Rick Barton accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in the winter of 1969 while a sophomore in college. Shortly afterward he began a Christian coffee house for college students. The coffee house led to a Bible Study which eventually became a church with Rick as its pastor. Rick served as the "tri-vocational" pastor until 1989 and then became Minister at Large for the church.

Rick has spent his winters since 1968 as a professional ski instructor and worked for over 20 summers in the U.S. Forest Service. He has fought forest fires all over the western United States, including the Yellowstone fires. During the coffee house days, Melva became a Christian and they were married June 6, 1971. Rick and Melva have four children: Joy, Rebekah, Steve and Tim.

Rick's ministry has included itinerant evangelistic preaching, church planting in small nearby communities, campground chapels, college outreaches, ski area outreaches and forest fire chapel services. Over 150 people from their church have gone into Christian ministry. Rick and Melva also share Christ in song around the country.