James Borchert, Bacherlor of Divinity 1967, Master of Systematic Theology 1968

FOR THE YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL CLASS OF 1997 MEMORY BOOK

James A. Borchert Bachelor of Divinity, Masters of Systematic Theology 1968

7129 Norma Street, Fort Worth Texas 76112 817-654-1349 Peggy@omegabiz.com

OCCUPATION:
I am a non-denominational pastor/teacher of 2 churches in Fort Worth and Dallas. I teach in Uganda regularly, but have also taught in former Zaire, Mozambique, Zambia, India, Israel, Moldova, Ukraine, Nigeria, China, Zimbabwe, and Burundi. In addition to my congregations, I disciple men, I teach pastors, government leaders, and business men. My passion is for religious liberty for all on an equal basis which is the foundation of just government.

SPOUSE:
Margaret (Peggy) Borchert, retired public school speech and hearing therapist, active in politics.

CHILDREN:
We have 4 amazing children, 3 wonderful spouses, and 11 loveable grandchildren. All of our children are leaders in their churches.

Khara Borchert MacLean 1969, Woodbury, Connecticut, is the mother of 8. Her husband Bill is Vice-president of Target Flavors. Two of the grand children have graduated from college, two are in college and two in high school and two in elementary school.

Kirsten Borchert Sundell 1972, Liberty, Mo. Kirsten is a retired public school teacher and a mother of 2. She owns a repurposing business called The Red Apron. Her husband Phil is a financial analyst for American Century. She has one child in high school and one in middle school.

David Borchert, 1975, Pastor, Horticulturist, Irrigation specialist, and does Home Remodeling. His wife Mary is a remarkable helpmate, a Book-keeper, and a Spanish Tutor, who received her degree in Spanish in the State of Washington.

Margaret Borchert 1981 is an outstanding third grade public school math teacher.

YDS AFFECTED MY LIFE PROFOUNDLY

I grew up un-churched and undisciplined until my third father made me go to the Lutheran Church. I clearly knew right from wrong, and happily chose wrong only interested in my own happiness. I was a gifted artist and expected to be an architect desiring to work with Frank Lloyd Wright, but instead went to a small college, Augustana Lutheran.
I never studied until my junior year in college when I realized I did not know anything. I decided to symbolically erase my mind and not put anything into it until I knew it thoroughly. I became a prodigious student.
I met a man who did art work for church bulletin covers and I was convinced I could do this, but I knew nothing about God. I decided to go to seminary to learn about God. I chose Yale. They had notable Luther scholars.
Once at Yale my goal was to get 7 degrees. I saw knowledge as the key to life. I loved it. I studied all the time, I questioned the professors. I wanted to learn everything. I decided to start with Martin Luther. The library had an abundance of books by or about Luther. I identified with Luther, his fearlessness to know truth, but he was religious and I was not. I had no fear of God. I did not even care about God, except as part of western civilization.
In 1964, the direction of my life changed forever. While I was in Ian Siggins’ class where he was speaking on Luther’s Preface to the Romans, I was distracted. While looking out the window, I heard an out loud voice say to me, vanities of vanities all is vanity. It cut right through my heart. I did not believe in God or voices, but I now had to found out, is there a God? I went on a 7 year journey until I came to know the one true God whom I now serve with all my heart, soul and strength. Thanks to YDS for their part in starting me on this amazing journey.

MY MINISTRY:

My primary mission has been to my own family and then to disciple men in our churches to know the Lord and make him known first in their families and then in their sphere of influence.
I have ministered all over the world to churches as well as government leaders.

The last 20 years we have ministered particularly in Uganda. We work with Pastor Joel Bukenya who is changing the lives of hundreds of children who some call orphans but he calls them champions for Christ. They have come from many different tribes. He provides them with spiritual and secular education, having agricultural chores every day, supplemented with practical training in one of the useful trades. He feeds almost 800 children 3 meals a day, on more than 70 acres of land which we bought for them. In this way, they are changing the face of Uganda. Pastor Joel Bukenya is Daddy to all the children, inspiring hundreds of toddlers to dozens and dozens of college educated professionals. This work is altering the spirit of tribalism in Uganda. Pastor Joel is also a leader superintending over 40 thousand churches in the country effecting well over 10 million inhabitants, which represents about one fifth of the population. I take teams of people from America to preach, teach, and minister throughout the entire country to report on the progress of the gospel of Christ which is dramatically impacting their society.