Jeanne Schwartz grew up in a Christian home and was called to ministry at ten years old. She loved it when missionaries came to her church, and their visits increased her heart for missions. Jeanne graduated in the early 60’s from Copland College with a BA in education. In 1957, she received her Bachelor of Religious Education from Eastern Pilgrim College. Through Liberty University, she received her certification in counseling with the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) in the 80’s.
Beginning in 1960, Jeanne taught in public school for four years and pastored a church in Maryland at the same time. Next she served two terms totaling four years pastoring in Antigua and teaching in a school there. God then called her to Haiti for two years where she taught and preached with the God’s Missionary Church. In 1976, she went to the Grand Cayman Island and pastored a Wesleyan church for ten years. During this time, many groups came from Hobe Sound to serve.
Upon leaving Grand Cayman in 1986, God led Sister Schwartz to Hobe Sound where she served on the benevolence committee for Hobe Sound Bible Church. Two years later she began working at Hobe Sound Christian Academy teaching for one year. Next Jeanne worked in the finance office of Hobe Sound Bible College as an aid for the Olsens. Then she took over the work program.
Sister Schwartz began working at FEA Ministries in 1989 as G.R. French’s assistant. A few years later, she felt called to work with the Chinese ministry on their broadcast which was started in 1990 and was on air for nineteen years. In 1994, Sister Schwartz began teaching, counseling, and preaching in Taiwan. A center was started in Taiwan that served as an ACE school, college, distribution of literature and tapes, and for camps in the summer. The Chinese ministry also began a children’s ministry—the English camps started across the Island and are still carried on by HIM missionaries and national church leadership. In those years attendance at the camps would reach as many as 1200 children. Over 90% were from pagan homes. Mrs. Hsu was the director, and Sister Schwartz did puppet shows with a puppet named Gus. Many individuals from the States and from the Island were workers in those camps. One summer camp was held in China in the early 90’s, and the China summer camp has been started again.
After broadcasting for one year Mrs. Hsu and Sister Schwartz felt led to visit China so they would understand the people and their spiritual needs. Then the Lord led them to start the Chinese Outreach. The work began with the radio broadcast, literature, tapes of sermons, and going to China to minister, resulting in two to four trips a year to teach and train workers. For twenty-seven years she would go to seminaries, churches, and groups in China in order to train leaders. Her last trip to China was in 2018.
The Hsu’s and Sister Schwartz have been a pastor team of the Palm Beach Chinese Church for twenty-one years. Jeanne preaches, teaches counseling, and works with the women.
Throughout Sister Scwartz’s ministry and the Chinese Outreach’s ministry, there were many opportunities for new churches. A woman asked them to come and start a church in a hotel room, and the church grew from eight members to one hundred and fifty. Some of the ladies who Sister Schwartz taught counseling to have gone on to teach others. Only eternity will reveal the impact of Sister Schwartz’s many years of faithful service for the Kingdom.
Philosophy of Ministry
The Chinese people know nothing about sin. Our understanding of sin is a foreign concept to them. They do not want to say they are wrong because of losing “face”, and the influence of the Communists causes the Chinese Christians to carry scars from being treated as second-rate citizens for their faith. The Cultural revolution left marks on many of the Christians during that time. God uses counseling to break through those walls set up in their lives. God told Sister Schwartz that through counseling she would take them to Jesus, and Jesus would bring them to Him. How often she saw Him break through and open their hearts.
He broke through this darkness as God opened their eyes and healed their hurts. Then they were ready to seek the Lord. She also expanded the kingdom by preaching, teaching, and training pastors and teachers.
A Note from Sister Schwartz
“We live a win-win life. If God wants to heal us so we can keep working, that’s good. But if He takes us home, we win. Keep working for Him, but keep looking up to Him. If you let God lead you, you will never go wrong. When you are working for God, He is already ahead of you—just keep walking.”