While pastoring in Atlanta, Georgia; then Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; I completed 90 required semester hours for the Master of Divinity DEGREE, with a concentration in Christian Education and COUNSELING; then, went to POST GRADUATE SCHOOL to earn the Doctor of Ministry DEGREE in Church Administration and COUNSELING.

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Later, I studied PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, PHARMACOLOGY, and (again) COUNSELING, for Certification in DUAL DIAGNOSES THERAPY.

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The PROGRAMS I'd completed in those 8 years made such an IMPACT, I told my father in ministry I WAS interested in MEDICAL SCHOOL to become a PSYCHIATRIST to provide counseling for bishops and pastors who were suffering.

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BUT ... HE WASN'T IMPRESSED!

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BUT ... because I'd seen so much by that time ....it was important to me:

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1. One bishop committed SUICIDE by jumping from a bridge because he had to retire.

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2. The pastor who helped me move from Georgia to Pennsylvania (just the 2 of us ... spending 14 hours on the road together) never mentioned problems; but 2 weeks later, I was a PALLBEARER at his FUNERAL. He'd committed suicide "by shooting himself" in the mouth with a gun he'd just purchased. (He left a note)!

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3. Another ... was so STRESSED, he set his house (the parsonage) on fire (that's just a few of the MANY stories).

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But ... when my Mother died of breast CANCER just days after her 57th birthday...; that's when my focus shifted, from THE MIND to THE BODY!

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Her experiences with breast CANCER before she was 50 (then dying right after her 57th birthday) caused me (while pastoring) to go back to school (again). This time to take PRE-MED courses, to ENTER MEDICAL SCHOOL, to study, and hopefully cure CANCER.

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In the process of researching MEDICAL SCHOOLS and how best to put my Career Goals on track, I became familiar with the differences in approaches to medicine and what the M.D., D.O., N.D., and DC Programs train you to do. But, because my interest was healing - rather than a focus on disease management, I needed a holistic approach, emphasizing balance, harmony, and interconnectedness within the body and with the environment; often using practices that tends to be more PREVENTATIVE (promoting overall wellness and achieving balance within the body, mind, and environment) rather than REACTIVE (focus on disease management: Diagnosing and treating specific diseases and symptoms; a more narrow, targeted approach than what I was after).

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Although my interest was cancer, I was far more interest in studying how to prevent it than I was in treating it.

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So here I am today; a retired pastor and still thinking about these things! So, I've written TWO BOOKS (more are coming)!

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Together, they put forth my HOLISTIC beliefs about health and wellness, giving testimony to why I think some pastors become ill.

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I KNOW. I've Had MY SHARE!

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Finally, I was accepted to N.D. MEDICAL SCHOOL, one that would prepare me to offer a COMPREHENSIVE DISEASE PREVENTATIVE APPROACH to patient care rather than a focus (as mentioned) on the DISEASE MANAGEMENT APPROACH.

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■ ... but ... the Doctor who examined ME for THE Naval Reserve CHAPLANCY POSITION "said" YOU BETTER SEE YOUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN ...!

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I eventually went...; it's HOW, WHEN, and WHY that is worth noting: I had increased my life insurance to fly to Paris, France for the Roland-Garros FRENCH OPEN Tennis Tournament. After returning, as we were leaving for Sunday Worship, I read one letter I'd overlooked. It was from the insurance company that I'd assigned my increase in coverage to. "They were DENYING my application for health reasons).

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The Doctor who later examined me, said, YOU HAVE CANCER.

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After the visit, because I didn't return as scheduled, he left a message on my phone saying "YOU HAVE TWO (2) MONTHS TO LIVE. That was almost THIRTY (30) AGO.

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At my request, the medical school put my ADMISSION on hold, a SEAT I ultimately relinquished due to treatment and related protocols.

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In the BIBLE, Job says "FOR THE THING I FEARED THE MOST HAS COME UPON ME (Job 3:25 - NKJV)."

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SO READ MY BOOKS:

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1. Why Should Anybody Bother to Change HOW WE DO CHURCH! Why Should Anyone Really Listen? - 2017 Xulon Press.

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2. WHY I HAD THE STROKE [Black Pastor Talks About How Managing Church Affected His Life and Ministry] - 2023 Xulon Press.

You can GET THEM BOTH for a donation of $45.00 to our ministry.

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(Both books can be purchased on this site).

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■You can donate giving through

CASH APP: $Englestreet

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■You can donate giving by mail:

HOLTZ INTERNATIONAL

C/O Dr. Andrew T. Holtz, Jr.

2601 Tonbridge Drive

Wilmington, Delaware 19810

(USA)​

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THANK YOU!

Dr. Andrew T. Holtz, Jr., MDiv, DMin

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C O N T A C T  I N F O R M A T I O N:

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EMAILS:

holtzinternational2@gmail.com

Andrewholtzjr@aol.com

Andrewholtzjr@gmail.com

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PHONE NUMBERS:

484-832-2725

202-792-8896

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WEBSITE ADDRESSES:

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MINISTRY

www.holtzinternational.com

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WELLNESS

holtzinternational.lovebiome.com

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DONATION (CASH APP):

$Englestreet