Meet Dr. Wesley Paul

A Life Devoted to the Gospel

Wesley was born in Bangalore, India, to Christian parents. Although he was raised in a Christian home, he did not develop a personal connection with Jesus during his early years.

Reflecting on that time, he describes his life as spiritually empty, spiritually dead and did not want anything to do with Christianity.

Everything changed when he was 18 years old. On an Easter Sunday, a youth leader spoke about the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection and the promise of new life available to those who believe. That message deeply impacted Wesley. On that day, he encountered Jesus in a powerful and personal way and experienced a genuine conversion. From that moment on, his life took a new direction—one centered on following Christ and sharing the gospel with others.

At 19, Wesley moved to Canada to attend a Bible school, where he spent a year receiving formal Christian education. After completing his studies, he relocated to Kentucky to attend the University of the Cumberlands. During his time there, he became actively involved in the campus ministry revival team, which provided opportunities to preach in churches across Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and West Virginia. It was through these experiences that Wesley sensed a clear calling from God to become a preacher—specifically, an evangelist. Looking back, Wesley recognizes that this calling had been forming even in his childhood. Growing up in India, he often attended gospel festivals and evangelistic meetings with his family. As a young boy, he was inspired by the evangelists he heard and felt a desire to one day do the same. What he did not realize at the time was that God was preparing him for a global ministry. Shortly after recommitting his life to Christ at 18, an evangelist spoke a prophetic word over Wesley’s life, declaring that he would preach to the nations and conduct gospel meetings around the world. The evangelist also shared with Wesley that he would one day marry someone from America. Years later, while living in Kentucky, Wesley met Debbie, who would become his wife. They have now been married for 36 years and have two children, Ashley and Jonathan. Ashley lives in England with her husband, Rory, and their young child, while Jonathan is completing his college education with a degree in social work. Following his time at the University of the Cumberlands, Wesley attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. During his seminary years, he was licensed and ordained as a minister of the gospel. After graduating, he moved to Iowa, where he served as a pastor within the Southern Baptist denomination for eight years, leading two churches. In addition to his pastoral work, he also served as a hospital chaplain. Wesley later earned a doctorate in pastoral care and counseling from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. In 1998, Wesley sensed a strong calling to transition from pastoral ministry into full-time evangelism. He stepped away from his role in Iowa and began his own evangelistic ministry. The following year, he joined evangelist Luis Palau as a Network Evangelist. Under Palau’s mentorship, Wesley was equipped and encouraged to take the gospel to the nations while also investing in the lives of other evangelists. For over two decades, Wesley has traveled extensively, preaching the gospel in more than 45 countries. His ministry has included gospel festivals, crusades, pastors’ conferences, and leadership training events around the world. His heart remains focused on helping people encounter Jesus and equipping others to do the same. More recently, Wesley joined Leighton Ford Ministries as a Senior Global Mentoring Trainer. In this role, he is actively involved in mentoring and developing evangelists and ministry leaders across the globe. Currently, he mentors nearly 20 individuals, continuing the legacy of encouragement and discipleship that was poured into his own life. Wesley’s passion is to see people come to know Jesus wherever he goes. Whether in restaurants, hotels, airplanes, or airports, he consistently engages people in meaningful conversations about faith. He also has a deep commitment to teaching others how to share the gospel effectively. Through evangelism training seminars and personal mentorship, he equips believers around the world to confidently and compassionately share their faith.

Wesley holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and is a licensed mental health professional and currently serves at Campbellsville University.