Out of the Fast Lane
From an article published in the nationally syndicated “PRIORITY MAGAZINE”
Doug & Hélène Kornwolf met in California, married and combined their talents to headline one of North America’s top drawing night club attractions.
Drawing on their individual successes they joined forces with one of California’s most polished show bands. Together they launched an international tour showcasing the band’s music, Hélène’s soothing song & dance routines contrasting Doug’s fast paced Rock & Roll, hilarious standup comedy and their combined avant-garde illusions. They spent most of their early adult lives riding the wave of popularity throughout the US & Canada.
For those who didn’t know them personally, it seemed like they had it all: fame, fortune, travel, media popularity; everything a successful career couple could want. “We were high rollers,” Doug recalls. “We drove Jaguars, spent lavishly and lived like there was no tomorrow.” They personally witnessed and experienced the tragedies of fast living, broken lives and addictive lifestyles. He says, “I began to understand that we had to change our lives.”
The road that lead them out of The Fast Lane to serve God is an amazing and unlikely one. The Power of the Holy Spirit, reading Gideon Bibles in dark hotel rooms and watching TV evangelists convicted Doug to leave their sinful lifestyle and six-figure income behind. Hélène recalls: “It was hard to walk away because we were making big money. Looking back on those early years we realized that God had already planned to bring us together for a purpose.” She says, “He arranged it; we truly believe that.”
After accepting Christ, they became involved in a Bible believing church where they were nurtured and discipled in their newfound faith. “The leaders encouraged us to use our gifts and talents in a Christian capacity,” Doug says. “That has lead us to where we are today.”
Together they served as itinerate evangelists and certified addiction counselors for one of the world’s leading evangelical organizations.
IN GOD’S SPOTLIGHT – Envoy Doug Kornwolf
Doug was born in Racine, Wis., and has been an agent, manager and promoter for many top U.S. and Canadian artists as well as a headline entertainer in his own right.
After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. And following a tour of duty in the Aleutian Island, he was transferred to Savannah, Ga. He isn’t exactly sure what led him to invest his $4,000 life savings in the entertainment business, as an avocation to his duties as an Air Force radio operator, but he did. It started with the promotion of a rock concert and culminated with “Entertainment Unlimited,” a successful talent agency representing several up-and-coming area bands and singers, while providing support for a number of successful touring recording artists. Encouragements from one of the bands marked the beginning of his early career as a rock singer, eventually allowing him to incorporate his skills as a cutting edge illusionist.
Following his military discharge, Doug toured the Midwest with his band “The Other Guys” before moving to Southern California to resume his career as an entrepreneur. That’s where Hélène entered the picture. She left her native Quebec for the excitement of California, where she ended up in his agency office looking to make “big money” as a showgirl. Now if you read the preceding “Out of the Fast Lane” you know the rest of the story!
Doug is an ordained minister available to conduct evangelistic crusades, Sunday services, speaking engagements, workshops, weddings and more.
Singing for the LORD – Envoy Hélène Kornwolf
Hélène was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as the youngest child of a traditional French family; but the lifestyle she was about to pursue was anything but traditional. After graduating from business college as a French-speaking professional, she quickly realized that her financial potential was extremely limited in a market dominated by English-speaking entrepreneurs.
The promise of considerably higher earnings drew her into the local entertainment scene before accepting an invitation to bring her talents to the land of opportunity, Hollywood, California. She quickly became one of North America’s top-rated and highest-paid showgirls, singing and dancing her way to fame and fortune across North America.
After their conversion (see preceding article “Out of the Fast Lane”), and a short transition period as a successful businesswoman in the Mont Tremblant Ski Resort area of Quebec, she left the business world to follow God’s call to ministry. Prior to regenerating their performance talents as full-time evangelists, Hélène served as a Certified Addiction Counselor, Program Director and Dept. Head of both French and English rehab centers in Ontario and Quebec, Canada.
The Envoys of Illusion 