Who we are
setting captives free with the gospel
Our difference
Living Waters Ministries of Jupiter is a ministry with our heads in the clouds and our feet on the ground. We spread the Good News of the gospel and set captives free by traveling wherever the Spirit of God takes us and proclaiming the gospel.
We are a Christian ministry that dreams big with God. We take action with the Holy Spirit using the spiritual gifts given to us by Christ to love the nations. We believe not only does the Cross expose our sin, it reveals our value, and all have great value to God.
The purpose of Living Waters of Jupiter Ministries is to bring people of all nations into a relationship with Jesus Christ through repentance, and believing and receiving Jesus Christ as the one and only true God.
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Listen to the story of how Rick came to know the Holy Spirit, and his heart for spreading the Gospel
IDENTIFY
By communicating with our network of pastors throughout the world, we identify areas that would benefit from our ministries.
Equip
We equip ministry partners as we spread the love of Jesus throughout the nations by training pastors, missionaries, and volunteers in the ministry of evangelism.
Sustain
Providing life-sustaining wells, feeding people in impoverished areas, and training ministry partners contribute to sustaining our impact on the lives we reach through our ministries.
Our story
Living Waters Ministries of Jupiter was founded by Rick Branson, an evangelist and a surfer, and his wife, Deb. The ministry was started at Rick’s house in 1998 in Jupiter, FL after seeing a need to establish a house of refuge to serve the lost surfers of his town. Inviting them to dwell with him and leading them in Bible study and in the practice of spiritual habits, Rick was able to share Jesus with them and see many come to believe in Jesus and become sons of God and inheritors of eternal life.
Rick’s heart is to “set the captives free” by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not have a personal relationship with Him, and witness the upwelling of spiritual waters from those led to Christ.
Years later, you can still find Rick surfing the waves in his local town of Jupiter, FL, smiling and sharing the testimonies of God’s love for people, calling those that will listen into a relationship with Jesus.
Our core beliefs
the cross exposes our sin
Ephesians 2:12-13 - remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
the cross reveals our value
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
all people have great value to god
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Meet our founders - rick and debbie branson
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Rick grew up living on the water, surfing, swimming and playing beach volleyball. At age 15, his mom died of cancer. With his sister away at college, Rick and his dad were alone, and his dad began drinking heavily. He was so angry and hurt that cancer took his mom and alcohol was taking his dad, Rick ended up turning to drugs to numb his pain. Over time, he began selling drugs to pay for his addictions and at age 32, he woke up one day on the brink of death after a night of heavy partying. Two operations later, 80% of his left lung had to be removed, and soon after he became addicted to pain medication and was drinking to boost the effects.
Not long after his surgery, Rick was at the beach watching friends play volleyball and surfing, and he felt very angry with God and started shaking his fists towards heaven, cursing God for what he thought God had done to him. Then Rick’s friend, Dennis, came up and sat with him and listened to his story. He said, “God did not do this to you, but He may have allowed it to happen to you”. Dennis shared how Jesus came and rescued him from a dark lifestyle. Five other surfer buddies had just come out of the water; and Dennis asked them all to pray over Rick, and they all did.
Dennis invited Rick to church and at the end of service, the preacher said, “If there is anyone…” and not knowing what was happening, he got up and moved towards the front altar. He felt an overwhelming presence of love taking over. The preacher continued “...who is here that would like to give their life to Jesus Christ and receive salvation of your soul, please come forward now”. Rick could feel the presence of God surrounding him. The presence of Jesus, who is the Living Water, was phenomenal as he started to spiritually drink of Him. Rick knelt down sobbing, sorry and regretful of all my bad choices (my sins), and the preacher led the group in a prayer of salvation and Rick’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ began. Instantly, the deep hole in his heart was filled and the emptiness was replaced with God’s love.
Over the last 22 years of friendship with Jesus, Rick has learned these life-changing truths:
God is my Father in heaven who loves me so much He sent Jesus to earth to take upon Himself all of my sin and shame, as He died on that cross for me.
Jesus is God!
Jesus saved me from the pits of hell and I now live a life filled with love, peace and joy.
Believing in Jesus has restored me to a right, close relationship with Father God.
Knowing stories about Jesus is very different from believing Jesus is God, and inviting Him into your heart and life.
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I was approximately 17 years old when I was brought to church by my sister, Lori. Everyone there seemed to have something I didn't, and seemed genuinely happy. I was curious what it was and wanted what they had.
The Pastor explained that Jesus Christ is who He says He is in the Bible; God in the flesh, who came from Heaven to earth on a mission to show people how much God loves us by dying on a cross to pay the price for my sins (things I did wrong) and then Jesus was raised from the grave to defeat the power of death, so I could spend eternity with God, and not go to Hell when I left this earth.
The Pastor asked for anyone who wanted to ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, to repeat a prayer the Pastor would lead us in praying.
So, I said that prayer; believing that Jesus is God and He died for my sins, and rose from the grave, and I asked Him to be my Lord and Savior. The Pastor asked whoever said the prayer and meant it in their heart to come to the front of the church. I didn't know that Pastor was going to ask me to do that! I didn't want to go forward in front of all those strangers. I felt that would be embarrassing. BUT, I meant what I just prayed, I believed I was a sinner (doing wrong things) and I wanted Jesus to save me from ending up in Hell when I died.
The Pastor then explained that in the Bible, Jesus said that if anyone denies Jesus in front of people, then Jesus will deny them in Heaven, and that if anyone said that prayer and really meant it in their heart, they shouldn't deny Jesus now by not walking forward to the front of the church.
What I didn't realize that day, that I know now, was that the Pastor was testing us to see who really meant it in their hearts when we asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, to prove we meant it by getting out of our seats and walking to the front. I didn't want to be denied by Jesus in Heaven, so I walked to the front of that church, nervous, shy and uncomfortable, but at the same time I was glad I was doing it. I did it with Jesus' help, because I now know that the power of God, His Holy Spirit came into me as I prayed and asked Jesus to be my Savior, and the Holy Spirit helped me push through the uncomfortable feelings and get up and walk to the front of that church.
Jesus has pursued me ever since that day.
God gave me a desire to know Him more. I started reading the Bible and going to church and Bible study groups to learn more about God and His love for me. I learned that God wants a relationship with me here on earth, not just in Heaven when I leave this earth.
He has changed me; helped me to see the world through His eyes, and has given me compassion for people that I didn't have before I believed in Jesus as my Savior.
God has blessed my life in so many ways; I am so grateful for all He has done for me, and in me, and through me to show others how much God loves them and to understand that the most important decision they will ever make in their life is to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.