How does a preacher grow over the years?

My growth began at the Mount Dora (Florida) Bible School where I spent all of my school years from 1st grade through high school. In my senior year, I preached my first sermon (where I was the only preacher that night) in a little country church not far from my home. It didn't take me long to tell the folks all I knew, but I was launched! I took that same sermonette to at least one other church that year, maybe more.

A few years later, I was in New Zealand as a missionary - now a grauate of Alabama Christian College (AA, '58) and Harding (BA, '60) and a veteran of nearly two years of preaching part-time while earning my living in a "day job" as a computer programmer.

In New Zealand as I taught regular Bible classes I began to notice what I called a Pauline Characteristic. In the writings of Paul, there would be doctrinal teaching followed by a "therefore" and practical teaching based on the doctrine.

What a ride we have had in the 40+ years since the Gray Eagle conferred his blessing on us and sent us out into the unsuspecting world - and, yes, the unsuspecting church as well!

In 1967 we headed back to New Zealand. I'd been there for three years before coming to what was then Sunset School of Preaching. I came to SSOP intending to return to New Zealand. Rex & Eleanor Merrick, KIWIs (i.e., New Zealanders) were also in our class. Working together, we had recruited nine other families to come with us to New Zealand - all from our July class of 1967. They were Larry & Helen Deason, Jack & Rita Harriman, Roy & Joyce Dunavin, David & Molly Dennis,  John & Wanda Bizzell, Glen & Anne Gray, Joe & Sally Jones, and Kerry & Tommi Cain in the first contingent. Dave & Barbara Chamberlain followed two years later after fulfilling a commitment to the church that supported them through school.