About the Author

Dr. Richard W. Rouse currently serves as Senior Pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Arizona. He most recently was the Executive Director for Church Relations and Continuing Theological Education at Pacific Lutheran University. He, and his wife, Beth Lewis, continue to serve as popular conference speakers at various church and secular events across the country.

Rick is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and Wartburg Theological Seminary.    Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary awarded him a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1986 for his dissertation on the theme;   "Mobilizing God's People for Ministry: A Lay Training Center Model for the Local Parish."  He has written for numerous publications including a a book for Augsburg Fortress first released in June 2005 called "Fire of Grace: The Healing Power of Forgiveness."

Rick was featured along with arsonist Paul Keller in "Forgiveness: A Miracle of Love," a video resource for congregations produced by Seraphim Communications.   He was Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, WA whose facility was destroyed in an arson spree of 1992.   He subsequently appeared on NBC Dateline, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and on BBC and Dutch television.   Convinced of the transforming nature of the gospel, he now leads seminars across the country on the healing power of forgiveness.