Dr. Jack Schaap

Because of nearly fatal injuries suffered in a car accident at the age of 15, Marlene Elgersma was told she would never be able to have children—but God had other plans. First, a baby girl named Kristi was born to Marlene and her husband, Ken Schaap. Five years later, the doctor—feeling that having another child was too dangerous for both the baby and his mother—scolded Marlene for becoming pregnant again. Despite complications, Jack Allan Schaap arrived safely at the Holland Community Hospital in Holland, Michigan, on October 1, 1957.

Jack Schaap was brought to church just a few weeks after his birth and attended the Rose Park Baptist Church of Holland, Michigan, for most of his early life. At the age of five, he was led to the Lord by his ten-year-old sister, Kristi, as he sat on the edge of the bathtub.

Reared in a very secure home, Jack learned strong family values from his deacon father and church organist mother. He was a very shy child who cried every day in the first and second grades, preferring to be with family members or a few close friends rather than with crowds.

When Jack was 11 years old, his dad started a business. Ken Schaap had worked midnight shifts cleaning a grocery store, as well as working day shifts doing construction, in order to save for this business venture. Ken bought property, cleared the land, and built from scratch a 200-lot mobile home park. Ken hired his son Jack to be his chief partner in this new venture. Jack worked for his dad through his junior high and high school years. Through the time spent with his dad, he learned the value of hard work, and his dad became his hero and best friend. They made plans to go into business together—but, once again, God had other plans.

Jack’s parents hosted many visiting preachers in their home during his growing-up years. A couple of these preachers challenged him to pray about going into full-time Christian service, which he agreed to do. During his senior year of high school, he became burdened about the salvation of his two best buddies. After praying for several hours every night for Jeff and Jerry to become Christians, he was able to witness to them one night after a Jack Van Impe Crusade. The next morning, both friends informed him that they had accepted Christ. That night, he jumped in bed relieved that he would no longer have to pray for his friends’ salvation. Not being able to sleep, however, he got out of bed, fell to his knees, and began to pray again. The love of God flowed over him as he prayed in his bedroom that night, and the light of the Holy Spirit illuminated the room. Sometime during that night, the call of God to preach became very obvious, and Jack Schaap surrendered to that very definite call during the wee hours of the morning. When he shared with his mother what had happened, she told him that she had been praying for him to be a preacher ever since her accident as a 15-year-old girl.

Pastor Chuck Surrett, Jack’s caring pastor during his teenage years, advised him to attend Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Minnesota. This he did for a year and a half. However, after his first year of college, a new pastor named Jim Binney came to Bro. Schaap’s home church. Bro. Binney was a Hyles-Anderson College graduate and pointed Jack to Hyles-Anderson College. He followed the advice of his pastor and arrived at Hyles-Anderson College in January of 1977. Through some unusual experiences, he met and started dating Cindy Hyles about six weeks after his arrival. After two dates, both were convinced that they had found God’s will for their life’s mate. Brother Schaap graduated from college in May of 1978 with his bachelor’s degree in pastoral theology and received his master’s degree in May of 1979. On June 1, 1979, he and Cindy were married.

Jack Schaap began teaching Bible at Hyles-Anderson College the fall after he and Cindy were married. Five years later, he became an assistant to the president. He received an honorary doctorate from Hyles-Anderson College in 1994. Then, on June 4, 1996, Dr. Schaap became the vice president of Hyles-Anderson College. During his time at the college, Dr. Schaap traveled extensively across America and became known as one of America’s premier preachers, especially to teenagers. He was also a bus captain, starting with one bus and six riders. Under his leadership, the route grew to need six buses, seeing high days of over 350.

On March 7, 2001, following the death of his father-in-law and mentor, Dr. Jack Hyles, Dr. Schaap was voted in as pastor of the great First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, with an overwhelming 96-percent vote in favor of his becoming pastor.

In the ten years that Pastor Schaap has been its pastor, the First Baptist Church of Hammond has seen amazing growth, with the average weekly attendance more than doubling. This growth caused the need for a new auditorium; so in March of 2005, the First Baptist Church moved into a new 7500-seat auditorium and, throughout that same year, saw over 25,000 converts baptized.

