Those who attended the annual pastors, staff and deacons banquet held at the Covington-Jeff Davis Assn. Center Friday night may be attending their local physicians with complaints of face, side and stomach soreness that only comes from laughing heartily at length.

Dubbed the “Minister of Encouragement” Dr. Dennis  Swanberg has spread the laughter across the country in churches and special conferences speaking to some 250,000 a year reaching celebrity fame.

His impersonations of his childhood heroes, Barney Fife, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Billy Graham  are favorites with his audiences. He has also had his own shows, “Swanee’s Place” and the “Dennis Swanberg Show” on national television.

Swanberg grew up in rural Texas in the 1950s and even as a child was the clown. He became a minister attending Baylor University and was pastor of several churches in Texas and Louisiana before feeling the Lord’s leading into a full time ministry of encouragement. His career took off after he appeared on the Dr. James Dobson Show and the speaking invitations are still rolling in.

Turning every day situations in the church or his own family into hilarious stories is a gift that he freely shares stating, “Joy is a choice. Happiness may be situation related but you can chose to be joyful.”