Pastors & Staff

I was born and raised in Weeks Mills, Maine and received Christ at an early age at Weeks Mills Baptist Church. God stirred me to teach the Scriptures during my first year in college through the prompting of my pastor. I transferred the following year to New Brunswick Bible Institute to begin my training for ministry. After graduating with their three-year diploma (1983), I enrolled at Washington Bible College to earn a bachelors degree (1984) so I could attend Dallas Theological Seminary (Master of Theology, 1989).

During my Dallas days, I attended Reinhardt Bible Church and served as a Bible teacher and later the director of the Inner City Bible Ministry that met in the second largest projects in Dallas called Roseland Homes. That is how I met my beautiful wife, Michele Miller, who was also attending RBC and serving in that ministry. Any young woman who would serve the Lord like that was serious about Him and His work. She is the most Spirit-sensitive person I know and God’s best gift to me. Michele and I were married in 1987 in her hometown of Charlotte, NC.

After graduating from DTS, Michele and I moved to Lanham, MD where I spent two years in administration, teaching, and coaching at WBC. God graciously allowed Michele and me to be shepherded and mentored by Dr. Jeff Watson at Grace Bible Church. I was ordained under the authority of GBC and soon convinced by my DTS preaching professor, Dr. John Reed, that I should enter pastoral ministry. Because I taught preaching classes at WBC, I began to sense a passion for helping train other expository preachers.

In August of 1991 Michele and I and our 9-month old daughter, Moriah, moved to Somerville, New Brunswick, Canada to begin pastoring The People’s Church with my former teacher, coach, and mentor, Rev. Bob McNutt. During those years God blessed Michele and me with two more children: Michael and Amanda. Those years created an increased passion for teaching the Bible and helping others to do so. I obtained additional training in Dr. Haddon Robinson’s first Doctor of Ministry class in Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and graduated in 1996.

After twelve years with the dear folks at The People’s Church, I accepted the Senior Pastor position at Calvary Bible Church in Mount Joy, PA in order to continue pastoring and studying at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Our family arrived during in the fall of 2003. I cannot say enough good things about this faith-family. The Elders knew up front that my goals were to continue pastoring, teaching, studying, and training pastors as God gives opportunities. For years I enjoyed riding the train to take Ph.D. classes in Old Testament Hermeneutics and Bible Interpretation at WTS. I was a founding member and later president of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. I continue to enjoy teaching Advanced Homiletics to graduate students at Lancaster Bible College Capital Seminary & Graduate School in Lancaster and their D.C. location, plus Doctor of Ministry students at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. In the fall of 2017 I enrolled in LBC Capital’s Ph.D. program in Biblical Studies, completed all course work, passed qualifying exams, obtained candidate status, and am currently (2020) writing my dissertation on the Psalms. I am fortunate to have authored, A Preacher’s Manifesto (Amazon), and Preaching With Accuracy (Kregel). I produce one post per week on my blog, peltononpreaching.com. I enjoy daily walks with Michele, working out at Spooky Nook Sports, playing the cello, riding my Triumph Trophy with the Mild Hogs on our annual ride, tying and wearing bow ties, and visiting Dekken Boerboels in York, PA whenever I can see their magnificent South African Mastiffs.