Houghton University Athletics

John Bechtel was born and grew up in Hong Kong as the son of Christian & Missionary Alliance missionaries. As a toddler, John escaped with his mother on the last ship departing Hong Kong before the Japanese occupation of World War II.  His father was interned by the Japanese in a concentration camp while John spent the war years with his mother in the United States, returning to Hong Kong at the age of seven.
 
John grew up playing sports there, being exposed to activities foreign to most American children… cricket, rugby and field hockey, along with the international sport of soccer.
 
He was drawn to the camaraderie of connecting with teammates that sports provided.
 
When it came time to choose a college, the natural expectation was that he’d attend Nyack College near New York City, but he was looking for something beyond expectations. A fellow missionary recommended Houghton, and after a train trip to Western New York and a few difficulties even finding the campus, he had arrived at the place he’d call home for the next four years.
 
His involvement in the intramural, class and Purple & Gold sports began immediately, and during his time in Houghton, he played soccer and football, dabbled in a few other sports, and even coached the women’s field hockey team. He served for two years as president of the Student Athletics Association.
 
John was also active in Houghton’s Foreign Missions Fellowship, the Star newspaper and the Boulder yearbook.
 
Following his time at Houghton, it was clear to John that God was calling him back to the mission field and a life of service. He continued his Bible education at Nyack and later received a master’s degree at Jaffray School of Missions before returning to Hong Kong with his wife Donna.
 
During his first missionary term in Hong Kong from 1966 - 1970, he worked among the youth, taught in high school, preached frequently, and planted a church in a high-rise resettlement area.  During his second term, he and his wife Donna realized their dream of an effective camping program with an evangelistic emphasis, founding Suen Douh Camp in 1971. Since its inception, over one million people have experienced the evangelistic program and over 100,000 of them have indicated a decision to accept Christ.
 
John and Donna served in Hong Kong for 15 years, during which time John was Field Chairman of the Hong Kong mission from 1973 – 1980 and was, for periods during those years, Chairman of the Board of the Alliance Bible Seminary, the Alliance Press, and Alliance Radio. He spearheaded a church planting project which saw three churches planted and seven more on the drawing board. This team effort has blossomed to over 130 churches today.
 
John served on the Board of Managers of The Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1976 – 1981 and served on the Board of Camp-of-the-Woods for over 30 years.  He has received honorary Doctorates from Houghton, Toccoa Falls College, BIOLA University, Westminster Seminary, and The Institute of Religion and Law in Moscow. In 1981 the C&MA released John and Donna to a special assignment with The Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation. He retired from the Foundation in 2004, and remained active in a variety of activities, including worldwide consulting and preaching ministries, fundraising for mission projects, and assisting people with personal mission vision trips and meaningful investments around the world.
 
John stayed connected with Houghton through the years by attending reunions and other alumni events and speaking on campus several times. He is a past recipient of the Houghton Alumni of the Year award.
 
His later years have been spent playing tennis, hiking, traveling and spending time with his daughter, son and grandchildren.
 
He currently resides in Florida.