Florida Bible College of Tampa

Trustees



 
  RALPH "YANKEE" ARNOLD, B.A., D.D. - President

Dr. Ralph "Yankee" Arnold accepted Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 18. In 1964 he attended Summer School at Tennessee Temple Schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and graduated from Florida Bible College in 1968. He was the Founder and Pastor of Colorado Bible Church in Arvada, Colorado from 1972 – 1987. For 13 years he was Founder and President of Arvada Christian School and Colorado Bible College.

He directed a large youth ministry called “Christian Youth Ranch,” for many years with over 200 attending Bible College. The major thrust of Dr. Arnold’s ministry is soul winning. Through the years his burden for evangelism continued to grow and in 1987, Dr. Arnold resigned as pastor and president to enter the field of full time evangelism. Dr. Arnold had the honor of sharing the pulpit with Dr. Curtis Hutson and preaching with him for 4 years at the south Texas, Sword of the Lord conferences.

He is known for his clear presentation of the Gospel and his fervent appeal for sinners to be saved. His sermons challenge and motivate Christians to win souls as a result of yielding their lives to Christ. As an evangelist, he speaks out clearly and unmistakably on the issues that affect fundamentalists, warning against compromise with liberals and modernists.

As Pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia, he hosted the Northside Bible Hour television program for 8 years, and the radio program for 14. In 2009 he became the Pastor of Calvary Community Church of Tampa and took over the Bibleline radio program which was started by Dr. Hank Lindstrom, a fellow graduate of Florida Bible College. Dr. Arnold is now the Founder and primary lecturer of Bibleline Institute.

Yankee has been married over 52 years to his wonderful, sacrificial, dedicated and Godly wife, Betty. Their mutual love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been the cause of thousands upon thousands of children being born into the family of God. They have been blessed with 3 precious children and 5 awesome grandchildren.

Dr. Arnold is now the pastor of the Calvary Community Church of Tampa, Florida since 2009. He is the host of Bibleline Radio Ministries over WTBN in Tampa and KLTT in Denver, Colorado.

JAMES B. POLSON, PH.D.

Dr. Polson heard and accepted the gospel at a young age through his Christian family.

When his service in the U.S. Army separated him from his family and Christian friends, and, after military service, as his formal education progressed, he questioned his faith. In 1977, he again sought the truth about God, and, with the help of Dr. Hank Lindstrom, he understood clearly the gospel of salvation by grace through faith. He rejected the secular philosophies he was taught as a young man and gained his assurance of eternal salvation by the work of Jesus alone.

Under Pastor Lindstrom’s guidance and teaching, he dedicated his life to the Lord and began to grow spiritually. He attended Tampa Bay Bible College and earned an M.A. degree in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. His Ph.D. degree is in Pharmacology from the University of Missouri. He was Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of South Florida College of Medicine where he taught for 33 years. He also served there in the capacity of Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs. Meanwhile, he served as Deacon, then as Elder at Calvary Community Church of Tampa where Dr. Lindstrom was Pastor.

Presently, he serves as Elder at Calvary Community Church where Dr. Ralph "Yankee" Arnold is now the Pastor after succeeding Pastor Lindstrom who went home to be with the Lord in October of 2008. Dr. Polson has been married to his beloved wife Nancy since 1959. She is a believer who loves and serves the Lord.

REV. GEORGE A. TRIPP, SR.

George trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior under the ministry of Dr. Hank Lindstrom, attended Tampa Bay Bible College and served alongside of Dr. Lindstrom in many capacities; including Chairman of Deacons and in the outreach ministry of Tampa Youth Ranch.

George and his wife have served as Awana Missionaries to Central Florida establishing the Awana Treasure Coast Scholarship Camp. In addition, he also served on the executive leadership team of Awana Clubs International as Director of Communications.

While living in the Chicago suburbs, Dr. Frank Bumpus asked him to join the pastoral staff of Bethel Baptist Church where he served as Assistant Pastor and the Director of Development for Schaumburg Christian School. Upon returning to Florida, he joined the staff of the Christian Law Association serving as a Legal Missionary and Ministry Representative.

In 1996 he and his wife Tina began Grace and Truth Ministry Consulting - a national consulting ministry serving churches, Christian schools, Para-church ministries and mission agencies in providing a vast array of ministry services. George serves in the capacity of the Executive Secretary on the Board of Trustees for Florida Bible College of Tampa.

MR. STEVE YANT

Steve has been a regular church attendee since age three. He was raised in a Christian family where he heard about God's love and desired to know more about the Lord Jesus Christ. His desire to grow spiritually continued for many years as he studied the Bible. In 2001, he heard the gospel presented by Dr. Hank Lindstrom with such clarity that he knew he had to learn more. The message resonated with Steve when he heard that because God loved him, God offered eternal life as a free gift. It was paid for by Jesus on the cross and by simply trusting in the Lord Jesus as his Savior, he could have everlasting life.

The Bible verses seemed to jump off the page as Dr. Lindstrom shared this message at Calvary Community Church. Steve, his wife Ann and family continued to grow in their knowledge of God's word under the ministry of Dr. Lindstrom. Steve dedicated his life and his family to the work of the Lord. Steve soon became a Deacon at the church and currently serves as an Elder at the church. Ann shares Steve’s passion for the ministry and teaches both Sunday school and AWANA. Their love of the Lord and dedication to Him is evident by the Bible verse that states "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth". Their oldest daughter and her husband are the directors of AWANA at the church. His youngest daughter and husband oversee the Sunday school and Youth Ranch ministries.

