Authors

Carol Brown

Carol Brown lives with her husband Ron near Sugar Land, Texas where they fellowship and serve the Lord at First Colony Bible Chapel. She has been active for a number of years in teaching women’s Bible study classes there and at Ladies’ Retreats at Sandy Creek Bible Camp. The Browns have two married children.

Marilyn Burson

Marilyn Burson, former missionary to France and smuggler of Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, has been teaching Bible studies for 20 years. She has written a variety practical study guides published by ECS Ministries including Run the Race and To God Be the Glory. Marilyn lives with her husband in Florida where she continues to serve in their church. 

Karen Y. Davis

For the past 25 years, Karen Y. Davis has been teaching women’s Bible studies and speaking at conferences and retreats. She has written inductive studies for most of the books of the Bible. She has also written for Christian periodicals and for an educational division of the CBS network. She is the wife of a college professor, and a loving mother and grandmother.

Cheryl Lynn Fawcett

Dr. Cheryl Lynn Fawcett is associate Professor of Christian Education at Christian Heritage College in El Cajon, California. She has taught and ministered in Christian colleges since 1982. She is an active public speaker for women’s retreats, children’s camps, and proudly proclaims a passion for youth ministry. She has written curriculum extensively for Regular Baptist Press and participates in numerous service organizations serving youth ministry leadership and Christian educators.

John H Fish 

As a result of listening to Billy Graham, Jack Fish trusted Christ in his junior year of high school. He graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Linguistics and went on to receive Th.M and Th.D degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. For the past 40+ years, Jack has taught at Emmaus Bible College. He currently serves as editor of The Emmaus Journal. 

Kenneth Fleming

Kenneth Fleming has been an enthusiastic and passionate Bible teacher for more than fifty years. His service for Christ has led him to many parts of the globe, including South Africa, where he spent twenty-five years as a missionary among the Zulu people. From 1977 through 2002, Ken taught in the Bible and Missions programs at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. Today he continues proclaiming the gospel and strengthening the church body through writing and preaching ministries.

V. Paul Flint

V. Paul Flint’s writings are the fruit of an extensive preaching and teaching ministry including 34 years on the faculty of Emmaus Bible College and regular pulpit ministry. He and his wife, Helen, also have a deep interest in foreign missions which has resulted in numerous summers devoted to work with individual missionaries and missionary organizations including Operation Mobilization and Ireland Outreach. The Flints now reside in Lynnwood, Washington.

Alfred P. Gibbs

Alfred P. Gibbs (1890-1967) was a man born to preach. Brought up with his twin brother Edwin in South Africa, both boys early came to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Edwin (1890-1968) stayed on in South Africa to pursue a fruitful evangelistic and Bible teaching work. Alfred studied at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and thereafter carried on an itinerant Bible teaching and writing ministry, chiefly in the United States and Canada. Gibbs published his first book, The Marvelous City of Mansoul in 1926. In all he wrote fourteen books and booklets, including Christian Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, Scriptural Principles of Gathering, and Worship. All his books have intensity like the man who wrote them. He was full of his subject. He also composed poetry and wrote Christian hymns. Gibbs never married, considering himself a eunuch for the kingdom of God. He was a model of the advice he gave, he was a spiritual man and a practical man, and fun to be with besides. For Gibbs, to hold forth the Word of life was a lifetime passion. This is evident in Gibbs’ helpful companion book, Through the Scriptures, which is a workbook of Bible outlines culled from Gibbs’ own preaching.

O. S. Hawkins

Dr. O. S. Hawkins is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. He has three earned degrees (B.B.A., M. Div., D.Min.) and two honorary degrees. He has served as president of the National Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference and has been a regular speaker at the Moody Pastors’ Conference and the Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism. For fifteen years Dr. Hawkins pastored the fast-growing First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This church has been a perennial leader in evangelism and discipleship. In October 1993 he became the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

Amy Hernandez

While attending Emmaus Bible College in the 1980s (where she met her husband Joel), Amy recognized the need for Christians to serve whole-heartedly wherever the Lord led. With their yearning to proclaim Christ, the Lord led Joel and Amy to serve in California, Texas, and then eventually in Guanajuato, Mexico—where they helped teach and encourage believers and churches for eight years. In 2007, Joel, Amy, and their daughter Sarah, returned to the United States. Joel leads the Intercultural Studies Department at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. 

