Senior Pastor
Ministry Experience
1990-Present
Senior Pastor, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, OK
1980-1989
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Covington, KY
1971-1979
Associate Pastor in two churches
1990-Present
Board member, Oklahoma Christian Counseling Center
1984-Present
Board member, Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, Harrisburg, PA
Overseas ministries as Bible teacher in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America: Central America Mission, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Sudan Interior Mission (.Serving in Mission.), Word of Life Fellowship
North America ministry as Bible teacher: Gideons International, Hermit Basin Lodge, Shell Point Village, Word of Life (NY and Fla.) and various churches and colleges.
Family
Married to Connie Thompson, 1968. Five children, ten grandchildren.
Education
- B.A. Tennessee Temple College, Chattanooga, TN
- M.Div. Temple Baptist Theological Seminary
- D.Min. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL
Interests/Hobbies
- listening to music – mostly classical music and jazz
- racquetball
- hiking (I’ve encountered a bear and rattlesnake on the Appalachian trail!)
- reading – mostly theology, philosophy, biography and history
The greatest blessing in my life is and has been my wife, Connie. We were married in 1968, and the Lord has given us five children. The three older children are married and given us twelve wonderful grandchildren. Our son Jay is Music Minister of Calvary Baptist Church in Covington, KY. He and Cathi have four children. Carrie is married to John Mark Eager of Valdosta, GA. They have five children. Mary and Tarpley McColl live here in Oklahoma City, and we are glad that we get to live close to our three Oklahoma grandchildren.
Our daughter Anna is a graduate student at Harvard University where she is working on a Master’s degree in international educational policy. Our youngest, Michael, is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, and he is employed by Chesapeake Energy Corporation.
It is a joy to be the pastor of a healthy church where the people love the Word of God and desire to serve Him. A healthy percentage of our church’s giving goes to world missions, and a healthy percentage of the church’s members are involved in ministries of the church or in the community.
My ministry priorities are study and teaching, church administration, and pastoral care, counseling and discipleship. It is a privilege to be the pastor of a church that values the expository teaching of the Bible and allows adequate time for study and preparation.
I get to work with an outstanding team of fellow ministers who love the Lord Jesus Christ and really care for each other. I observe on a weekly basis how they support each other, pray for each other, and encourage each other. Each of them has a concern for building relationships with people outside the church and influencing them for Christ.
I try to personally visit in the homes of our members and seek to maintain strong personal relationships with church members and friends in the community. Personal witness and discipleship training are important priorities.
It is an honor to be invited to speak for other churches, conferences, and mission organizations. I hope that by ministering in these settings I can build people in their faith in Jesus Christ. I want to do a good job of representing my Savior and our wonderful congregation, Metropolitan Baptist Church.