Dr. Michael H. Reynolds

Educational Experience:

BA Baylor University (Majoring in Religion and Greek)

MDiv Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

DMin in Missions and Evangelism – Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Testimony:

Because of the influence of godly parents and dedicated Sunday School teachers I accepted Christ at the age of six. Following a number of questions on my part my father came into my bedroom on a Sunday evening and led me invite Jesus into my life. The next week I made a public profession of my faith and was baptized several weeks later. While in junior high I acknowledged that God was calling me to do something but I was not sure what. Later, as a senior at Hawaii Baptist Academy, I surrendered to God’s call to ministry. I was licensed to the ministry by Kailua Baptist Church in Kailua, Hawaii. Later while pastor of the Mother Neff Baptist Church near a student at Baylor University in Waco, Texas I was ordained to the ministry by the Highland Baptist Church at the request of the small church I was serving as pastor.

Pastoral Experience:

Over the years I have had the privilege of serving as the senior pastor of churches Texas, Hawaii, and Georgia. While serving in those churches I was trained in how to use almost every program and activity as a means for church growth and as a means of spiritual growth for the congregation. In each of those churches I had the opportunity to see them triple in membership and double in attendance. Each of these churches saw significant growth from the unchurched population of their communities.

As a part of my pastoral experience I have also had the opportunity to serve churches in Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgia as an interim pastor. In that role it was my goal to always cut through and deal with issues and problems in the church so that the new Senior Pastor would not have to. I always see an interim’s role as similar to that of John the Baptist’s in preparing the way for the one to follow. While a church with an interim pastor rarely has any significant growth in a couple of the interim’s where I served it was exciting to baptize a number of new believers during that time of service.

While serving in the capacity of senior pastor I did receive significant training in the use of the Sunday School or small groups as a tool for outreach and evangelism. I used this training on a local level to help the church I served but also took that training to other churches in my local area and the states where I lived and used it to help them as well.  This involves the ability to observe the inner workings of a church, examining their vision, goals, and plans and then helping them coordinate their activities in such a way as they all work towards reaching those goals and that vision.

Currently, Dr. Reynolds is the Senior Pastor of Air Line Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA.  This dynamic and growing congregation is on the North side of Gainesville, poised to meet the needs of this growing area.  Check it out at: www.airlinebaptist.org

Denominational Experience:

For six years I had the opportunity to serve as the National Consultant on Mormonism for the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.  In that capacity I produced a periodical and other materials that were read in all 50 states, all US territories and in over 80 countries around the world.  Because of the nature of the work I had the opportunity to speak, teach and preach in churches, denominational offices and seminaries in 43 states and Canada. In addition to Southern Baptist Churches I have had the opportunity to work with multiple denominations in the context of this work. This involved evangelism training, teaching about Mormonism and related subjects, and how to strengthen the doctrinal training in those churches.  Nothing prepares you for solid evangelism like witnessing to someone in a cult. In order to really understand what the cult teaches you have to know the truth of what you believe and why you believe it.  While there are certainly no degrees of lostness if you can witness to someone who is lost in a cult and thoroughly confused by that doctrine it is much easier to witness to those who are “just lost.”

Chaplaincy:

For 11 years I served two police departments as a sworn Law Enforcement Chaplain.  For five years I was the senior chaplain for the Hawaii County Police Department in Hilo, Hawaii. For another six years I served as an associate chaplain with the Duncan Police Department in Duncan, OK.  These opportunities of service gave me some rather unique experiences, learning and training in a variety of areas. Many of those areas have had a direct impact on my church service as I was able to relate to the needs of people regardless of the circumstances of situations.  Currently, Dr. Reynolds serves as Chaplain with the Hall County Sheriff's Department.  This department is the largest full service accredited sheriff's department in Georgia.

Other Experience:

For almost four years I was a ministry consultant with Injoy Stewardship Services, a company founded and owned by Dr. John Maxwell. I worked with churches of almost every denomination to raise capital funds for new buildings, land purchase, upgrades and debt retirement. My assignment was to counsel with the churches and work with them on timing issues, space concerns and need. Each year I had the opportunity to help churches of almost every denomination in the country raise many millions of dollars for the kingdom’s work. In doing this it gave me a keen insight on how to tie church growth, evangelism and outreach to the stewardship needs of the church. Helping a church understand that true biblical stewardship is not so much about money as it is about their relationship with God is a breakthrough that will often change a church’s entire understanding of its vision and goals.

In 1974 God brought Nancy Davis into my life and he woke me up just about a year later and I fell so hard in love with her that after 28 years of marriage I still have not recovered from that fall. Nancy is a gifted person who has been more than I could ever hope for. She has a Church Music Degree from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor and has often helped with the music programs in the churches I served as pastor. In Hawaii she was the church music director, led a children’s choir at Haili Christian School and later sang with the 250 voice choir of the Singing Church Women of Oklahoma. She is currently enriching other women’s lives and our family as Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics and loving every minute of it.  Click here to visit her website.

We have three children, Aaron, David, and Hannah. Hannah is 21 years old and living on her own in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a young lady who is determined to take care of her self and discover God’s way for her on her own

In 2000 we lost our oldest child. He was a student at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas when he was murdered along with his roommate. It was a terrible year for us because along with his murder there were four trials for the perpetrators. While we were devastated and hurt we continued to trust God for his loving care.  While we still have good days and bad days – God remains faithful and we find great comfort in the words of Jesus in John 16:33: In this world you will always have trouble; but take heart, for I have overcome the world.”

In 2001, our next oldest son, David, who at the time was a freshman at Piedmont College was diagnosed with brain cancer. So, in the midst of trials in Texas for the murderers of our Aaron we underwent radiation and chemo therapy. David still struggles with some of the aftermath of that treatment and to some degree will do so for the rest of his life. Yet, because of God’s goodness David is now four years cancer free. He completed his undergraduate degree in the summer of 2006 and in October 2006 he married Lauren Potts.  She is a special lady and we are so grateful that she loves David so.  They are residing in Pennsylvania.

Nancy and Michael live in the foot hills of the Smokey Mountains in Gainesville, GA with Goldie the Wonder Dog and Lewis the cutest Dachshund on the planet.