Our Founder, Dave Purdle

Ministry 9-1-1

An Christian ministry outreach specifically for 9-1-1 Public Safety Dispatchers.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

My Testimony

David Purdle is the founder of Ministry 9-1-1. He has answered thousands of phone calls, ranging from emergencies to requests for assistance to inquiries, and has dispatched thousands of police, fire and EMS runs that have spanned a period of at least 25 years.

As a youngster, Dave went to the Baptist church down the street every Sunday with his parents. He learned about Jesus Christ, His love for mankind, and the need of a Saviour. At a Vacation Bible School in August, 1970, Dave realized he was a sinner and needed the Lord Jesus Christ to save him from his sins. He put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ during that special week. But also as a boy, Dave wanted to get into police work. He was fascinated by the calls for service and the calm dispatchers on his Regency police scanner.

In the late 1970’s, Dave begin his career as a teen volunteer for Royal Oak REACT Emergency Services, answering calls from motorists on the emergency citizens band radio channel. He put aside public safety for a few years to work, get married, and start a family. But the desire to work in 9-1-1 emergency communications never left him, so he became an Auxiliary Police Officer for the Royal Oak Police Department. He gained valuable experience in working with citizens and fellow officers. Occasionally, he was able to sit and observe the dispatch area handled at that time by sworn police officers.

He started putting out applications to become a civilian dispatcher, and in 1989, he became a part-time dispatcher for the Dearborn Police/Fire Department. Later that year, an opening came up for a full-time police and fire dispatcher at the Shelby Township Police Department, and Purdle was hired for that position. Dave and his family moved to that area and found a wonderful Baptist church that they could attend and grow for the Lord.

As time went on, Dave began to become convicted by the Holy Spirit to help others from a spiritual standpoint. He knew that he had more to give to his fellow workers and community. Therefore, he enrolled at Covington Theological Seminary, where he completed his Masters Degree in Ministry (Counseling emphasis) in 2002. He became a Police Chaplain for Shelby Township Police Department in the summer of 2001.  In 2005, Dave became a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Clinton Twp. Police Department and also served as their Chaplain.  After several health issues arose, Dave decided it was best to hang up the headset in April, 2013.

Following the events of Columbine, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina, Dave began to see a need to be of spiritual assistance to those who answer the call for service—the 9-1-1 telecommunicator—people who are his peers. Therefore, he launched Ministry 9-1-1:  to evangelize, encourage, counsel, and pray for fellow 9-1-1 telecommunicators and their families.

From a spiritual standpoint, as an emergency telecommunicator, if you or your family should need prayer, counseling, or someone to talk with, please feel free to contact Dave at Ministry 9-1-1.

 

What must I do to be saved?

God’s love is revealed
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Man is sinful
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God.”

Christ paid the penalty
Romans 5:8
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in
that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.”

Salvation is a free gift
Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace are ye saved by faith; and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works,
lest any man should boast.”

We must receive Him
Romans 10:9, 13
“That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved…For whosoever shall call upon the
name of Lord shall be saved.”

Receive Christ Now
Through prayer you can talk to God right now.
Tell Him that you want to trust in His Son, Jesus
Christ. Tell Him that you believe that Jesus died
in your place and paid the penalty for your sins.
This makes it personal, and the Christian life is
a personal relationship to God through Jesus
Christ. You can invite Jesus Christ into your
heart, right now, by praying to God.

Our Doctrinal Statement…What do we believe?

The Bible. The 66 books of the Scripture is fully and verbally inspired, and is inerrant and infallible in its original writings. The Bible is the final rule of faith and practice in our daily lives (II Timothy 3:16-17).

God. There is one living, personal, triune God, as revealed in nature (the universe affirms His existence) and revelation (Gods holy and written Word, the Bible). He is eternally in three persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) (Genesis 1:1-2; I Corinthians 8:6; John 1:1, 14; I John 5:7).

Jesus Christ. God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Second Person of the Trinity. The Scriptures prove His pre-existence, virgin birth, sinless life, substitionary death, and bodily resurrection, His ascension, priestly intercession, pre-tribulational return for the saints, and His millennial reign (Philippians 2:6-9).

The Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit indwells, seals, fills, guides, illuminates, and assures the believer (Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12-13; Galatians 5:18; Ephesians 5:18; John 15:26; Romans 8:16, 26)

Mankind. Created morally innocent, man chose to sin. Mankind is sinners by nature, by birth, and by choice. The Scriptures teach that through one sin of one man, sin came into the world, and with it all the universal consequences of sin (Romans 5:12-19; I Corinthians 15:21f).

Salvation. Salvation is a free gift of God to all of mankind, because of His love for us (John 3:16), completely by grace (Gods unmerited favor to us as undeserving sinners) (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is given to man by faith alone, not by works (Titus 3:5), in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Christ died one time on the cross, therefore, once a person is saved, they cannot lose their salvation (Romans 8:31-39; I John 5:11-13; Jude 24-25).

Judgment. It is because of Adams sin that we come into the world with a depraved nature and Gods condemnation (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:3). This means that man cannot save himself, and left in such a condition, he is bound for hell, which is separation from God and everlasting punishment.

Welcome to our website!

Although they do not put their lives on the line or witness first hand the traumas of life and death, dispatchers are the first contact a citizen has with a public safety department. Very few people think about the constant pressures the dispatchers are under daily. Dispatchers could be classified as “first responders” because they hold the vital link between a cry for help and/or assistance and an actual first responder in the field. Many times, dispatchers hear the cries for help, whether from citizens or responders in the field, and they can only imagine what is going on out there. Many questions such as Did I do the right thing? or What if I had done this differently? or I hope they are going to be alright? go through a dispatchers mind. In summary, the dispatcher sees no closure to their efforts or to a particular call(s). This adds up to great mental and emotional stress call after call handled day after day.

Furthermore, a dispatchers role has become more technical, more involved, more skilled, with more liability, and ever changing, which presents greater chance for stress, burn out and melt down on their part, especially coupled with multi casualty/post traumatic stress-type incidents. One of the best ways we can serve the unseen voice over the phone or behind the mic is to be or provide them with Christian ministry outreach headed up by a 9-1-1 Dispatcher and Chaplain. Thus, the idea of Ministry 9-1-1 was born.

Purpose

Present Jesus Christ to the unsaved

A ministry of encouragement

Chaplaincy and/or biblical counseling, as needed

“All Praise Bulletin,” a bi-weekly e-mail newsletter to include devotionals, articles, and updates.

Speaking/preaching engagements upon invitation

Daily “Call of the Day” posts on our Facebook page, which encourage and/or point people toward Jesus Christ and His love for all.

Policy

It shall be the policy of Ministry 9-1-1 to maintain a ministry outreach primarily for the needs of public safety telecommunicators and their families. However, this outreach can include other emergency workers, such as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians, and their respective families. Further, confidentially of privileged information is of the utmost importance to this ministry. Ministry 9-1-1 formally supports a high level of confidentiality with those individuals who make contact with us.

Ministry 9-1-1

Sterling Heights, Michigan

Email ministry-911@hotmail.com

Look for our monthly “APB” (All Praise Bulletin) newsletters.

Like us on Facebook – Check out our daily “Call of the day” posts.