Repaired for Ministry

Bill Poole is convinced God has a special plan for his life — otherwise, why would He keep sparing his life?

It was 2001. Poole, then 49, had just turned in his Assemblies of God ministerial credentials as difficulties and heartache at the church he was leading resulted in Poole developing stress-related heart issues. Although he remained active in the church that he and his wife, Kim, attended, he believed his days as a minister were now over.

That belief was seemingly confirmed when Poole was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) in 2013. PPS leads to a pain-filled death — no cures, no hope — as the body progressively weakens and, ultimately, fails.

And if the PPS diagnosis wasn’t enough to convince Poole that his ministry days were long gone, in 2015 he had a “widow-maker” heart attack followed by a stroke in 2019.

Any doctor looking at his health record — PPS, two bypasses, 11 stents, a pacemaker — would likely have advised Poole to sit back and enjoy whatever short time he had remaining . . ., but God had something else in mind.

THE CALLING

Poole says that it was 2017 when God started softly nudging him back to considering the possibility of re-entering the ministry — though he didn’t realize that’s what God was up to at the time.

“We were attending First Assembly in Scottdale, Pennsylvania,” Poole recalls. “It’s where I grew up and things were going good, but then God directed us to New Stanton AG in 2020.”

At that point, although Poole had fully recovered from the heart attack and stroke, the deterioration from the PPS in Poole’s body was clearly evident and seemed to be increasing in speed. Elected as lead pastor of New Stanton AG in September 2019, Ron Ingelido, and his wife, Jamie, had served the church for years prior. In their new roles, they soon became more acquainted with the Pooles and aware of Bill’s declining condition.

Yet, even though Poole’s body was racked with pain and progressively growing weaker, God’s voice calling him back to the ministry seemed to be growing ever stronger; it made no sense.

But then came May 2022, as recounted in an AG News story, Poole shared how he heard from God that he would be healed of PPS the following Sunday (May 29). To the ongoing amazement of his doctors who can offer no medical explanation, Poole was healed that Sunday of PPS — an “incurable” disease!

REPAIR

Although Poole was instantaneously healed of PPS, his body still had years of deterioration to overcome as muscles had weakened to the point where it was impossible for him to even open a bottle of water.

“I started exercising, walking, and lifting weights,” explains Poole, who up until May 29 had trouble even swallowing, making talking difficult and singing (something he loved to do) impossible. “Within a short time, pastor Ron asked Kim and me to be greeters at the church and then I signed up to join the choir!”

Poole, who admits now that he can exercise, he sometimes does it to excess, even sounds different than when he was first healed — his voice stronger and more robust.

STEP BY STEP

“After the healing, Bill was able to attend services regularly,” says Ingelido. “But Bill had shared with me that God has a calling on his life, and anybody who’s been called into the ministry can’t feel comfortable in a pew — it’s an antsy feeling — and I could see that in Bill.”

After Poole was involved in the greeter ministry and choir, he asked if he could start coming to the church’s membership class, offering to help in whatever way he could. Ingelido agreed, then later asked him to be the one to teach the Fundamental Truths portion of the prospective new members class.

“If God is calling people, we’re going to help equip the saints for the ministry,” Ingelido says. “Anyone called, I encourage them to walk into whatever that ministry looks like. . . . it’s all about using people for God’s glory.”

And more recently, when the leader of the senior adult Bible study fell ill, Ingelido asked Poole to step in and fill that role — he has done so with gusto.

BACK TO THE MINISTRY

As Poole became more involved in the ministries of New Stanton, God’s calling upon his life to return to the ministry went from a nudge, to a call, to a constant drawing that couldn’t be ignored.

“Pastor Ron encouraged me to seek getting my credentials restored and I finally started the process in 2023, but then that kind of fell apart,” Poole says. “So, I began to feel like it would never happen.”

Then in September, Poole had another reminder of how God is in control when he suffered a series of mini-strokes — this time, he couldn’t speak, write, or even recognize his wife.

“God completely restored me,” Poole says. “I just knew God had something for me to do. So, this year, I contacted the district again — though I was still telling myself, Bill, you’re 72, why are you doing this? Then God simply reminded me that Moses was 80 when he was first called into the ministry!”

When Bill and Kimberly went to meet with the credentialing committee in early September, they weren’t sure what to expect. To their surprise, sitting in with the committee was PennDel Ministry Network Superintendent Don Immel and Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Marshall . . . was this a good thing or not-so-good thing?

“After the interview, the committee met in private to discuss whether or not I would be reinstated,” Poole says. “After just a few minutes, they came back with their answer — I was welcomed back!”

“Bill and Kimberly were exceedingly sincere and excited to reengage in ministry,” Immel says. “Their enthusiasm was infectious! . . . With his recent healing and involvement at New Stanton Assembly of God, he felt that he could fulfill his call to ministry, and, of course, we concurred.”

NOW WHAT?

Although the network’s approval must still be certified by the national office, one of Poole’s first calls was to his presbyter, pastor Tim Bunney, who had helped him with the credentialing process.

“Tim had read my story in AG News, and he told me I needed to contact them and give an update about what God has been doing,” Poole explains. “I agreed!”

In addition to expressing thanks to Kimberly, referring to her as “an amazing woman” who has been a constant source of encouragement despite all the struggles, Poole also expresses appreciation for his pastor.

“He’s one of the most amazing pastors I ever sat under,” Poole states. “He has a knack for being able to use people in the church to further the gospel — I’ve never had a pastor as supportive as pastor Ron.”

Currently Poole is waiting on God to see where He guides — knowing God has something specific for him, but Ingelido already has some ideas for the meantime.

“As an assistant presbyter, I receive calls from churches needing someone to fill a pulpit for a Sunday,” Ingelido says, “What a great opportunity for Bill to walk into another church, as a seasoned minister, and what a story he has to tell!”

Poole doesn’t believe God is calling him to a pastorate, but he’s open to Ingelido’s ideas about short-term ministry opportunities, sharing his testimony, and assisting in discipleship ministry. However, whatever God has in store, he’s committed to following His direction.

“Bill is the perfect model that God is not done with you yet — even though odds may be against you, if it’s God’s will, it will happen,” Ingelido says. “Don’t lose hope, don’t lose heart, keep pushing, and trust in God!”