Steve is thankful to the Lord for the ministry and memory of Dr. Lindstrom. He is equally excited about the ministry under Pastor Ralph "Yankee" Arnold. Steve recognizes that the clarity and beauty of the gospel is the tie that binds the congregation together at Calvary Community Church. Steve and his entire family are thankful for what the Lord is doing in their lives and look forward to continuing their service to Him through Calvary Community Church and Florida Bible College of Tampa. Steve is a respected business owner in the community. He has been married to Ann since 1974.

REV. LEE PATTON

Pastor Lee Patton, of San Antonio, Texas, started serving as a missionary counselor in Indian Bible Camps in 1966. His service while a student at Florida Bible College also included founding the Miami Springs Youth Ranch, which he directed until graduation from Florida Bible College with the Bachelor of Arts degree in June, 1968. Lee was ordained a minister of the gospel on December 29, 1968.

He headed from south Florida out to San Antonio, Texas, where he labored as a youth evangelist from 1968 until 1974. He organized, and delivered the gospel message in some 69 public high school assemblies in the San Antonio area. He organized and directed eight Christian Lifeline Clubs in eight public schools. A result of this effort was a total of some eighty students going from San Antonio to attend Florida Bible College in south Florida. In this period Le was also a counselor for drug addicts in the Touch program. He also served as an elder and youth leader at the San Antonio Bible Center from 1971 to 1974.

In March of 1974 God led Lee to found the Faith Bible Church in San Antonio, where he continues to serve – in the same church for some 38 years! The current health of the church can be noted in the record of continuing to support some 48 missionaries with missions giving of $55,000 to $60,000 annually.

Lee has several other areas in which he has served – he has been a Bible conference speaker for over thirty years; he has had a daily radio broadcast for some years; in 1989 he added to his repertoire the presentation of Bible and gospel messages through the medium of chalk-talks, at camps, vacation Bible schools, Christian schools and in church services; he has authored and published a number of helpful booklets on Biblical topics. He is a much-sought-after speaker in Bible colleges, youth camps, Christian educator conventions, and churches besides his own church.

In November of 1979 Lee married his wife Irene Rodriguez; he isfather to five children, and gradfather to (currently) nine. Lee has known God’s mercy in his health – he has recovered from two strokes, and twice gone into remission from a battle with lymphatic cancer.

Lee strongly believes that the King James Bible is the best English translation, that the clear gospel of the grace of God must be presented faithfully, and that the believer has two natures, and must discipline his life to be yielded to God.

DR. PHIL MYERS

Phil trusted Jesus Christ as his individual savior in the back seat of a brand new 1949 Chevy. His dad led him to Jesus. At the age of 10 he made a promise to God that he would follow Him for the rest of his life.

His wife, Kay, made that same vow as a child and it has taken them to ministries on four continents, and 30 states. Phil’s passion is to train pastors & Bible teachers to communicate the Word of God effectively, and has helped train thousands of Sunday School teachers in hundreds of churches.

He has served on the faculty of three Bible colleges in the US and Indonesia [CrossWorld].

He has written Gospel tracts which have been translated into five languages, as well as a half dozen books for teachers and Sunday School superintendents.

He has appeared in Who's Who in America both as a student [Dallas Theological Seminary] and a professor [Miami Christian College]. Taylor Univ.; BA Florida Bible College, BA; Dallas Seminary, MA; Freedom Seminary, PhD; Southwestern Baptist, post-doctoral. Currently he is an author.

BOB BROOKES

Robert "Bob" Brookes accepted Christ at the young age of three when his mother explained John 3:16. "Even at that tender age I realized I was not as perfect as God and that I was a sinner. I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and have never doubted my salvation since that day."

Mr. Brookes is a graduate of Florida Bible College and attained a Master's degree in Counseling from Liberty University. He has served as Registrar and Professor at Florida Bible College, Tampa Bay Bible College and Colorado Bible College where he was also Dean. He has served as the Pastor of St. Charles Bible Church and Faith Bible Church in Clearwater FL and founded Suncoast Christian Academy.

Bob now brings his many talents and skills to Florida Bible College and Bibleline Institute. His passion to continue affecting the lives of young people through sound Bible teaching is what drives him.

Bob has been married to Mary Brookes since 1974 and they have two adult daughters, Jami and Joy.

National Advisory Board

MERLE ARNOLD

Merle Arnold, lovingly known as "Little Man", was born in 1946. He married Cheryl and then served six years in the U. S. Air Force in Germany. He trusted Christ as his Savior and attended the Florida Bible College at Hollywood, Florida from 1970-1973. Upon graduation, he joined his brother, Ralph "Yankee" Arnold in Colorado. He served as a deacon and the bus director for the Colorado Bible Church, and teacher in the Colorado Bible College for five years. He pastored in Neosho, Miss., for two years and Buena Vista, Colorado from 1980-1986. He was co-owner of a radio station in Pueblo, Colorado for several years before moving to Union Point, Ga. to pastor the Good News Bible Church for the next 12 years. He has two daughters and many grandchildren.

DAVID PETERSON, B.A., M.A., TH.D.

B.A., Florida Bible College (Hollywood), 1979; M.A., Florida Bible College (Hollywood), 1980; Doctor of Pastoral Theology, Bob Jones University, 2003; Youth Pastor, First Baptist Church of Land O' Lakes, FL, 1980-1981; Pastor, First Baptist Church of Land O' Lakes, FL, 1981 – present; author.

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