Also during his ten-year tenure as pastor, Pastor Schaap has led the First Baptist Church in starting many new ministries including the Chapel Ministry, Responsibility USA (a ministry to public school teens), Reformers Unanimous (an addiction program), and dozens of new adult Sunday school classes for a total of 74.

The First Baptist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Schaap, hosts three nationwide conferences each year—Pastors’ School in March, Youth Conference in July, and the Christian Womanhood Spectacular in October. In addition to these conferences, Pastor Schaap also travels to preach around the country. His lifelong interest in aviation that began when he earned his pilot’s license as a teenager has come to fruition as he flies to speak out of town.

Pastor Schaap superintends more than 3000 Christian young people in five different church-operated, private Christian schools. He is the chancellor of Hyles-Anderson College, a private Bible college operated by the First Baptist Church for the purpose of training preachers, missionaries, and Christian educators.

Pastor Schaap, who is known for his heart for world missions, oversees the operations of FBMI (Fundamental Baptist Missions International), which currently has 150 active missionaries. Since the inception of a Faith Promise Giving program, the church has seen its missions giving rise from $85,000 to a pledged $1.3 million for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

A few years ago, the first mission team was sent from the First Baptist Church to an oppressive country. As of September 2011, this team has seen 18 churches planted, with 10,394 trusting Jesus Christ as their Saviour and 1,167 of them following in believer’s baptism. A second mission team, Team Ghana, was sent to Ghana, West Africa, in November of 2006. This team has seen 17 churches planted, with 467,596 people saved and 7,265 baptized. Hyles-Anderson College of West Africa was founded there in January of 2008. The college has graduated 38 students. In May of 2008, a third mission team, Team Thailand, was sent to Bangkok, Thailand. Since their arrival they have planted two churches, with 29,169 people saved and 1,593 baptized. In June of 2010, a fourth mission team, Team Indo-Philippines, went to the Philippines. So far they have planted the International Baptist Church with the International Baptist Bible Institute and seen 7,098 saved and 203 baptized. In October 2011 a fifth team is leaving to serve in a restricted Asian country. Some of this team will continue on deputation to leave for the field at a later date. This team will be starting a Bible college and training national pastors to multiply churches. A sixth mission team, Team Peru, is currently on deputation in preparation to go to Lima, Peru. A seventh team is currently preparing to serve in a Muslim country.

Pastor Schaap’s other passion is the starting of local churches. In addition to the churches being started by FBMI Team Missions, First Baptist Church has started several churches locally. The Chapel Ministry has two churches: one in Gary, Indiana, and one in South Holland, Illinois. In addition, 12 churches have been started under the name Chicago Baptist Church in various locations throughout Chicagoland, with plans to start a total of 100. Also, Pastor Schaap personally pastors a second church, First Baptist Church’s south campus—South Point Baptist Church—which was started recently in Crown Point, Indiana. The most recent churches to be started by First Baptist Church are 12 house churches within the city of Hammond as part of an outreach program called the Hammond Initiative.

Pastor and Mrs. Schaap have been married for 32 years and have two children, Jaclynn and Ken. Jaclynn is married to Todd Weber, Junior High Youth Director at First Baptist Church, and is one of the church pianists. The Webers have four children: Lyndsay, Raymond, Alexys, and Jayke. Ken is married to Candace (Hooker) and teaches at Hyles-Anderson College. They have two children: Kenny and Chloe.

Those who know Pastor Jack Schaap best would describe him as a man with a passion for God.

Dr. Wendell Evans

Northwestern College; Bob Jones University, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.; University of Tennessee; University of Chattanooga; Hyles-Anderson College, D.D.; Baptist College of America, L.H.D.; Pastored in North Carolina; Member of the Conference on Faith and History; Member of the Southern Historical Association; Chairman, Department of Religious Education, Temple Baptist Theological Seminary, 1961-1972; Dean, Tennessee Temple College, 1967-1972; Conference speaker; Bus captain for two years; Sunday school teacher for three years; Sunday school superintendent for six years; Author of Some Thoughts on American History.

