[Also available: a curriculum vita; downloadable photographs, and a short biography.]

Robert J. (Bob) Young is in his second tenure as preaching minister for the Main and Oklahoma Church of Christ in McAlester, Oklahoma. He first ministered with this congregation from 2002-2004. Then for almost four years from March 2004 to November 2007 he served as director of Graduate Bible programs at Oklahoma Christian University. He maintains a website (bobyoungresources.com) which provides resources for ministry and missions; he is also involved in several writing projects. He is a regular speaker at seminars and workshops. He maintains a special interest in interim ministry, and is also involved in several missions efforts, primarily in Central America.

From 1995 to 2002, he served at Ohio Valley University, Vienna, West Virginia, as senior vice president, executive vice president, academic area dean, chair of the Bible program, and professor of Bible. He supervised student ministry and missions field experiences as well as the required ministry practicum experience. He led a number of student mission campaigns, both domestic and foreign. As a professor, he taught textual courses, ministry courses, and biblical languages. He was named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1998, 1999, and 2007. He was named to the 10th edition of American Scholars in 2000.

He is a charter member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and is a certified user of both PREPARE and ENRICH marital counseling materials. He is a certified user of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis, as well as several other psychological testing inventories. He maintains a limited practice in marriage counseling, and as a former mathematics major also does financial counseling. Young is a certified Fishers of Men evangelism instructor and has received special training in oncology (cancer treatment) chaplaincy. He has been involved in several prison ministries.

He holds a B.A. in Bible and an M.A. in Ministry from Oklahoma Christian, and earned his D.Min. from Abilene Christian University with an emphasis in preaching and leadership studies. He holds minors in Greek and Biblical Languages. He has also studied at Harding Graduate School of Religion and Phillips Graduate Seminary where his studies focused in church history. His graduate studies have emphasized evangelism, evangelism in the contemporary culture, evangelizing Baby Boomers, understanding church culture and growth dynamics, and increasing effectiveness for short-term and student missions efforts. His doctoral studies focused on team building for church leadership groups. In addition, he has attended special seminars and training for small groups ministry, and speaks frequently about small church dynamics, small groups ministry, team development, and involvement ministry.

He has served as a minister in churches of Christ in Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, and West Virginia for over 40 years, with 30+ years spent in full-time ministry. Twenty of his years of full-time ministry were with two churches, both of which experienced significant growth during his ministry. His ministry in preaching, teaching and conducting seminars has extended to 26 states and 12 countries.

Both he and his wife, Jan, are certified instructors in resource materials which address family dynamics including American Guidance Service's "Effective Parenting" and "Systematic Training in Effective Parenting," and the nationally known Couples Communication Program. In addition they are users of various materials developed through the University of Minnesota and have developed a number of family and marital enrichment workshops which they have presented during their ministry. Of special interest may be their workshop entitled "What Happens When Couples Pray Together."