Ken barun biography
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From homeless drug addict to ministry leader
Ken Barun served President Ronald Reagan in the White House and helped found the Ronald McDonald House Charities, building it into one of the largest and most innovative charities in the world. Now he is the chief of staff for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. But for the first 25 years of his life, Barun showed very little evidence of these profound organizational abilities. He spent nearly a decade as a drug addict. He got clean and sober, but it took even longer for him to come to know Jesus Christ. We started our conversation by talking about the early years of his life.
We are in your office in Charlotte on the fabulous campus of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). But it hasn’t always been this way for you. For me, personally, it hasn’t always been like this. God has been such a blessing to me and my family, however, through some very difficult times. I grew up in New York. I’m a Jew. My parents were Ortho
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The Barun Family Ken Barun is the chief of staff for the Billy Graham Evangelical Association. He and his wife, Sethea, live in Charlotte, North Carolina, and have been married for nearly fifteen years. They have traveled all over the world, and met and befriended many well-known and influential people. Ken’s experiences include working for the vit House and becoming an executive with Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Ken and Sethea have shared many adventures together, and they desire to preserve their stories, faith, and values for their children and future grandchildren. With the help of our Professional Services teams, they launched their family berättande venture in December during their Christmas gathering. Capturing the Moments Our Professional Services grupp included several professional photographers and videographers who filmed on two separate occasions. On Christmas Eve, they captured photos and videos of the family eating appetizers, making dinner, and enjoying each o
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Ken Barun, From A Jewish Drug Addict To Becoming The Vice President Of The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Ken Barun, the Vice President of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, was once a drug addict. When he was asked how he came from being a heroin user to a part of the international Christian evangelistic organization, he confidently said, “It’s all about Jesus.”
Ken Barun
Ken’s father disowned him when he became addicted to drugs. He was dependent on the substance for seven years until a drug program representative came and recruited him to join a residential treatment program to which he agreed. Eventually, he became the president of the same drug rehabilitation program.
His efforts in helping drug addicts were soon recognized by former President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. The president then made Ken to be his public liaison for the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Together, they found the Ronald Mcdonald House Charities, and Ken beca