center in New Port Richey, FL and I have been on staff since October 14, 2002. Around 2010, the Lord called my wife and I to minister the Gospel at abortion facilities in the Tampa Bay area. For me it was both terrifying and fulfilling as I was forced to depend more and more on God to empower me to deny myself and obey my Lord.

Through relationships built in this ministry to God’s image bearers, we came to know Scott and Patti Smith and through that friendship I found myself not just introduced to open air preaching but invited to the 2012 Dogwoood Festival to receive training from Bill Adams, Scott Smith and Tony Miano and to put it into practice on the streets of Atlanta. I was off and running from that point forward.

Since then, I have been a part of a few training events with SFOI and this will be my third SBO. We are still heavily involved in ministry to the preborn. Our ministry around Tampa Bay and elsewhere in the country to the preborn holds me back from the time I would like to spend with other street preachers at times but that very same ministry would not be nearly as powerful if it were not for the fellowship that I have with SFOI and the guys I have come to know. SFOI is every bit as responsible as my own church in the work that God has done in my heart to prepare me to fulfill His calling.

In addition to proclaiming the Gospel at an abortion facility, we preach regularly in downtown Clearwater around Scientology facilities and during their outreaches, at various LGBT events as well as at public events in New Port Richey and surrounding cities. I recently taught a class at our church on proclaiming and and was able to use the book “A Certain Sound” by Scott Smith and Ryan Denton. I thank God for the fellowship of SFOI and for the iron sharpening iron which God has done through those whom He has placed me beside."