Leadership
Tom BuckSenior Pastor
Tom came to FBC Lindale in 2006. He previously served as the Senior Pastor of Riverside Baptist Fellowship in Florida, a position he held for 12 years. He is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute (B.A. in Pastoral Ministries and New Testament Greek) and Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M. in Bible Exposition). Tom and his wife Jennifer met at Moody Bible Institute. Jennifer shares Tom’s passion for the local church and the message of God’s grace, and is a godly mother to their three children: Dallas, Madison, and Jackson. Tom is quite the sports fan, particularly of the Dallas Cowboys.
Tom has a strong passion for the local church and a desire to lead the church to be Word-centered in everything it does. He is committed to the expositional preaching and teaching of God’s Word, and he generally works through a book of the Bible in his preaching series.
Tom says: “Although many churches experiment with countless models of ministry to pursue success, I believe that the Gospel must be what shapes and evaluates everything the church does. Faithfulness to the Gospel is the ultimate measure of success and it alone contains the theology that must drive the ministry of the local church. Therefore, a successful church is one that is Christ-centered to the core and Word-driven in everything it does. This commitment is what enables and informs our participation in God’s redemptive purposes.”
Contact Tom at tom@fbclindale.comVernon HughesAssistant Pastor, Children
Before coming to FBC Lindale in August of 2008, Vernon spent nearly 15 years serving at Sky Ranch Camp in various capacities, including Outdoor Education, Program Director, and Director of Sky 2. He holds a degree in Speech Communication from the University of Texas at Tyler.
Vernon loves sports, particularly football and baseball. He grew up in Oklahoma and is a Sooner fan, as well as a supporter of the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Braves. He also considers himself a connoisseur of bacon. Vernon loves spending time with his children, Andrew, Matthew, and Libby, which often results in a hearty wrestling match. His wife, Rachel, isn’t much of a wrestler, but is a vital ministry partner in both his family and at FBC. He brings his love for children and a healthy family to his ministry responsibilities.
As to Children’s ministry, Vernon says, “My desire is to see the children in our church and in our community be changed by the Word of God. Matthew 7:24-25 says, ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.’ I believe Children’s ministry is about building a foundation that can be added to as each child grows in their walk with the Lord. I want church to be fun and exciting for the children, but I know that fun and exciting games and programs don’t change lives; God’s Word does.”
Contact Vernon at vernon@fbclindale.comAndrew PressleyAssociate Pastor, Music
Andrew was born and raised in the upstate of South Carolina. He is a Graduate of the Fine Arts Center of Greenville County (Jazz Guitar) and has a music degree (Classical Guitar) from Anderson University as well as a Master of Divinity in Church Music (Composition) from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Andrew has served as a music minister since the age of 19. His parents and two sisters reside in Greenville, SC.
Andrew began work at FBC Lindale in October of 2009, finding a ministerial outlet for his interests in aesthetics, choral conducting, composition, and recording. He continues to serve as the producer, curator, and contributor to www.reclaimedpraise.com, a website dedicated to biblical song texts and accessible music. He is also an active member of his local music community, playing guitar, percussion, keyboard instruments, mandolin, and banjo in various settings. Andrew enjoys word puzzles, mountain biking, backpacking, poetry, and golf.
In regards to the music of the church, he says, “My ministry objective is to glorify God by equipping the saints, edifying the church, and testifying to the gospel by utilizing gifts God has graciously fostered in the local church. I have a strong heart for Word-driven multi-generational worship, and I try to employ excellent music from many appropriate styles. As I strive to promote excellence in our church music, I find great joy in seeing believers align their lives and Jesus’ church with the standards of Scripture.”
Contact Andrew at andrew@fbclindale.comRonnie StribbleAssistant Pastor, Senior Adults and Pastoral Care
Ronnie has served FBC Lindale since 1990. He brings over forty years of ministry experience to the staff in addition to his training in music education at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, TX. Ronnie is a native Texan, and served as the Music Pastor at FBC Lindale for 20 years. He has led music in numerous revivals, evangelism meetings, and Bible conferences. He was also a charter member of the Singing Men of East Texas, which was founded in 1974, and continues to be active in the music community with his southern gospel quartet, The Redeemed Four. In 2009, Ronnie took on a new ministerial role as the pastor of pastoral care and senior adults.
Ronnie is excited about the opportunity to minister to Senior Adults, which he points out is the fastest growing group of people in the United States. He says: “Senior adult ministry instills biblical truth in the lives of seniors, helping them face the unique challenges of today’s society. This ministry is an important part of the life of our church, which emphasizes the importance of reaching entire families, including grandparents and homebound seniors. It also provides opportunities for activities, meals, trips, and social events for seniors in our congregation and the community.”
Ronnie’s wife Gwynda has been a constant and faithful support through his many years of ministry. His daughter Amy and son-in-law Byron are parents to Ronnie’s grandson Zackary. Ronnie is a sports fan, particularly of football and the Dallas Cowboys. He also enjoys traveling with his family. Ronnie remains active in the music ministry of FBC as the senior adult choir director and in other capacities.
Contact Ronnie at ronnie@fbclindale.comRyan TaberAssistant Pastor, Students
Before coming to FBC Lindale in 2008, Ryan served in several outdoor/camp related ministry positions in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas. Ryan brings his experiences from these ministries and his love for outdoor activities to his ministry in the local church, for which he has long had a passion. He is thrilled to be serving in this capacity at FBC.
Ryan holds a degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State University, specializing in History. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His wife Jennifer stays at home with their five children, Brady, Haley, Hannah, Abigail and Kathryn. Together, Ryan and Jennifer serve the students of FBC Lindale, aiming to see young people come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and to help them grow in their knowledge and understanding of God and His Word.
Ryan is passionate about seeing students become transformed by the love of Jesus Christ. Nothing brings him greater joy than to see God’s Word bring about such change. He says, “For far too long, many churches have tried to merely entertain students. Rather than entertaining, we have a responsibility to empower them with the truth of the gospel as God’s Word teaches it. My desire is that every person who spends time in the student ministry at FBC leaves here as mature Christians with a solid foundation in God’s Word. I want our students to be equipped to exercise high levels of discernment with regard to personal holiness and service to the local church. Therefore, we encourage students to live a life in Christ that is consistent with the call of Romans 12:1-2: as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.”
Contact Ryan at ryan@fbclindale.com