D. Rudi Schwartz was born in South Africa and growing up in a Christian family, Rudi answered God's claim on his life when he was 13 years old. He trained at the University of Pretoria, where he obtained his B.A., B.D. and Post Grad. Dipl. Theol.As a licensed exit student, he completed National Service as an Army Chaplain in the South African Defence Force before he was ordained as minister of Word and Sacrament of the Dutch Reformed Church in 1981.In 1994, after he had been received into the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, he and his family migrated to Australia. He accepted a call to Warren (NSW). Rudi has been married to Heila for 44 years. They have four children and 13 grand-children.His ministry included serving as a patrol padre of the Presbyterian Inland Mission (founded by Rev Dr John Flynn in 1912). In this capacity, he served a 'congregation' spread over an area of about 250,000 sq kilometres.Whilst in Townsville (Queensland), he had the privilege to serve a term as State Moderator. Adhering to the principle that all matters of faith must be tested against the infallible and inerrant Word of God, he describes himself as 'confessional reformed'.He retired after almost forty years of congregational ministry and now lives in Bathurst, Australia. Rudi loves classical music, gardening, woodwork, cars and caravanning.