09/05/53 - 12/22/22
Randy was born on September 5, 1953 in Lodi, CA to Vera and Raymond Knutson. His early years the family home/ranch was in Lockford and they moved to Lodi when Randy was in primary school. Randy worked in the family bakery every morning before school, learning at an early age the pride of a hard days work. He went to Lodi High, Delta College and North American Baptist College and Seminary to receive a Master’s of Divinity degree in 1981. Randy was a life-long learner and ALWAYS had a book in his hand. He loved sharing out what he was learning.
While in college, Randy worked for the North American Baptist during the summers going door to door creating groups for church planters. He was assigned to Elk Grove, IL, and Boca Raton, FL. During seminary in Sioux Falls, he interned with Faith Baptist. After graduation he took a position at First Baptist, La Crescenta Church as Missions, Evangelism, and Discipleship Pastor. Randy’s training in evangelism and discipleship was noted by a newly organized mission group called Church Resource Ministries (CRM, now Novo) wanting to help make disciples within the church. They grabbed Randy’s attention, and he became a Director in San Diego. He recruited and developed a team of 14 couples to support a diverse group of churches. After church plants are established, it was on to the next.
Vineyard Church in Coachella Valley was restarting, and Randy was invited to support the mission. While doing that he was asked to serve in the Vineyard Movement as a Regional Director of Church Planting task force which he did for 13 years. Randy also had deep passion to coach ministry leaders into new phases of their lives. He spent the last 12 years working with a variety of African countries training and equipping leaders with the Word, Discovering God’s Love bible studies, and critical thinking.
In all of these opportunities, it was Randy’s greatest pleasure to work with others. He enjoyed the synergy that took place when people invested their hearts into Kingdom work. He actually worked all the time. His computer in his lap. Building relationships was key in Randy’s life – he wanted to be available to his ministering partners, friends, and family. On his walks in Africa he was always talking to someone.
Randy and Karin were married in May of 1978. They started their life together in Edmonton and God eventually moved them to Southern California where they spent the majority of their 44 years together. They had 4 children- Adam (Kayla), Alex (Emily), Austin (Molly) and Katy (Ben)- and have been blessed by 11 grandchildren.
Randy was no couch potato, although he did love his recliner. He loved working his garden, enjoyed crafts (no kidding), clay works was a favorite thing to do during the holidays. Hiking and cleaning the house was necessary for his thinking and processing times. When the kids were little coaching t-ball was his years of fun.
Randy decided when kids were elementary age that he wanted to focus not just on work but to be a family man. Camping, beach, hikes, and pool time in the summers. Nature was where God met his soul. Mammoth was his favorite place. He would work in the morning, then head off on a trail and finish his day sitting by a lake reading a book with a cigar. Sharing Mammoth memories with our kids and grands will always be remembered.
Randy’s life is a reminder to be courageous, bold, and a direct witness for Jesus. He practiced being quiet before the Lord, deep prayer, reading the word, actively tight with his men’s group and staff. I hope we all try to include these practices to have a life that honors God.