Our Faculty
Meet our dedicated team of scholars and ministers committed to your spiritual and academic growth.
Preston McElyea
Preston serves as one of the ministers for the Mt Vernon Church of Christ in Mt Vernon, TX. He is a 2021 graduate of the Brown Trail School of Preaching and has been with the Mt Vernon congregation since that time. In addition to his work in Mt Vernon, Preston works with Camp Ida, The Home of Recovery and Restoration, and the STEP program at the Brown Trail School of Preaching. Preston has a wife Autumn and they have two children Rosie and Maggie.
Kris Groda
Kris is a 1999 graduate of the Southwest School of Bible Studies in Austin, TX and a 2018 graduate of Heritage Christian University. He serves as a panelist on the “Give Me the Bible” television program. He is also one of the board members for the Home of Recovery and Restoration in Winnsboro, TX. Kris currently serves as the preaching minister for the North Jefferson Church of Christ in Mt Pleasant, TX. He and his wife Lena have 3 children: Kaden, Kelly, and Kendall.
Jeff Whatley
Jeff is a 2011 graduate of the Southwest School of Biblical Studies in Austin, Texas. He currently serves as the minister of education: Youth and Family for the North Jefferson Church of Christ in Mt Pleasant, TX. He and his wife Carrie, have one son, Davin who is currently attending the Brown Trail School of Preaching.
Jerrod Hammond
Jerrod is a 2023 graduate of the Brown Trail School Of Preaching, in Bedford, TX. He is currently serving as the associate minister, at the Mt. Vernon church of Christ, in Mt. Vernon TX. He has a wife Brandi, who is the secretary at the Mt. Vernon church of Christ. They have two children, Jerrilyn and Jessy Lee.
Jesse Moser
Jesse is a 2021 graduate of the Southwest School of Biblical Studies. Currently he is the assistant administrator at the Home of Recovery and Restoration. Jesse has a wife, Alex Moser, and two children, Joy Moser and Will Moser.
Carl McCann
Carl is a 1990 graduate of the Brown Trail School of Preaching and has been preaching for the Lord’s church in Fruitvale, TX since May of 1990. Carl and Susan have been married for 43 years and have 3 children (along with their spouses) and 7 grandchildren. Carl has spoken on various brotherhood lectureships, gospel meetings, Bible camps, mission work both stateside and abroad and is currently a part-time instructor at the Southwest School of Bible Studies in Austin, TX. Carl also sets on the board of the Home of Recovery and Restoration in Winnsboro, TX. The Home helps men to overcome addiction to drugs and alcohol, while emphasizing the saving power of the gospel.
Aaron Anderson
Aaron is a 2021 graduate of the Southwest School of Bible Studies and is presently serving as the Administrator of the Home of Recovery and Restoration in Winnsboro, TX. The Home of Recovery and Restoration is a faith based in-house drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility that is based upon the word of God. The residents are given daily instruction in God’s word and provided a safe-haven in their recovery from addiction. Many souls have been brought to Christ and numerous errant brethren are being restored to the Faith in this exciting new work. We are excited that Aaron will be working closely with the Lamb’s Academy of Biblical Studies.
David Westbrook
David is a 2015 graduate of the Brown Trail School of Preaching. David and his wife Regina have been married 39 years. David and Regina have three sons, Cody, Caleb, and Connor. Five grandchildren, Jona, Elijah, Tucker, Luke, and Caroline. David is the pulpit preacher for the University church of Christ, Tyler, TX. 75707
Kevin Cauley
Born in Abilene, Texas (1968), Kevin was reared in Austin, Texas. He is a graduate of the Southwest School of Bible Studies (1989), the University of Texas (1994), and St. Edwards University (2010). In 1991 Kevin married Mary Lynn Forehand. He has preached at congregations in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi; conducted mission trips to Costa Rica, Panama, and Brazil; and worked as an instructor at the Southwest School of Bible Studies. He is currently the Pulpit Preacher for the New Boston Church of Christ in New Boston, Texas. He has four sons, Austin, Charles, Edward, and Gavin.
John Ratliff
John Ratliff has served the Lord’s church in full-time capacity since June 2011. He holds a diploma from Brown Trail School of Preaching and an Associates of Science from Paris Junior College. He is a licensed Journeyman Electrician in the states of Texas and Arkansas. In December 2023 he and his family relocated from Prescott, AR to work with the church in Edgewood, TX. He has preached for various congregations of the Lord’s church in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado, Florida, and Chimala Tanzania. John has conducted or taken part in several Gospel Meetings and Lectureships and is a speaker on Timeless Talks, an online mission effort with short videos and other resources. He is an instructor for The Lamb’s Academy of Biblical Studies where he teaches Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Luke. He and his wife Ashley married in 2005, and they are the proud parents of three wonderful children: Isaiah, Haniah (pronounced Hannah), and Josiah.
Ed Stover
Ed Stover has been preaching the gospel for twenty years, and has been serving the Chandler church of Christ for the past seven. He has also served and preached for congregations in Edgewood, Texas and Vivian, Louisiana. Ed has a degree in Criminal Justice and worked with the Tyler Police Department for twelve years before attending the Brown Trail School of Preaching. He is married to Amy and they have three children; Logan, Joannna, and Payton.
Anthony Scherffius
Anthony Scherffius is a Gospel preacher for the church of Christ at Mabank, Texas. He has been married to Hailey Scherffius since 2021, and together they have a son, John Thomas Scherffius. He, along with his wife, graduated from the Southwest School of Biblical Studies in 2022. He is a lover of scripture, history, and archeology.
Ladies Classes Instructors
Meet our dedicated instructors for women's Bible studies and classes.
Marie Osborne
Marie has been a Christian for over 40 years. She has been married to Robert for 36 years and has been the mother of 3 beautiful children for 32 years. She was a public school teacher for 29 years and her goal is to be the person God intended and hopes that her greatest legacy will be her children.
Cindy Armstrong
Cindy Armstrong and her husband, Royce, have been married for thirty-two years and live in Tyler, Texas. They currently partner with their daughter, Joanna, in a family-owned health and wellness company while their son, Cade, is a full-time college student studying cybersecurity. Cindy is a certified nutrition coach passionate about helping people take care of their bodies from the inside out. While she's passionate about physical health, she's much more so about spiritual health. She has taught children's Bible and ladies' classes, and spoken in the women's portion of lectureships and ladies' retreats.