Dois Rosser: An Extraordinary Man of Faith

“…Well done, good and faithful servant…” Matthew 25:23

On 12 November the world lost a valiant man of faith, but Heaven gained a steadfast soul. As Dois Rosser went to be with Jesus, he joins his precious wife, Shirley, along with his long-time friend and partner in ministry, Pastor Dick Woodward.

Extraordinary is a word that describes Dois Rosser. He humbly called himself “a car salesman.” That’s the ‘ordinary’ part of Dois, although he ran one of the most successful car dealerships in the country and hobnobbed with business luminaries like Lee Iacocca.

The ‘extra’ in extraordinary depicts his incredible devotion to Jesus Christ and His commandment, “Go and make disciples.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

While leading his booming businesses in the 1960s and 1970s, Dois also served on the Boards of Trans World Radio, Prison Fellowship, Leighton Ford Ministries and was involved with the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism.

Extraordinary is the way Dois offered up his everything for the Kingdom, especially at the age of 65 (when most businessmen contemplate playing golf fulltime) he founded International Cooperating Ministries (ICM) in 1986.

Extraordinary describes his friendship with Dick Woodward that continues to yield miraculous fruit for the Kingdom today. Dick had a vision to make the “whole Word available for the whole world” through the Mini Bible College, an Old and New Testament survey course designed to make Scripture applicable in our daily lives.

Dois was mesmerized with how Dick’s MBC teachings put the Bible “on a shelf of understanding accessible to all.” He made Dick’s vision a reality with strategic efforts undergirded by prayer. After recording the MBC in the early 1980s before Dick’s neurological disease constricted him to a wheelchair, Dois sponsored broadcasts and translations of the MBC.

At Dick’s memorial celebration in 2014, Dois said that God intersected his life with Dick’s and blessed their friendship into a miracle: the ministry of ICM (assisting church growth worldwide) and MBC (nurturing believers with practical discipleship tools.)

To date ICM has constructed 8,700 churches in 93 countries with indigenous ministry partners, while MBC has been translated in 56 languages and shared with millions around the world.

Dois was also an extraordinary conduit of God’s love. He spread the love of Jesus in ways that mattered, often anonymously.

He loved his precious wife, Shirley, for 76 years of marriage before she passed on September 29th. He loved his daughters – Pam, Cindy, and Janice – and their families.

Dois also shared the love of Jesus as a great friend and brother in Christ. Before Dick’s quadriplegia, Dois organized speaking opportunities for him around the country with Prison Fellowship and other organizations. Dois and Shirley and Dick and Ginny enjoyed sweet fellowship on many of those trips.

When doctors said Dick would need a wheelchair, Dois organized a group of friends to build a one-story house especially equipped for Dick’s health challenges. When Dick needed an expensive van for his wheelchair to get around, Dois helped. When Dick became a homebound bedfast quadriplegic, Dois brought countless visitors to Williamsburg to see him there.

When not scheduled to visit, Dois called regularly to check in, “How’s it going, Dick?”

Dois Rosser leaves a legacy of extraordinary love, faithfulness and friendship. He will be missed!

Dick, Dois, and his daughter, Janice Allen (CEO of ICM)

Our hearts, prayers and love are with his daughters – Pam Minter, Cindy Higgins, Janice Allen – and the extended Rosser family at this time along with everyone at ICM.

A Memorial Celebration of Dois Rosser’s life and ministry will be held on Sunday, December 8th at 3:00PM at the Williamsburg Community Chapel (3899 John Tyler Hwy) in Williamsburg, Virginia.

One Response to Dois Rosser: An Extraordinary Man of Faith

  1. Edie Rittinger says:

    What a wonderful tribute to a beautiful man of God

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