Cy's Bio

Cy Finnerty was raised and educated as a Roman Catholic. He served for eight years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve before and during the Viet Nam Era. After his tour of active duty, he attended college for three years in Colorado and then transferred to the University of San Francisco; he graduated from there in 1964.

He then pursued graduate studies at the University of California in Berkeley during the turbulent sixties and participated in various continuing educational programs as a Financial Analyst. He enjoyed a first career as an Investment Manager, a National Division Banker in Los Angeles.

Despite his success in business Cy endured a number of personal tragedies including the death of his only son, the loss of his own business, an emotionally crippling divorce as well as the loss of several friends in the war in South Viet Nam.

He left his career and became a professional ski bum traveling in his van through the mountains of California, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.

After this personal sabbatical, he returned to San Fransisco where he began a second career as a Corporate Real Estate Executive. He managed large development and construction investments for a major Canadian Company.

Having rejected God when he graduated from University, he had numbed himself with an endless supply of alcohol, drugs and perverse sexual adventures. In this personally self-destructive he had developed serious psychological and physical conditions that could destroy his life.

The wage of sin is death!

At 39 years of age, his doctor told him that he had developed serious problems in a number of vital organs and, unless he found another way of living, he would die in 12-18 months. But he knew no other way of living, no other way of life!

However, on March 4, 1981, he was invited to a Pentecostal meeting in Belleview, Washington. It was during this meeting that he heard the Gospel and the promise of a new life for the first time. He had a life-changing encounter withe the God of Scripture, the Lord who granted him repentance. He recieved salvation.

Then, the very next day he began to study scripture and he has been studying in for more than 25 years.

He was Baptized in water and the deliverance of all addictions; he was psychologically and physically healed. The war was over!

Three months later, through the ministry of the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International he received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Finerty started Gilead Ministries in Seattle, Washington in 1983. Since then he has traveled to many Nations where, through the power of the Gospel, he has witnessed many people being delivered from demonic spirits, many psychological and physical healings as the Gospel was proclaimed and received by Faith.

He has been invited to teach scriptural truth at:

Roman Catholic Churches in America

Anglican Churches in Canada

Methodist Churches in Canada

Episcopal Churches in Canada

American Chapel in Rosarita Beach, Baja California, Mexico

Indigenous Evangelical Churches in Haiti

Presbyterian Churches in Central Brazil and the Amazonian region

Baptist Churches in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Various Messianic Congregations in America and Israel

Various inedpendent Congregations in America and Canada

Various international mission ministries and evangelistic crusade teams