Pastor John Arthur Lloyd

Pastor John Arthur Lloyd, 75, of Charlestown, Indiana, died at 3:15 a.m.Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Heritage Hospice in Marietta, Georgia.

He was born August 24, 1942, in Macon, Georgia, the son of Hannah (Roley) Smith and Herbert Arthur Lloyd, who both preceded him in death. On April 27, 2003, he married Deborah Lloyd, who survives in Charlestown.

Pastor Lloyd graduated from Van Wert High School in 1960 and Miami University in Oxford with a degree in commercial art. John was given an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the Christian Life School of Theology at Beacon University. He served in the United States Army as an illustrator and designer. After working a few years in art and design John received a calling to serve in the ministry and was mentored by Dr. Paul E. Paino of Calvary Ministries International in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Through this connection, John founded The Adam’s Apple in the midst of the ‘60s and ‘70s Jesus Movement. The Apple grew into a large coffeehouse ministry at The Landing and, later, in the former Calvary Temple building on North Clinton Street in Fort Wayne. Thousands of young people were led to follow Jesus by the ministry of John, the Apple staff, and performers such as Honeytree, Petra, Phil Keaggy, and Larry Norman. John was known to pick up his guitar and harmonica, joining the performers in their praise each night.

In the late 1970s, John felt called to expand his ministry and moved his family to the Christian Retreat in Bradenton, Florida. Soon after, he began ministering on his own in the living room of friends in Clearwater, Florida. Through God’s grace, this bible study expanded explosively over the next 20 years, becoming Countryside Christian Center and moving into increasingly larger facilities until building a large church and theology school on North McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater. Several thousand parishioners attended CCC each Sunday to hear John preach God’s word. John did a prison ministry in the Clearwater area as well.

In 2012, after 29 years at Countryside Christian Center, John and Deborah moved north to minister in Charlestown, Indiana, through the Evangel World Prayer Center. During this time of living in Charlestown he also taught in a drug rehabilitation facility in Louisville, Kentucky. John’s love of the Lord and desire to bring people to have a living relationship with Jesus were his passion throughout his adult life. John and Deborah restored and transformed their Charlestown home, the 1916 Ward Watson “Governor’s Mansion”, into a bed and breakfast and events rental location, which remains in operation today.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Elizabeth Anne Iovino of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; one son, John Andrew Lloyd of South Haven, Michigan; stepsons Joseph (Heather) Lamson of Williamstown, Kentucky, Jeffry (Mallory) Lamson of Krane, Indiana,and Jason (Sarah) Lamson of Clearwater, Florida; a stepdaughter, Jennifer Sarver of Lexington, Kentucky; two sisters, Deborah (William) Kelly of Van Wert and Brenda (Tom Schneider) Lloyd of Columbus; grandchildren Evan Kopp, McKayla, Aubrey, Abigail, and Morgan Lamson, Adria, Jana, Cohen, and Ella Lamson, Eva, Samuel, and Wyatt Sarver, and Riley and Kai Lamson; and many nieces and nephews.

His stepmother, Mary Virginia Lloyd; his stepfather, Harold C. Smith, M.D.; a sister, Debbie Lloyd; and an infant granddaughter, Angel Sarver, also preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 23, at Countryside Christian Center in Clearwater, Florida. Burial will be at Sylvan Abbey Cemetery in Clearwater. Services at the cemetery will be family and invitation only.