Greg received his Bachelors degree in ministry from Vision Christian University. He has been married to his wonderful wife Marilyn for 45 years. They have two sons, Jesse & Ben, along with a great daughter-in-law Janette.  Jesse & Janette have 2 beautiful children and Ben is working and helping with the family.  Greg also served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970, spending one year with the 1st Calvary Division in Vietnam.

I have been incredibly blessed these last twenty-seven years here at In His Steps Christian Homes and have since retired in Idaho with my wife Linda. I can only attribute it to our Lord Jesus. Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”. This is my life verse. The ministry’s desire and main goal is walking in the steps of Jesus Christ. He is the way the truth and the life. It’s God’s truth that has allowed us to see so many victories in the life of the residents of IHS throughout the years. We began in November 1995 in a older farm house hoping to help four people. At the time I was attending UCSD alcohol and drug counseling classes. My plan was to finish the certification and work with the addict and alcoholic. But God had another plan the ministry began with one home and today we have 5 homes. When Greg Roderick and I began to work full time I was the Care Minister at Ramona First Baptist which is now Mountain View Community Church. I completed the UCSD certification and found everything that works in the recovery of men and women is found in the Word of God. We have seen such remarkable success in the resident beyond tolerable recovery; a full life, returning mothers and fathers to their children. What a blessing it is to see the families reunited at their graduation. We are in constant thankfulness that the Lord has blessed the ministry and allowing us to be a part of His work.

My wife Linda is a essential part of this work, She has been our financial officer from the very beginning. What a blessing she has been to me and our 5 children, and 13 grandchildren. She is one of the first graduates of the Faith Bible Institute. Linda is our Co- Founder along with  Pastor Greg Roderick and myself. She also serves as our main Healing Prayer Counselor.

In His Steps has had a miraculous amount of community support along with six churches that support us. I can’t thank you enough to all our supporters.   We wouldn’t have seen such success without you. We have 15 classes’ at the men’s and 15 classes’ at the women’s homes every week. Most of the teachers have been with us for many years. I Thank God for my 39 years of sobriety. Only God can do this. Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Don’t give up I always say, as long as there is breath there’s hope.

 Linda L. Denny was an active member of Mountain View Community Church since 1990 until retirement in 2022. She married Robert Denny in 1993 and together they started the In His Steps Ministry. She has worked in the Accounting field since 1970. She worked as a Controller for a company in San Diego for over 19 years. Linda has done the accounting for In His Steps since it started in 1995 and councils whenever needed. Linda is a graduate of Faith Bible Institute receiving an Advanced Diploma in Biblical Studies.

Nick has served in various church ministries for over 30 years, working with youth, adults, families and the community. He also has experience in leading overseas mission trips and disaster relief. Nick’s passion is teaching the Bible and helping people grow in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is currently a member at Grace Community church and most recently became an Elder of his church. Nick pursued Biblical studies at Southern California Bible College and Seminary.

He and his wife Ann have been married for 28 years and have two children, Natalie 18 & Ethan 15.

This is my story:

1/29/2007 my son dropped me off at the women’s home. I had never heard of In His Steps before. In fact, I remember thinking, Ramona? Who lives in Ramona? Prior to that date, I lived on the streets of El Cajon, recycling to support my drug habit. I couldn’t afford rent, because I spent every bit of money I had on drugs or cigarettes. Everything else was secondary! I am not joking. That is what addiction will do! The pain of missing my children, the despair of my lifestyle drove me further and further into addiction. Homeless, rebellious and a victim! God rescued me from the muck and mire of the storm drain that I called home.

I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him. Psalm 40:1-3

That was in January of 2007. The first year of sobriety I had to learn or relearn lessons contrary to street living. I actually needed a lot of help. I will always be grateful for the patience and guidance the staff showed me. Recovery requires focus and discipline. It was one of the best years of my life. I absolutely fell in love with Jesus. I found out I could function, in fact hold down a job. I paid my rent. I learned a lot and enjoyed fellowship with a house full of sisters in Christ. I graduated January 2008, exactly a year from the day I arrived. I will always consider graduating from In His Steps as one of my greatest achievements. Three days after I had arrived, there was a triple graduation. I was sure I saw angels floating above the graduates as they gave their testimonies. That is when the Lord put it on my heart that I was going to be able to reach that goal as well, and so I did! It seemed nearly impossible but, with God all things are possible.

The Lord didn’t just take away my craving for drugs and the call to that rebellious lifestyle; He gave me a brand new life.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behind, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The Lord continues to grow us up and He gives us opportunities to mature in our faith. That year as a resident was a special blessing that I will always cherish. The cozy home and the Christian fellowship was so soul quenching after surviving on the streets so many years.

That is what I wanted you to know as the reader. It is not just a rehab or place to learn how not to do drugs or drink alcohol, it is truly a ministry where the residents learn how to live, and breath, in Jesus…

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son purifies us from all sin.

I was lost but now I have been found!

Amazing grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind but now I see.- Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.-John Newton

Maybe you have never felt the sting of addiction in your own life. Maybe you have never watched a loved one change completely into somebody or something you don’t even recognize. Maybe you are indifferent towards addicts and addiction. Maybe you look down on addicts with disdain and contempt. In the United States the number that die from addiction each day are as follows; about 31,000 due to alcohol, nearly 22,000 due to overdose from illicit (Illegal drugs) and close to 23,000 due to overdose from prescription pain relievers.

My Name is Javier Herrera, and I want to share with you why I am not one of those statistics. Addiction wakes you up every day (that is if you slept the night before) to torture you!Obsessive compulsive thoughts about getting drugs, needing drugs and not having enough drugs run continuously in your head..consuming an addict’s day. Eventually it takes over your life. I lived in that entrapment for 18 years. I was miserable. My family didn’t know what to do with me. They tried to turn me into the daycare nanny for all my nieces and nephews. I was even more miserable then!

I didn’t know what to do, how to get out of this mess. Somehow God saw my suffering and saw fit to intervene.

God’s Word tells us; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declared the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your way, and my thoughts that