Currently, I am the pastor of Thalia Lynn Baptist Church located in Virginia Beach, VA. I have been pastor here since Easter of 2005. Previously, I was senior pastor of First Baptist, Goodlettsville, TN and College Park Baptist, Houston, TX. Before that I was on staff at Brentwood Baptist, Brentwood, TN, First Baptist, Lubbock, TX and Calvary Baptist, Knoxville, TN.
I grew up in Cameron, Texas and graduated from Yoe High. I have a BS from Texas A&M, a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.
I am married to the former Karen Gilmer and have three amazing daughters: Melissa, Rebecca and Suzanne. Karen grew up in Lancaster and Abilene, TX. She started her college days at Texas Tech but transferred to Texas A&M her sophomore year. She holds degrees from Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Tyler. We were married December 4, 1976. She is the Infection Preventionist at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.
Our oldest daughter, Melissa, teaches second grade at Overseas Family School in Singapore. She is also a graduate of Texas A&M. She taught for several years in Houston, Texas and Cairo, Egypt before her current employment. She has managed to travel the world with each school break.
Rebecca is a second year resident in Anesthesiology in Birmingham, Alabama. She has a BS from Samford and a MD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.
Suzanne, our youngest, lives in Boston. She has a Tourism and Hotel Management/ Business BS from the University of Tennessee. She has worked in a resort in the Caribbean, a private yacht and in Ireland. She has volunteered in non-profit organizations in Kenya and Nepal. She has traveled the world extensively in Europe, India and Northern Africa.