As president and founder of Mantle Ministries for over 30 years, Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler has had the unique privilege in ministry of communicating faith and family-building messages over a span of two generations of home-educated families throughout North America, Europe, and most recently China. As the mantle of ministry was passed from Elijah to Elisha, the purpose of Mantle Ministries is that of passing a mantle of America's Christian heritage from one generation to another, thereby preserving a Godly legacy and Christ-honoring standard given to us by our Founding Fathers. "Little Bear Outdoor Adventure Family Camps" and "Landmarks of the Faith" living-history tours have been among the trailblazing "frontiers" associated with the vision of Mantle Ministries over the years.

The publishing facet of Mantle Ministries has enjoyed the heritage of reprinting over seventy rare books from the 18th and 19th centuries that focus on our Christian heritage and biblical values. "Little Bear" (a frontier nickname given to him through the Royal Rangers, a worldwide Christian ministry) has authored God's Mighty Hand: Providential Occurrences in World History, an anthology of the accounts God's miraculous intervention throughout history. His first booklet, Warning Public Schools Aren't for Christians, is a challenging analysis of God's mandate of parental responsibility in educating the next generation for Christ. The publishing company has expanded to provide a variety of resource materials including "HIS-STORY" DVDs, CDs, and historical accessories, alongside the Christ-honoring books which have been recommended for Christian school, church, and family heritage libraries, as well as Christian home education curricula. His accurate, engrossing, and unforgettable dramatized messages, along with character-building portrayals of historical role models, provide inspiration to all ages. Using authentic costumes and props, "Little Bear" presents enthralling portrayals of historical events and true stories not found in public instruction nor in books published during the last 100 years.

Having recently retired from the evangelistic field, Richard "Little Bear" Wheeler now counts it an indescribable privilege in ministry to co-labor in the pastoral field of Living Water Fellowship in Bulverde, Texas, serving its people, and being called Pastor "Little Bear." His ongoing passion is to continue teaching God's Holy Word to those who would hear, to demonstrate the love of Christ to those who would see, and to impart the relevance of a growing faith in Jesus Christ – the Rock of our salvation, the Author and Finisher of our faith – to yet another generation.

"Little Bear" and his wife, Marilyn, have been married for 38 years, and have had the unique privilege of having home educated their three grown children, Noelle, Aimee, and Josh, while on the evangelistic field. At the home front, as "empty-nesters" they are now experiencing the joy of being whole-hearted grandparents to their beloved grandchildren, still trusting in the promise of God's word found in Deuteronomy 7:9 - "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations."

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