Amy is passionate about speaking truth into the lives of younger women. This sometimes takes the form of one-on-one guidance. Other times, Amy helps lead Bible studies for groups of women in the church. Above all, Amy cherishes her favorite book—the Bible. She is eternally grateful for God’s Word which is able to cut through even the toughest, most stubborn heart out there (including her own), and provide practical teaching, instruction, and hope for any who would turn and call on Jesus Christ. 

Dean L. Gossett

Dean L. Gossett earned a B.A. in Education from Cal State University. He served as elementary teacher & youth minister for over 33 years. Dean is presently retired but actively involved in various classes at VBC @ the Crossing in Pleasanton, California. Has written other books including: Beauty for Ashes, My Life: the Bad and the Beautiful, and The Royal Ride: Esther in 7 Acts. Dean has taught summer camps at Koinonia for over 30 years. He and his wife just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Robert Edward Harlow

Robert Edward Harlow was born in Toronto, Canada and went to be with the Lord on March 10, 2003, five days short of his 95th birthday. He was instrumental in the founding of Emmaus Bible College and the Emmaus Correspondence School. He and his wife also served as missionaries in the Belgian Congo for many years. R. E. Harlow wrote and published over sixty books in simple English for young believers in third world countries.

Dick Hopkins

Dick Hopkins was saved at age 19 while in the Navy. Afterwards, he attended Wheaton College and Wheaton Graduate School earning a M.A. in New Testament Studies. Dick and Marilyn were married in 1962, and have been blessed with three children and six grandchildren. Dick worked as a juvenile probation officer for 33 years, and since 1994 has been volunteering with ECS Ministries, focusing mainly on the spiritual aftercare of parolee students. Prior to his work with ECS Ministries, Dick and his wife served as leaders in their church’s Junior High Department. He is also involved in evangelism and active at church.

Mary King

Mary King was a keen Emmaus student back in the seventies and her familiarity with the style of the correspondence courses and her own Bible studies led her to write “The Three Marys” (formerly – Women Who Met the Master) and offer it to Emmaus UK for publication. It was accepted and so began a long association with Emmaus, with her husband Barry becoming a member of the board of trustees in England. Retired now, Mary and her husband live in Plymouth, Devon, UK and are part of an active local assembly in the city.

Christopher Knapp

Christopher Knapp (1870-1945) was a devoted student of God’s Word. During his early years of ministry, Knapp went to the Bahamas as an evangelist, where he enjoyed a fruitful ministry. Later, Knapp and his wife went to Honduras, Central America, as pioneer missionaries. For five years they sowed the seed of the Gospel, often taking long and arduous journeys into the interior. After contracting malaria, Knapp returned to the States and continued to minister the Word. He continued an effective written ministry almost to the end of his life.

Frederick L Kosin

Since 1966, Fred and Jenny Kosin have served the Lord in a church-planting ministry. During the past 20 years they have travelled to over 85 countries, “serving missionaries around the world” and teaching God’s Word to the body of Christ. Fred is a graduate of Emmaus Bible College and author of the book Letters Missionaries Never Write. Fred and Jenny make their home in Darlington, South Carolina, and have three grown sons and nine grandchildren.

William MacDonald

For over sixty years, William MacDonald addressed the key issues of Christianity in clear and simple terms. Leaving a promising business career to serve the Lord Jesus, he travelled worldwide, proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ. His more than eighty works are characterized by an economy of words that only comes by a major time investment in God’s Word. Although William MacDonald went to be with the Lord in 2008, his writing ministry continues to instruct and teach thousands of people today. Among his many writings is the popular “Bible Believer’s Commentary” – an easy to read commentary of the entire Bible that turns complicated theology into practical understanding.

