Glue That Holds Life Together

Born in 1921 and raised in Dayton, Ohio, William "Bill" D. Barr, was greatly influenced by his father, who was passionate about making a difference in others' lives. A doctor, company VP, and church leader, Bill's father gave counsel and financial help to many throughout his life.Bill met his wife, Wilma, "Willie," while attending the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. Following graduation, they married and moved to Chicago where Bill earned a B.D. degree at McCormick Theological Seminary.Five years later, while preaching in Wisconsin, both Bill and Willie sensed a call from God to become foreign missionaries. In 1952, with four children ages five and under, they boarded a ship for a six-week voyage to India. During their first term in India, their fifth child was born. Life in India for the Barr family was full with many happy memories. However, their third term in India was cut short due to Bill's compromised health. They returned to Dayton where he served again in pastoral ministry.After a few years in Dayton, they began to envision a "church without walls." Bill's heart was miraculously healed as they began to pioneer a work in the north woods of Minnesota at Okontoe Family Campsites. The program grew to included counseling through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, youth discipleship camps, and mission outreach to Native Americans in Canada. As his health declined once again, Bill began to write. His first book. Counseling With Confidence: Spiritual Power in Counseling, was based on seminars that he and team members taught for several years. This was published by Logos International in 1981. He wrote several other books but died in 1986 before their publication became reality. This book is the third manuscript which family has published in recent years.