Sheldon Emry was born in Jump River, Wisconsin, on July 4, 1926. Following high school, Emry attended the state teachers college in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He was drafted in 1945 and was trained as a cryptographer, serving in the US and the Philippines. Following military service, he worked in real estate. While living in Minneapolis, he became active in the
John Birch Society and other anti-communist groups. He became very active in showing anti-communist films to church and civic groups. However, he became discouraged with a lack of response from ministers, which led him to leave the Presbyterian church his family was attending. At this time, he was introduced to
C. O. Stadsklev, an Identity preacher in Minnetonka Hills, Minnesota. Stadsklev led a
Christian Identity church known as The Gospel Temple. Stadsklev also led the National Association of Kingdom Evangelicals, a
British Israelism alliance similar to
Howard Rand's Anglo-Saxon Federation of America. Unlike other British Israel groups, the NAKE was trinitarian, a doctrine not held by similar groups. Stadsklev promoted his views through the NAKE, The Gospel Temple, and his radio program ''America's Hope''. Stadsklev was an associate of
Gerald L. K. Smith. In the 1960s, Emry was the vice chairman of Christian Research, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1967, Emry accompanied Stadsklev on a two mission trips to Phoenix, Arizona and was encouraged to move there permanently in full-time Identity ministry. Emry founded America's Promise Ministries in 1967 in Phoenix, Arizona. Later, through the church, he took over the ''America's Hope
radio program previously established by Stadsklev, making it a daily program known as America's Promise Radio''. The radio program was broadcast nationwide on more than 25 radio stations. In 1972, Emry had raised enough money to purchase land in Arizona for a church building, and in 1975, broke ground for Lord's Covenant Church. == Beliefs ==