David J. MacLeod

David J. MacLeod was born in Nova Scotia and raised in Massachusetts. He received his theological education at Dallas Theological Seminary (TM, PhD) and has served on the faculties of Colorado Christian University and Dallas Seminary. He is presently Chairman of the Division of Biblical Studies at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa.

W. Ross Rainey

W. Ross Rainey was born in Brooklyn, NY, converted at age eight, and is a graduate of Stetson University and Dallas Theological Seminary. Commended to the Lord’s work in North America in 1954, he has over the years been involved in evangelism, Bible teaching, conferences and pastoral ministry. He has also served as a visiting instructor at Emmaus Bible School in Oak Park, IL, and Kawartha Lakes Bible School in Peterborough, ON, as well as having edited “Food for the Flock” magazine for 15 years. In 1970 Ross moved with his wife Lillian and their three children from St. Louis, MO, to Plymouth, MI, and is currently involved in an itinerant Bible teaching ministry both the United States and Canada. Ross is the author of Capsule Comments on the Cults and Portraits from Paul’s Pen, as well as dozens of published magazine articles.

David R. Reid

Dr. David R. Reid, whose academic background includes both engineering and theology, is a former faculty member at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. He is the founder of Growing Christians Ministries, the author of the bi-monthly publication “Devotions for Growing Christians,” and the producer of the radio program “Talks for Growing Christians.” His other activities include Holy Land study tours and seminars on Biblical Hermeneutics and Christian Evidences. For more information about Dr. David Reid, visit www.growingchristians.org.

Charles C. Ryrie

Charles C. Ryrie (A.B., Harverford College; Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary; Ph.D., University of Edinburgh; Litt.D., Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the annotator of the Ryrie Study Bible and author of many other best-selling books including The Basis of the Premillennial Faith, The Miracles of Our Lord, Balancing the Christian Life, Basic Theology, and So Great Salvation. Dr. Ryrie has served in numerous professional capacities including President of Philadelphia Biblical University, and Chairman and Professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Christine Schneider

Christine Schneider and her husband, Floyd, spent 15 years as missionaries in Austria, where they planted three churches. They have planted a fourth one in Dubuque, Iowa. Christine has enjoyed watching women grow in their faith, as she teaches them to nourish their souls with God’s Word and then to pass on to others what they have learned. She is now making her own study notes available in the Kitchen Table Studies series. Christine has also written two historical novels and previously taught a class on “Ministry of Women” at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa.

Cyrus I. Scofield

C. I. Scofield (1843-1921) was converted at 36 years of age. Three years later he was ordained a Congregational minister. He is best known for the Scofield Reference Bible, which popularized Dispensationalism. His reference Bible was a major achievement for a man who lacked formal theological training. Cyrus set out to help others learn the things that would have most helped him when he first set out to understand God’s word. The Scofield Bible was printed in 1909 and had an immediate impact on what the average Christian believes. Due in large part to Scofield, vast numbers of Christians now hold the view that Christ will return for Christians before the Great Tribulation, a teaching not held by any significant segment of the church before the mid-1800s.

Daniel H. Smith

Daniel H. Smith has been actively involved with Emmaus Bible College for over 50 years, and continues to serve as a faculty member. He served as President of the college from 1975 to 2000, and currently serves as Chancellor. Dan holds a B.A. from Greenville College (Education/Psychology and History/Political Science), a Th. B. from Midwest Bible Seminary (Theology and Greek), and a M. Ed. from University of Missouri (Counceling) and an Ed. D. from Loyola University (Administration and Leadership). He is an elder emeritus at Arbor Oaks Bible Chapel. Dan and his wife, Martha, have been married for 50 years and are parents of three adult children and eight grandchildren.

Lennie Spitale

Before becoming a Christian in 1975, Lennie Spitale’s life was dominated by an explosive temper and problems with authority. By the time he was 30, the anger and rebellion had resulted in over 35 different jobs and several incarcerations. Upon release, Lennie continued to drift and get into trouble. But in the spring of 1975, a loving, merciful God broke into his angry, rebellious life and granted him saving faith in Jesus Christ. He quickly began to experience God’s life-changing power. In 1977 he began leading weekly Bible studies at a local jail and visiting the men at their cells. Since then, Lennie has devoted his life to a wide range of prison-related ministries, including chaplaincy, training chaplains, and authoring several books to help inmates and their families. Lennie and his wife live in Philadelphia, USA.

