 My name is Alan Ettinger. I have been the pastor of Faith Missionary Baptist Church since January of 2000.
I am a bi-vocational pastor and I work at the Kansas City Harley-Davidson motorcycle assembly plant. The transition to both of these roles occurred on the weekend of Jan. 17, 2000. I was ordained and became pastor of Faith and the following Monday I went to work in the plant after being in office equipment repair for 25 years. My work in the plant appears to be stable at this time after the fact of the company and union entering a new labor agreement in March 2011. I appreciate everyone's prayers that have gone up for this. I still feel the calling to be able to have more hours in the week to devote to Christian service.
I have been married to my wife, Sherry, since June 1979 and we have three grown children- Kelly, Karen and David. We have four grandchildren.
I asked Jesus Christ into my life to be my Savior at a Baptist youth camp just before I turned thirteen. I was brought up in a pretty typical 1960's-70's urban American home but my parents didn't serve God as Christians. In high school I gravitated toward and desired fellowship with Christians and God blessed me with some wonderful friends who attended and were involved in ministry at Evangelistic Center Church in Kansas City MO. I began to feel the call of God to special service while there and preached my first sermon there at the age of seventeen.
After marrying Sherry in 1979 we were active in a couple of Baptist churches and I served as a deacon and continued to preach as God gave opportunity. We also put in some time in non-denominational work and that is where I've gotten most of my Bible training, through informal Bible schools that continue to be a major part of some traditions today. I also studied through Seminary Extension with the SBC for a time. I surrendered to preach in 1986 while at the Moment of Truth Bible Baptist Church in Claycomo MO and was licensed to the Gospel Ministry at that time. While at that church (1981-1990 and 1995-1999), I submitted to the pastor's leadership and trained under him in ministry. I was able to minister in nursing homes, in the Sunday School as an adult teacher, and on the radio at times. I pastored a non-denominational work in 1990-91.
The churches of the Baptist Missionary Association of America strongly believe in cooperation among the churches in the association and equality of representation or status for all the churches in decision-making; while allowing complete autonomy for each local congregation. I have found my fellow pastors and brethren among the churches to be most welcoming and helpful, as well as patient, with me. If you are looking for a church home we hope you visit us at Faith; but I feel that if you visit any BMAA church you will be in a good environment for cultivation of a genuine, Scriptural, deep and lasting walk with God.
In recent years I have been blessed with the chance to teach at the adult level in a camp setting; and I have preached two revivals in my time (one thematic and one more or less random). These are two areas of ministry that are very fulfilling to me and that I'd like to branch out into. I believe in the deep and historical study of the Bible, Christ, and His church. For now, let me share some good study resources with you all.
Links for Your Study and Enrichment: http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/JBPhillips.htm (Link to J.B. Phillips' The New Testament in Modern English, also contains some good Phillips study material.)
http://www.jewfaq.org Site of Judaism 101 containing easy to read info on the Jewish faith and history
http://www.jwgregson.com Site of J.W. Gregson, M.A., Th D. He was very influential in the BMA Theological Seminary and this site
features lots of Biblical commentary and teaching; including commentary on the entire NT except for the Gospels.
http://www.soniclight.org Great Biblical commentary on site by Dr. Thomas L. Constable... was recommended in our BMA Sunday school literature
Alan Ettinger e-mail alan8or@yahoo.com |