PEGGY GERST
Peggy Gerst is the President and Founder of Strategic Ministries Inc. (SMI) She graduated from the first In The Spirit course taught in Houston in 1989, began leading the study in 1993 and incorporated it as a ministry in 1997. Peggy leads and oversees the various activities of SMI. Her love and dedication to this ministry are fueled by: her desire to be used by the Lord, the blessing of watching and being a part of transformed lives, and watching graduates grow in their relationship with the Lord and then follow Him into His service.
Peggy grew up in a Christian home and knew Jesus as Savior as a child. In 1975 she realized she needed Him as Lord and made that decision. In 1978 she encountered the Holy Spirit in her home and her spiritual life began to grow in new ways. Peggy was ordained as a Christian minister in 2003 by the Federation of Ministers and Churches, led by Dr. Jim Hodges. Important advisors include Ann Lattimore, Dr. Patti Amsden, and Tricia Miller.
Peggy grew up in Shreveport, LA, and attended both Baylor University and La. Tech University where she received a degree in Business Administration. Peggy and Robert Gerst married in 1967, have three children and four grandchildren. They reside in Houston, TX.
ROBERT GERST
Robert (Bob) Gerst is the Secretary of Strategic Ministries Inc. and has been serving in SMI since its inception. He leads the men’s In the Spirit classes. What is most meaningful to him about SMI is the transformation that occurs in individuals as they complete the course. Not only are lives changed but many ministries have grown out of SMI.
Robert’s wife, Peggy, is the founder of SMI and they raised their family of three in Houston. They have four grandchildren.
Robert holds a BBA in Business Administration from Baylor University and a BS in Information Technology from Louisiana Tech University. He is a veteran having served in the United States Marine Corps. After his time in the Marines, he worked for various Oil & Gas Companies in Houston and retired from SYSCO Corporation after 25 years of service.
ANNE POUNS
Anne Pouns’ walk with the Lord started early in life. She cannot remember a time when she did not know Him. As an adult, life circumstances lead her to seek the Lord in a deeper way. This seeking lead her to the In the Spirit discipleship course. She began taking the classes in 1991, and after completing the course in 1994, she remained involved in hosting and teaching this study so that others could be blessed as she had been blessed. Since then, Anne has been serving in Strategic Ministries Inc (SMI), the ministry that offers In the Spirit, a discipleship course.
Starting in 1997, Anne began serving on the Board of SMI as Treasurer. Anne has a BBA from SMU and an MBA from the University of Texas, Austin. After graduation, Anne worked at Texas Commerce Bank (now JPMorgan Chase). Fourteen years later, she retired to take on her most important job: raising three daughters.
Anne and her husband Steve married in 1975, and they have three daughters and three granddaughters. Steve also has taken the In the Spirit class and joined the SMI team that serves men who desire to grow in the Spirit.
Anne’s greatest desire is to introduce others to God’s love and power so that they will grow in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and minister in the Spirit.
JANET JONES
Janet Jones has been serving in administrative ways since graduating from SMI in 2010. She became a believer in Jesus Christ as her Savior as a young girl. He became Lord in her adult years, and she cannot imagine a life without Him. SMI has been a lifeline for her in many ways - strengthening her walk with Him year by year as the layers of His Spirit are revealed. She jokes that she keeps serving in SMI because she’s a slower learner, but in reality, there are numerous other reasons. "With each year I've served as a class administrator I hear the curriculum teachings in new ways, learning more about Him and endeavoring to apply the truths in my personal life. No other Bible study course in my adult life has impacted me in the same way." She and her husband, Ted (Class of 2019) would say that the course has changed the trajectory of their marriage, strengthened their walk with the Lord and, in turn, other relationships.
Janet loves being a lifelong Texan and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Texas Tech University. She and Ted have raised 3 children that in turn have blessed them with 9 grandchildren. She joined the board to serve as the ministry administrator in 2020. Her favorite part of serving as administrator is planning the yearly graduation retreats and having a front row seat to witness the impact the course has brought to countless other lives as well.
