Beginnings

After associating with the Kisers for 4 years 1974 – 1978, Leslie went to Bangalore for training in an Assembly of God Bible College.  Just as Leslie was leaving for Bible College Richard Kiser told him that if Leslie would decide to join a Foursquare Bible College someday, he would most gladly recommend him to a Bible College in the Philippines.  In September of 1978, God through a vision spoke to Leslie, that He is calling him to be trained in a Foursquare Bible College, and he eventually would establish Foursquare Churches in Sri Lanka.  He therefore immediately contacted Richard Kiser and requested him to send him the address of a Foursquare Bible College in the Philippines.  Upon receipt of this address Leslie wrote to Rev. Philip Starr who was the General Supervisor of the Foursquare churches in the Philippines.  On the recommendation of the Kisers, Foursquare Missions International accepted Leslie as a pastor in training and sent him to the Philippines in May 1979.  In the meantime the Kisers were asked to serve as Foursquare Missionaries in Sri Lanka. The Kisers returned to the United States to be ordained at the International Convention in April 1979. Then, after a brief exposure to the successful work in the Philippines, the Kisers returned to Sri Lanka in October 1979 and the Foursquare Ministry was officially started.  For the next three and a half years the Kisers led the work establishing three churches and gathering together nineteen workers.