The Finest Thought Leaders
Pastor Andy came to Irving Bible Church as Senior Pastor in 1987 to a church whittled down to two pastors and 200 people just one year before by a split and the subsequent firing of the previous pastoral staff. He led the rebuilding of the staff and ministries there as well as the construction of a new $1.2 million education building in 1994.
Ā Ā
Andy wrote a dissertation on relocating a church (āDeveloping, Implementing, and Evaluating a Program to Prepare a Church Congregation for Facility Relocationā, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1997) and then used his research to guide Irving Bible Church to a new $19.5 million, 17-acre campus in Las Colinas in 1996 whose main sanctuary and education buildings were dedicated in 2003 and paid off in full in 2015.
Ā Ā
Through missional outreach, Andy helped grow Irving Bible Church to a high of over seventy full-time staff with a nearly $11 million annual budget and ministering in weekly worship services/classes to over 4,000 souls.
Ā Ā
Andy loves to speak on:
Andy also has full-blown multi-message conference/retreat packages on:
"Andy has given us all a wonderful giftāa comfort beyond human comfort, and a hope beyond earthly hope."
~ John Ortberg, senior pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, author, Soul Keeping
"This book is amazing. Andy shows us how God can be thereāis there!āin the worst moments of life. This book is unflinchingly honest, rooted in eternal truth, filled with hope."
~ Dr. Ray Pritchard, president, Keep Believing Ministries, author, Why Did This Happen to Me?
āMy wife and I lost our youngest daughter to cancer, and we know that the desert is indeed part of the Valley. We can and must find healing for our broken hearts. May the words written in this book assure you that Godās love is stronger than cancer or any valley you face."
~ James Robison, president, LIFE Outreach International, Cohost, LIFE Today
āThis book is raw and rugged, not only about the realities of cancer, but more importantly about the gritty side of ruthless trust in God. If you are fighting what appears to be a losing battle with cancer, I urge you to listen to and heed the insights of this veteran."
~ Bill Hendricks, author, The Light That Never Dies: A Story of Hope in the Shadows of Grief
Andy also helped mobilize IBC in āacross the street and around the worldā innovative ministries like Water is Basic (has drilled over 700 fresh water wells in Sudan), Tapestry (a foster care and adoption ministry that has spread to all fifty states and around the world), an in-house medical clinic for those with deficient or non-existent health insurance), Laundry Love, Schoolworks (Half Hour Heroās and Reading buddies in low--performing Irving public schools), and approximately 70 other IBC ministry expressions of Christās love and the Gospel.
Ā Ā
After 31 fulfilling years as Sr. Pastor, Andy sensed the need in 2017 to pass the leadership baton intentionally and positively to the next generation of IBC leaders. With the IBC Board of Elders, he chose and installed Dr. Barry Jones as his successor to the IBC Sr. Pastorate on January 27, 2019, and continues to retain the āIBC Sr. Pastor at Largeā staff title to this day. In that capacity he continues to mentor, minister, write, teach, and preach both at IBC and around the country.
Andy is an avid reader, tennis court rat, golfer, Harleyārider and writer.
But his favorite pastime is hanging out with his family.
Andy married his high school sweetheart Alice in 1978 and they are the proud parents of five grown children and three precious grandchildren.