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It has been my privilege to serve as the founding and senior pastor of Grace Church of Ovilla, TX, for seventeen years. Previously I pastored Faith Bible Church in DeSoto, TX for twenty-three years. After forty years of pastoring, I will be retiring from the pastorate on September 27, 2015. As I look to the future, my passion is to help church leaders develop into servant leaders. That is, leaders who live out the servant qualities of the greatest servant of all time, the Lord Jesus. Through Living Grace Ministries (a ministry I started in 1998), I lead a 12 hour workshop on some of the basic principles of servant leadership. The Lord has blessed me with opportunities across the United States and around the world.
Dallas Theological Seminary played a major role in developing me for the pastorate and leadership ministry. I well remember the classes at DTS taught by some of the finest Bible teachers and theologians of our day—Hendricks, Ryrie, Pentecost, Toussaint, Walvoord, and Campbell to name just a few. These men significantly marked my life by their lives and teaching. Hearing Dr. Bruce Waltke pray before his Hebrew classes began was like a lesson in the spiritual life. Some know how to pray; Dr. Waltke knew how to communicate with his Heavenly Father. I enjoyed those times of visiting and interacting with other students in the dorm (I was single) and the “snack shack.” Learning what it was to relate to others in a community setting was a vital part of my preparation for the pastorate. During my third year of Seminary, I met my wife, Carolyn, a dental hygiene student at Baylor College of Dentistry.
My four years at Dallas Theological Seminary equipped me to study well and to preach the Word of God with accuracy, clarity, and relevancy combined with a heart of love for people. Paul wrote, “Preach the Word” (2 Timothy 4:2). Obeying the command involves truth and love. The love comes from being involved with people, understanding them, listening to them, caring for them, and growing and developing in relationship with them. You might say a pastor’s preaching attracts people to the church; his love keeps them there.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to contact Fred to learn more about his ministry or schedule a workshop, you can do so through the Living Grace Ministries website.