Samuel J. Stewart was born on April 29, 1958 to missionary parents, Sterling and Lois Stewart in San Bernardino, CA. After his birth, his parents returned to El Salvador, Central America to continue their missionary service. Sam was raised in El Salvador until the age of 13 when his father passed away suddenly on the mission field. His mother returned to the United States and continued her missionary service in Juarez, Mexico. Sam attended high school in El Paso, TX where he met his wife Janey. They were married in 1977 and had 4 children. Charlie, their second child born in 1983 died suddenly in 1996 at the age of 12. Sam Jr., age 22 is attending Northwest College in Seattle, WA. Joel, age 14, and Jessica, age 11 attend Bethel Temple Christian School in El Paso.

After attending Central Bible College for 2 years, Sam and Janey returned to El Paso, TX and assisted his brother-in-law Steve Walker in a church plant called Jesus Chapel West that is 1,000 members strong today. Sam and Janey moved to Lakeland, FL in 1981 where he graduated from Southeastern College with a Ministerial degree in 1985. He was ordained with the Assemblies of God shortly after. He served as an Associate Pastor at Calvary Assembly in Winter Park, FL from 1986 until 1990. Also during his tenure at Calvary Assembly, Sam served as the worship leader, directed more than 28 home groups, served in pastoral care, served on the missions board, coordinated mission’s conventions, directed short term missions teams and a comprehensive missions program.

In 1991, Sam and Janey began serving with DFM as missionaries to Guatemala, Central America until June of 2001. During their times of itinerating, Sam and Janey have ministered in music together in over 300 churches throughout the United States.

During their 2 terms in Guatemala, Sam and Janey planted 2 churches in the capital city of Guatemala; Iglesia La Gracia (Grace Church of the Assemblies of God) and Iglesia Hosanna (Hosanna Church of the Assemblies of God). They also hosted more than 35 short term missions teams including medical, construction, and evangelistic, helped in the construction of 10 churches, served as coordinator of 5 major Pastor’s conferences, preached in 100 different churches, pastored full-time in 3 different churches in Guatemala, served as the Field Moderator for the missionary body of the Assemblies of God, served on the Executive Presbytery from 1998-2001 and established 3 Charlie’s Lunch feeding centers in the country of Guatemala.

As of July 1, 2001, Sam and Janey have returned to El Paso, TX to direct the worldwide ministry of Charlie’s Lunch which they founded in 1997 in Guatemala and named after their late son Charlie. Charlie’s Lunch establishes feeding centers to the poorest of the poor children ages 0-15 yrs. old in foreign 3rd world countries along-side the local church as a tool to reach the community for Christ.