Life Pacific University is pleased to announce that Honorary Doctorates will be granted to Rev. Harriet Mouer, Rev. Ricky Temple, and Dr. Leslie Keegel at the May 2023 Commencement Ceremonies.
Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions and achieved distinction in ministry service, academics, the arts, sciences, business, government, or global missions. The Honorary Doctorate Committee includes faculty, staff, and the President, who carefully review internal and external nominations. This is followed by consultation and final approval by the administrative council and the LPU board of trustees.
Harriet Mouer, Honorary Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)Â
Rev. Harriet Mouer – credentialed minister, public school teacher, mentor, writer, and life coach – has made significant contributions in ministry for nearly 60 years. She has a degree in music and attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Having served at The Church On The Way from 1978-1983 as the Director of Women’s Ministry, she later co-pastored with her husband Bill Mouer (LIFE Alumnus) at Family Fellowship (now Growpoin in Amherst, Ohio, until 2009. Her ministry involved global missions to Puerto Rico, Honduras, Romania, and Panama, and she established a church plant in Niger, Africa (2010-2013) that has multiplied to 80 churches to date. She became district supervisor from 2009-2014 and has left a lasting legacy through her servant leadership and intentional care.
She is a respected conference and retreat speaker and continues to use her influence in women’s ministry. As a licensed life coach, Harriet has designed personalized retreats for small groups to encounter God through silence and solitude. She began Soul Care Retreats in the summer of 2014 and has conducted over 30 experiences for women, couples, and teams.
In 2017, Harriet published the My Start Journal (Lectio Divina Journal for Children). The journal is a 52-week devotional journey encouraging kids to slow down and hear God through His Word. The journal is a creative experience focusing on the values of identity, character, trust, and adventure. Kids use the journal in their homes, classrooms, churches, and small groups. Her influences expand to the next generation as she models soul care, rhythms, and healthy leadership.
Ricky Temple, Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt)
Rev. Ricky Temple is one of America’s most innovative and influential leaders. His straightforward and captivating messages have endeared him to many internationally. He has been a committed husband to Diane Temple for 40 years and the proud father of two children, Ricky Temple Jr. and Christina Temple. He has touched lives worldwide for almost four decades through radio and television. His unique communication style allows him to take complex subjects and make them easy to understand. In addition, his deep commitment to developing leaders, churches, and families has made him a highly sought-after speaker and consultant.
He serves as lead pastor of Overcoming by Faith Ministries in Savannah, Georgia, a vibrant and community-engaged church where he has faithfully served since 1981. From June 2011 to December 2013, he served as the lead pastor of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, California, while serving at Overcoming by Faith Ministries in Savannah. Since 2007 he has led his church to develop a digital/physical platform that has proven invaluable.
Pastor Rick was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from the International Church of Foursquare Gospel for his committed service in ministry excellence in 1997. In addition, he has an undergraduate degree in Theology and a Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership from Life Pacific University. Currently, he is a doctoral candidate for a Doctor of Divinity Degree at Kings Seminary in Dallas, Texas, specializing in why pastors and leaders burn out.
An aspiring author of several books, he has written Surviving Marriage, Surviving the Single Journey, and Learning to be Happy. Also, he has co-authored Debra Smith Pegues, Why Smart People Make Dumb Choices.
Leslie Keegel, Honorary Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)Â
In September of 1982, Dr. Leslie was ordained and subsequently appointed as the president of the denomination in Sri Lanka in April 1983. Under his leadership, the denomination grew from 2 churches in 1983 to 1,800 churches. While presiding over the denomination, Leslie pioneered the headquarters church called the “Living Way Church” twenty years ago and currently serves as the senior pastor with over 1,000 members. He also started the Life Bible Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in March 1986, which presently has 20 extension centers nationwide and an enrolment nearing 1,000 students. Leslie serves as the President of the Institute where he teaches regularly.
Dr. Keegel’s ministry is characterized by the free flow of the Holy Spirit with the operation of the gifts of the Spirit. His preaching has been accompanied by physical healing and miracles. As a result, many thousands have been set free from demonic bondages and the crippling power of witchcraft. He is an exemplary leader who is a living model of servant leadership. He is a discipler of men and women and has been a fruitful church planter for 34 years.
A published author of books like The Promises of God and The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Us, Leslie is a featured speaker at international interdenominational conventions, leadership conferences, camps, and city-wide miracle healing evangelistic rallies. Dr. Keegel completed his second Doctorate in Ministry in 2011. His dissertation focused on Ethnic Reconciliation, and he graduated with honors.
It’s an honor to award these deserving men and women of God with honorary doctorates from Life Pacific University.