Dr. Wendell Evans, a native of Iowa, pastored for two years in North Carolina. While a student at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, he traveled with an evangelistic team for four summers. This ministry took him into most of the states and throughout Central America.

For eleven years, Dr. Evans was associated with Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He served as Chairman of the Department of Religious Education of Temple Baptist Theological Seminary during these years. From 1967 to 1972, he was Academic Dean of Tennessee Temple. While at Tennessee Temple, he was Assistant Training Union Director of the Highland Park Baptist Church for ten years. He was a bus pastor for two years. He helped in the establishment of three routes.

Dr. Wendell Evans has been an administrator of Hyles-Anderson College since its founding in 1972 and was the president of the college for most of its history.

Dr. Evans has had the unique opportunity of being influenced by three of the great Christian leaders of recent times: by Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. for seven years, by Dr. Lee Roberson for eleven years, and by Dr. Jack Hyles for twenty-eight years.

Dr. Evans has many facets. He grew up on a farm in Iowa, and he still enjoys wearing his bibbed overalls. When preaching in a farming community, he can be found driving a tractor or harvesting grain with a combine. He loves preaching and soul winning–traveling many weekends across America preaching in churches. He loves academics–spending much time reading and studying history and education. He loves teaching and sharing truth: if a person wants to learn, Dr. Evans is ready to communicate to a group or one-on-one. Dr. Evans loves prayer and reading the Bible–these are serious business to him. Dr. Evans is a well-rounded Christian gentleman.

Many people describe him in the following manner: “Dr. Evans is ‘Mr. Hyles-Anderson College.’”

Dr. Ray Young

Baptist Christian College, Hyles-Anderson College, B.S., D.D.; Youth director for three years; Assistant pastor at the First Baptist Church of Hammond for thirty-two years; Bus director for twenty-six years; Twenty-six years of teaching experience; College administrator for seventeen years; Author of four books.

Dr. Ray Young was trained by his parents to be an honest and hard-working young man. Being in rural Louisiana, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and the outdoor life. In 1970, as a fifteen-year-old boy, Brother Young rode a bus to church, was saved, baptized, called to preach, and preached his first sermon. As a young man he listened to men like Dr. Jack Hyles, Dr. Wally Beebe, and Dr. Jim Vineyard. In 1974 he came to Hyles-Anderson College and worked his way through college. Dr. Hyles described meeting Brother Young during his first year in college as, “a very mild-mannered, meek, and almost timid college student.” In 1977 he was asked to join the staff of the First Baptist Church of Hammond and had the opportunity to learn firsthand from Dr. Hyles about the ministry. Dr. Young has stated that he teaches what great men have taught him.

As president, he oversees the daily operation of the college, yet he often is seen shaking hands with the students, passing out treats in the hallway, going on activities with the students, and more. Dr. Young has traveled hundreds of miles to visit students who were hospitalized.

Dr. Young is known for getting to work very early in the morning, working long hours, and getting the work of the ministry done, yet he is also known as a family man and a man who enjoys taking students on trips.

Dr. Jack Hyles stated that: “As a worker, he is tireless; as a bus leader, he is compassionate; as an assistant, he is loyal; and as a friend, he is incomparable. He is a preacher, teacher, worker, friend; he is loyal, faithful, diligent, dedicated, and caring.”

Dr. Tom Vogel

University of Minnesota, Hyles-Anderson College, B.S., M.Ed., L.H.D.; Bus worker for twenty-five years; Science teacher for twenty-three years at Hammond Baptist Junior High School; Five years of experience as assistant principal and sixteen years of experience as principal of Hammond Baptist Junior High School; Adult men’s Sunday school teacher for elevens years.

Dr. Tom Vogel is a Vietnam veteran and has over 30 years of teaching experience in Christian schools. He has a burden for training and teaching preachers and teachers. He leads the faculty in finding practical ways to get the truth of God’s Word to the students. He works at improving the classroom environment to give the students the best opportunity to learn. As a junior high school principal, he met weekly with Dr. Hyles. He has worked many hours with Brother Schaap, at first with the National Christian Educators’ Convention and then as a college administrator. Dr. Vogel uses his military and educational background to reach the students with a well-organized, well-planned curriculum. Dr. Vogel has been called “Mr. Christian Education.”

