Grace Baptist Church
Grafenwoehr, Bavaria 92655
+49 160-9647 5554

• Education: BA in Secondary Education, June 1977 from Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga TN.
• Experience: I was assistant pastor in two churches in the U.S. before becoming a missionary to the U.S. military with Baptist International Missions, Inc. I was the missionary-pastor of 3 missionary works in Wiesbaden, Germany; Bicester, England; and have been presently pastoring Grace Baptist Church in Grafenwoehr, Germany since 2003. The 2 churches in Germany were/are predominantly military churches. The church in England was turned into an English church, and is now indigenous and self-supporting.
• Family: My wife, Susan, and I were married on AUG 10, 1974. Susan has been an incredible helpmeet, co-worker in the 5 churches we have ministered in, and serves at the admin assistant of Grace Baptist Church. We have 3 great sons: Chris is a worship leader in Chicago, Il., and with his wife, Sarah, have two children. Jon is an back in school to become a PA. Allen is married to Brooke and is in the Air Force.
• What my parents think of my sermons: They thought I was one of the greatest preachers of the 20th Century. They were deluded, but I loved them for it.
• What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: She says I get better with every passing year.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: I visited an old preacher and hero of mine we called Preacher Michel in Durham, NC while he was on his deathbed. A young preacher, I asked him, "Preacher Michel, if you could give this young preacher one word of advice before you go on to glory, what would it be?" Without skipping a beat, he said, "Check your fly before you get up to preach!" Besides that practical advice, the best word of advice I ever heard was: Don't just teach your people WHAT to do for God; also teach them HOW to do it. This prompted me to always end my sermons with practical applications of the sermons to the Christian lives.
• Books that have had an impact: In my youth (formative years): Daws: The Story of Dawson Trotman, Founder of the Navigators by Betty Lee Skinner and Set Forth Your Case: Studies in Christian Apologetics; The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges; Daktar: Diplomat in Bangladesh by Viggo Olsen. Later influences: Everything by C.S. Lewis; Knowing God by J. I. Packer; Knowing God by J. I. Packer; The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis; The New Chosen People by William. L. Klein; Elect in th Son by Robert Shank; The Faith of God's Elect, by John F. Parkinson; Lordship Salvation, by Charles Bing; Absolutely Free, by Zane C. Hodges; Heaven, by Randy Alcorn.
• Hobbies: Reading.
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. There is NOTHING more you must do to inherit eternal life, have a relationship with God and live eternally in heaven. Just take God at his Word and "BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST."
• Something funny that happened while preaching: In reviewing the previous week's Sun. PM study on David & Bathsheba, ad libbing and w/o forethought, I asked the mixed audience, "When David tried to get Bathsheba's husband to 'go in to her', what do you think he wanted them to do?" It got very quiet and I realized that didn't come out exactly as I meant it. One of our precious ladies spoke up and said, "Pastor, they were fellowshippin'." The crowd erupted. We never could announce a "fellowship" after that without snickers.
• What I want on my tombstone: He gave his all for Jesus, his family and to others.