Pastor Von was born in Hollywood, California (1929) as Erhardt George Anton Wolf Trutzschler von Falkenstein. What a name; that's why everyone simply calls him "Von."

Conversion: First Baptist Church of Torrance, California (1940).

In youth work since 1947. Von was a part-time Youth Director & Director of Christian Education for three churches in San Diego, California from 1947 to 1960 (Emmanuel Baptist Church, Clairemont Baptist Church and Trinity Baptist Church of Allied Gardens), with a two-year interruption by the U.S. Army. He fought in the Korean War as a machine gunner.

Von became full-time Youth Director and Christian Education Director at Clairemont Emmanuel Baptist Church in 1962. He continued in those positions for nineteen years (1962-1981).

Von is single and has never married. He has one sister.

Von's hobby, if he has one, is travel and adventure, and photography.

He has traveled internationally since 1951. In this time he has visited and ministered in more than forty countries. Most of his travel has been by invitation from a variety of mission agencies (Wycliffe, S.I.M., New Tribes Mission, etc.) to speak to field conferences and missionary schools.

Von is the founder of SPECTRUM MINISTRIES, INC., which was organized in 1981 to continue the ongoing ministry to the very poor in and around Tijuana, Mexico. This non-profit corporation has two primary focuses: (1) physical, spiritual, and medical ministry to the very poor families, children, and teens in and around Tijuana, a city of two million; and (2) exposing the needs and ministry across the border to U.S. teens and involving them in this ministry.

Von has written and co-written many articles and books. Some books that are available at this time are Outrageous Object Lessons (Gospel Light Publications), Incredible Questionnaires (Zondervan Publications & Youth Specialties), and Youth Ministry Crash Course (Zondervan Publications & Youth Specialties).