Alexander Strauch

For over thirty years Alexander Strauch has served as an elder at Littleton Bible chapel near Denver, Colorado. Additionally, he has taught philosophy and New Testament literature at Colorado Christian University. A gifted Bible teacher and popular speaker, Mr. Strauch has helped thousands of churches worldwide through his expository, writing ministry. He is the author of numerous books including Biblical Eldership, The New Testament Deacon, and Leading with Love. Mr. Strauch and his wife, Marilyn, reside in Littleton, Colorado, near their four adult daughters.

Richard Strauss

During his 60 years, Richard Strauss loved God, and he loved to study His Word. He spent hours each week pouring over the Bible, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach him so that he could teach others. Through his sermons, books and tapes, Dr. Strauss made God’s eternal message relevant to thousands of people worldwide. He had a special gift for making the Bible come alive in a practical way. “My Dad, Richard Strauss, had a unique ability to dig deeply into God’s Word and then to serve it up to people in a manner that was clear, straightforward, and eminently practical. He also lived out the faith he proclaimed daily with transparency and humility. I know, because I grew up with him!” – Mark Strauss Ph.D., Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary, San Diego

Ian Taylor

Ian Taylor, was born in Australia and has served the Lord in church-planting, teaching, printing, and publishing ministries across three continents. After 20 years in Colombia as a missionary, he moved to the U.S. to help establish a Spanish literature ministry and start an assembly among the Spanish-speaking Hispanics of West Palm Beach, Florida. Ian now lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin where he serves as an elder at Grace Bible Chapel and enjoys an itinerant preaching ministry.

Jonathan N Thigpen

Dr. Jonathan N. Thigpen serves as president of the Evangelical Training Association (ETA) in Wheaton, Illinois. The 70-year old organization ministers internationally, promoting Christian education among evangelical institutions. Jonathan Thigpen received formal training at Free Will Baptist Bible College (B.A.), Temple Baptist Seminary (M.R.E.), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Ph.D.). Dr. Thigpen has ministered in a variety of positions: as a pastor, youth worker, publishing executive, seminar leader, college professor, curriculum writer and editor. Jonathan has a passion for training and equipping others to effectively teach the Word of God.

R Jay Waggoner

R. Jay Waggoner received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Marietta College, his Master of Religious Education and Master of Divinity degrees from Temple Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Theological Seminary. He has been in the pastoral ministry since 1980 and currently pastors Fellowship Baptist Church in Willow Spring, North Carolina. Dr. Waggoner is also the author of the Sermon Notes Journal.

Evan M Welcher

After graduating from Emmaus Bible College, Evan bummed around Iowa, Baltimore, and South Dakota before winding up at First Christian Church in Glenwood, Iowa. He’s been there since 2007. Evan writes and speaks about love and loss, marriage, suffering, death, resurrection, the life of the heart, flyover country, and Christ crucified for sinners. He believes the church is proof of God’s lovingkindness.

Timothy Z Witmer

Timothy Z. Witmer is professor of practical theology and co-ordinator of the practical theology department at Westminster Theological Seminary. He has served as a senior minister at Crossroads Community Church since 1986.

Paul D. Bramsen

Paul D. Bramsen has spent much of his life in Senegal, a majority-Muslim nation on the edge of the Sahara. His writings flow from a passion for the Scriptures and from thousands of dialogues with Muslim neighbors ad contacts in Senegal and around the world. Bramsen is the author of the 100-episode radio series THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, the book ONE GOD ONE MESSAGE, the booklet YOUR STORY, and the illustrated book KING OF GLORY. Working with a small team over a period of nearly four years, his most recent project has been to see the KING of GLORY book turned into a movie. http://king-of-glory.com Paul is president of ROCK International (Relief, Opportunity, and Care for Kids / Resources of Crucial Knowledge). http://rockintl.org He and his wife are based in South Carolina.