Born in 1949 in a tiny village called Qarabesh, close to the town of Zgharta, in North Lebanon, Bill Joukhadar describes his birthplace as being like a “Garden of Eden” (close by, half way up a mountain, there is even a town called ‘Edhen’) although he claims to have few childhood memories of living in the village as he was 4 years old when the family emigrated to Australia.
Bill joined the RAAF, straight after finishing school in 1968 and served for 12 years as an Aircraft Weapons Technician with tours of duty all over Australia and in Malaysia. He met his wife Beryl in 1969 (she too was a serving member of the RAAF) and they were married in 1970. When Bill left the RAAF in 1980 he worked in a few jobs before joining the Queensland Police Force in 1982, where he served for six years before he was called to serve in ministry. Bill and Beryl’s daughter was born in 1978 and their son came along two years later.
Bill came to know Jesus as his Lord and Saviour through an independent Baptist church in 1976 and he started full-time “professional” ministry when he left the Queensland Police in 1988 and, while serving as an Associate Pastor at Helensvale Baptist Church on the Gold Coast, Bill completed some formal theological training at the Baptist Theological College of Queensland (now called Malyon College). In 2000, after 12 years of pastoring, serving mainly in evangelism, discipleship and small groups ministries, Bill was called to Cairo in Egypt to serve in what was a new position with Maadi Community Church as an Associate Pastor.
Eight years later in 2008, after what Bill will readily describe as “the ride of his life” in Egypt, Bill and Beryl felt called to return to Queensland to set up a church support organisation to serve churches in Australia and around the world – and that’s how Cells-church Consultants International was born!
Bill and Beryl’s home is in Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast of Australia, but at the moment they are both working in Port Hedland in Western Australia. They have a son and a daughter (both married) and three grandchildren.
As well as working with local churches to train leaders and develop their small groups networks, writing and developing training materials and resources, networking and supporting churches around the world that they are connected with and regularly preaching at local churches, Bill and Beryl enjoy riding (bicycles), walking, travel, watching good movies, rugby and doing good coffee.
Bill says: There’s no doubt at all that Beryl and I find life and ministry very challenging … but very gratifying. The Lord is our Shepherd, and we testify that He has always given us what we’ve needed to accomplish His will in our lives and ministry. I hope that you find something in these pages that touches your heart and soul and inspires you in your spiritual journey – that you will desire, more than ever, to contribute in one way or another to sharing the love of Jesus and building His church wherever you are, in whatever you do.
