R Loren Sandford
R. Loren Sandford grew up a preacher's son in the Congregational Church in Illinois, Kansas and north Idaho. As a teenager he played rock music professionally over three states and two provinces of Canada before leaving to attend the College of Idaho. In 1973 he completed a B.A. degree in music education, then moved to California and attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, earning a Master of Divinity degree in 1976.
Since 1976 Loren has served four churches full time, successfully planting two of them himself, including New Song Church and Ministries, Denver, Colorado (www.newsongchurchandministries.org) where he remains the senior pastor. In 1979 and 1980 he co-directed Elijah House (an international ministry in Christian counseling and counselor training) and continues to be in demand internationally primarily for teaching but also for leading worship. Initially ordained in a mainline denomination where he served on the national board for the charismatic renewal group within that affiliation, he has since served in the Vineyard and with Partners in Harvest, the family of churches associated with Catch the Fire Toronto (formerly the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship) and the renewal centered there. Now independent, he oversees churches in several states.
Married to Beth since 1972, they have 3 grown children and 11 grandchildren. Loren is also a member of the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe centered in Oklahoma.