Gil Mertz Pastor, author, teacher, Cardinals fanatic I'm an ordained minister, the author of Learn to 4 Give and the creator of the Learn to 4 Give Seminar. Though teaching on forgiveness is my passion, I've been involved in Christian ministry for nearly forty years starting as a local pastor in the midwest and later in California. I have traveled to all fifty states and a number of foreign countries to advance the cause of Christ through missions, evangelism, humanitarian relief, reconciliation, and public policy. It has been my great joy to consult for several ministries over the years in the area of development, especially smaller organizations to help them grow. I thoroughly enjoy teaching and preaching, especially the 4 steps of forgiveness in local churches, weekend retreats, and conferences. I have hosted my own call-in radio talk show and I serve as Master of Ceremonies for several national conferences. I continue to write and I'm a featured columist at The Signal Newspaper in Los Angeles. Forgiveness is one of my life messages. In counseling with families I have seen the devasting effects of unforgiveness and the incredible blessings that come when we forgive. As I think of my calling to teach on forgiveness, I'm reminded of what Jesus once proclaimed. "He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, and that the oppressed will be set free." This is the message of forgiveness and I pray I can humbly follow the steps of Christ to help people experience the joy, power and freedom of forgivness. My wife Patricia and I live in southern California and we have three grown children and three grandchildren. And as a native of St. Louis, I bleed Cardinal red!