Two undeniable realities that I have learned in my over 40 years of local church involvement:
1. The ministry can be a very LONELY calling.
2. Shepherding people is NOT for the faint-of-heart.
We just don’t have many people to whom we can turn when we need to talk. People we can trust. People we can be sure will never judge nor betray us. People who, no matter what, will never think less of us. People to whom we can be real. People who love us. People who understand the unique pressures of the ministry. People who “get it.”
So it is in that spirit of someone who “gets it” that I freely make myself available to pastors, youth pastors, staff members — anyone in any ministry leadership position — to offer my love and encouragement to them.
I surely do not have all the answers. I cannot begin to solve every problem. I cannot relieve every pressure, nor wave a wand and magically make everything better.
But I CAN love you, listen to you, encourage you, bear the burdens of life and ministry with you, pray for you, come alongside you, and cheer you on in the race.
And most importantly, since I am not a part of your ministry, I am indeed a “safe” resource to whom you can turn when you feel as though you are all alone and have nowhere to turn.
40+ years in the battle I am. And, by the grace of God, still standing.
If I can come alongside you during a dark hour, shed a little light, in effect put an arm around you and support you in the battle, then the struggles that I have endured, the pain that I have carried, the emotional scars that I continue to bear will have all been worth it.
So it is with a heart filled to overflowing with a profound respect for you and all that you do for the glory of God that I make myself available to you to serve you in any way that I can.
Please feel free to…
Email me: duilio.bertolini@comcast.net;
or Facebook me: Dewey Bertolini
to let me know how I can help.
Dewey Bertolini 
Mr. Bertolini,
Just a quick note to say thank you! 25 years ago you were the speaker at Hume Lake on the 4th of July week. I am coming up on my 25th birthday! I will never forget the words you said… “I am here to literally scare the hell out of you”. That night changed the course of history for me, and that ministry has continued to reach out.
This is meant to be a word of affirmation, God has done great things over the last 25 years. His witness is great in my life… His love reaches as well. God is good… be encouraged!
Many thanks, and I pray continued blessings over you, your family, and the many lives you still have set before you.
Hi Paula. What a great way for me to begin my day. Thank you for your kind words. Thank you for staying faithful for all of these years. Your words mean the world to me.
Hi Dewey,
Great to see all that you and your wife have been doing for His Kingdom! We met at Calvary Bible in Burbank under Dr. Richard Laue and Lo Mielke, the children’s pastor at that time.
I will try to call you again and catch up.
Sincerely His,
Bette Bond
Hey Dewey! It’s Janea Murdock! The girl with the red hair from this summers Hartland camp the one (girl) you said is always in your head and the one that makes you laugh. Do you remember me? I miss you so much and Hartland and my friend Tamara Says Hi! I Hope to here from you soon. You can email me at kendenm4@verizon.net! That is my dad’s email ! I don’t have a email anymore because of misuse of it! So you could just say like this email is for Janea. I miss you so much! I hope to hear from you soon!
Love,
Janea Murdock
Ps: God Bless You and have a wonderful day!
Hey Dewey! Do you remember me? I miss you!
Of course. I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!!!
Thanks! I hope you and your family have a Awesome Christmas too! I Hope to talk to you soon! I am going to a Winter Camp with my Canyon Lake Church on January 2nd to the 5th! I will let you know how the camp went though! I will let you know what songs we sang and what the main focus of the week was okay! I hope to hear from you soon! You are a Awesome person and I love you! You rock! I am really enjoying school! My teacher Mrs.Silla(Lara) and her assistant Mrs.Fambrough(Christina) the principal are just Amazing! I Love them both so much! I go to a Christian school! Working in Paces! An ACE school! Well I Hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Well,I will talk to you later( email you later).
Sincerely,
Janea Murdock
Ps: God Bless!
Hey Dewey! Did you know that they video taped the 2014 camp that me and my friend Tamara went to the camp were I met you? I just watched it and it made me cry.I miss Hartland camp so much! I just came back from a winter camp up in Big Bear called camp pondo.I had sooo much fun there! I just got back today and I already miss it soo much. there is a picture of my friend Tamara and I on the Hartland website. So you click on media scroll down to photos once you are on the photo page click high school summer camp #1 2014
scroll down till you see a picture of a black girl I am not trying to be racist there is no other way to describe her and a red hair girl hugging then you can see more pictures with Tamara in it. also, the video is the same thing you just go to videos click on Hartland High school summer camp #1 2014. I Miss you and Hartland soo much! Do you know if Kinsey Or Jordan has an email? PLease let me know!
Thanks,
Janea Murdock
Hi Dewey – this is Kevin Heppner – a youth minisrues student from The Masters College days. I tell people that my claim to fame is that I used to student critique Francis Chan in your sermon prep class. HaHa
A little over a year ago I contacted you about my daughter who was cutting and attempted suicide. She has recovered – a transformed young lady now – living for the Lord. Thanks so much.
Thanks again for your friendship and everything you taught me. You let me sit in and be the timer when you interviewed Josh McDowell and Chuck Colson for your friend Jims radio show
Kevin, my friend, just the mention of your name floods me with some of my most precious memories. MISS YOU tons. Thank you for being my friend.
Well hello, old friend. Your name came up this evening, and a quick Google search led us here. What a blessing you continue to be!
Loving the concept of Safe Haven. We attend a similar church here in Long Beach. Would love to catch up by phone sometime soon.
Fondly,
David & Bj Hickman
Thank you for the note. What a hoot. Hope you are well.
Dewey,
You led me to Jesus at 16 years old in July 1999 at Hume Lake. I’m 35 now and have never forgotten that special time with my closest Christian friends, and you as that weeks speaker. The theme that summer was Solus Veritas: One Truth. I remember you telling us that we were holding that One Truth “right in your hands,” which is Gods Word, of course. I just found you here at Safe Haven and have begun listening to your podcasts. Thank you for being faithful on preaching the Gospel for all these years. Like you said at Hume all then, if we never see each other again here, we’ll get to talk again “up there…” Thankful for this ministry and your heart for Jesus. You were used by Him in my life in an eternal way- thank you Dewey!
Lovely blog you have heree
Dewey,
I was listening this week on BBN. I enjoyed your messages. I think it was Moral Suicide, where you talked about purity. I hope that dating people know to set limits. My dad said to me looky talky no touchy.
Why do you need a physical act to prove your love? “If you love me, you will do this or allow me to.”
Apart from that, I think if either of us causes sexual stirrings in either, to stop. If one wants to push it, get up and leave … and to break off the relationship. Do you love God more than them?