Dr. Bob Hooker

Memphis State University, B.A.; Hyles-Anderson College, B.S., D.D: Hyles-Anderson seminary, M.P. Th.; Sixteen years of teaching experience; youth director for three and on-half years; Member of Fishermen’s Club for three and one-half years, Sunday school teacher for ten years; Director and worker in Servicemen’s ministry for twenty years.

On November 8, 1975, Robert Hooker was saved in his dorm room while attending Memphis State University. He graduated from Memphis State and went on to work as the youth pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Collierville, Tennessee. While attending this church, God called Robert to preach, and he, his wife, and two daughters moved to Indiana to attend Hyles-Anderson College. Robert graduated from Hyles-Anderson College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pastoral Theology. Later, Robert received his Masters in Pastoral Theology. Bro. Hooker has been working at Hyles-Anderson College and in ministries of First Baptist Church since 1985. In 2005, Bro. Hooker was given a Doctorate of Divinity by Dr. Jack Schaap.

Dr. Hooker teaches Bible, preaching, and counseling at Hyles-Anderson College. He also teaches the Faith and Family Sunday School class at the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana.

Stuart Mason

Hyles-Anderson College, B.S., M.Ed.; Twenty-six years of teaching experience; Basketball coach for twelve years; Bus captain for twelve years; Sunday school teacher for twenty-four years; Assistant principal for ten years; Assistant pastor for thirteen years; Pastor for six years; Camp and youth conference speaker; Tour preacher for four years; Executive director of online studies.

Bro. Stuart Mason was born in Germany where his dad was stationed at a U.S. military base. He has traveled to various countries and throughout the United States. His family settled in Radcliff, Kentucky, where he heeded the call to preach. Stuart attended Youth Conference in 1980 and made the decision to attend Hyles-Anderson College. After graduating from Hyles-Anderson College, he went to work in California as a teacher, Sunday school teacher, basketball coach, and assistant pastor. Stuart, his wife, and two daughters moved to Kentucky in 1993 where he served as an assistant pastor and assistant principal. Brother Mason served as a pastor from 2000–2006.

In 2006 Stuart, his wife, and four daughters moved to Indiana to work in the ministries of First Baptist Church. Bro. Mason has been teaching Bible and overseeing different departments at the college since that time. Bro. Mason is currently the executive director of online studies. He teaches the Church Education class and Bible at Hyles-Anderson College. He also teaches the Contenders Sunday School Class at the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana.

Mike Borsh

Hyles-Anderson College, B.S.; Worker and now leader of the Truckstop Ministry for 21 years; Adult Sunday school teacher for three years; six years of teaching experience; fifteen years of overseeing discipline.

Bro. Mike Borsh was reared in a very moral, religious family in rural New York state. When Brother Borsh was 11, his dad was led to Christ by a neighbor. Eventually, his mother accepted Christ, and in turn, she led Mike to Christ. His desire was to be a business man like his father, and he went to a Christian college to pursue that goal. He knew that God was working in his life and could not figure out exactly what was happening. His dad advised him to get alone and pray, and Mike surrendered to go wherever God would lead him.
His sister gave him a book by Dr. Jack Hyles entitled Let’s Go Soul Winning. On March 9, 1984, while giving blood, he led the friend who came with him to Christ. The overwhelming thrill of being used by God led Mike to decide to be a soul winner for the rest of his life. That decision led to a decision to transfer to Hyles-Anderson College.

Bro. Borsh and his wife Debbie are the parents of three children.

Jon Tutton

Texas Baptist College, B.S.; Hyles-Anderson College, M.Ed.; Sunday school teacher for six years; Bible Club ministry for five years; Seven years of teaching experience; Bus captain for four years.

Bro. John Tutton was reared in a Christian home and saved at the age of four. He grew up in the states of Florida and Texas. He surrendered to the call to preach at the age of 10. He attended Christian schools and then attended Texas Baptist College. Brother Tutton has a heart for college students and works closely each day with them. He currently is the bus captain of a growing bus route in a nearby city. He and his wife, Linda, have three children.