Director/Faculty

James Willcutt - Director

Born in Mobile, Alabama.  His grandfather, W. R. Willcutt, was a gospel preacher.  His parents, Tom and Blanche Willcutt, faithful Christians.  He is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman College, Alabama Christian School of Religion, and Abilene Christian University.  He has served churches in Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Alabama.  Mission work in Canada, Jamaica, Ceylon and India.  He, along with J. C. Bailey, founded the Kakinada School of Preaching, Kakinada, India.  He has written tracts and articles for brotherhood publications, and spoken on several lectureships, including Freed-Hardeman, Abilene, Faulkner and Fort Worth.  He has taught at the Brown Trail School of Preaching, Kakinada School of Preaching, Madras Bible College, Faulkner University and Gus Nichols School of Biblical Studies.

             Married to Brenda, whom he met at Freed-Hardeman.  They have two children, Kellock and Tom, and two grandchildren, Isaiah and Jalyn.  Brenda taught ladies classes at Brown Trail, Madras Bible College and Kakinada School in India and has always been deeply involved in local work and teaching children.

             The Willcutts have worked with the Sandusky congregation over 14 years.  During most of this time, he has also worked as an instructor for Faulkner University and for the past two years as a teacher at the Gus Nichols School of Biblical Studies

 

E-mail: JWillcutt@SanduskyChurchofChrist.org

Dick Sztanyo - Instructor

Text Box: Dick Sztanyo has been preaching the gospel for 38 years.  Following his conversion in 1970, Sztanyo began preaching about 3 months later, and made plans to finish his schooling.  He had studied at Central Michigan University between the years 1963-66, and needed only to take some required courses and do a Bible major, which he did (with a Natural Science minor) at Harding College  When he graduated in May of 1972, he started at the Harding Graduate School of Religion, where he earned a  Master's Degree, majoring in Philosophy of Religion and Apologetics, under Thomas B. Warren, and minoring in Church History, under Earl West.  After  a short period of time preaching in Michigan, Sztanyo went to the University of Dallas to pursue a Doctorate in Philosophy with a minor in Historical Theology.  Additional graduate work has been done at Andrews University, Rice University and  The International Academy of Philosophy. Dick Sztanyo also taught at the Brown Trail School of Preaching for 9 1/2 years.  He has published over 150 articles and chapters in books, plus one small book.  He has preached in Michigan, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee, and Alabama.  He presently serves as the pulpit preacher at the Pelham Church of Christ and serves also as one of its elders.

 

 

 

Barry Elliott - Instructor

             Barry was born and raised in Birmingham, AL.  He graduated from Freed-Hardeman College in 1973 and David Lipscomb College in 1975 with a B.A. in Bible.  While in school he met and married the former Brenda McGee of Nashville, TN.  They have three children and six grandchildren.

             Barry’s first two works were mission works.  As a domestic missionary supported by the Memorial Parkway church in Huntsville, AL he worked with the Bell Shoals congregation in Brandon, FL (four years) and the Albemarle church in Albemarle, NC (three years) until they became self supporting works.  Then he worked four years with the Hickory congregation in Hickory, NC.  In 1986 he began his work with the congregation in Clanton, AL, which lasted until 1996.  He spent four years with the church in Opp, AL before coming to the Adamsville congregation in August 2000.  In 2004 Barry became the domestic missionary for the Arab congregation to start a church in Westover, AL.  This congregation is off to a great start in a rapidly growing area of AL.

             Barry has been involved in many civic organizations where he has preached. He was chaplain for the Albemarle fire department.  He did extensive radio work while working in Opp, which included 12 programs a week and also sports announcer for local high school football and baseball teams.  Also, he directed a court referral youth program that had a low 23% rate of recidivism.  He edited the “Vigil” while at Adamsville.  He has made five mission trips to the country of Trinidad and one to New Zealand.

E-mail:

E-mail: barrymel@bellsouth.net

Phillip Brown - Dean - Instructor

             Phillip Brown is the son of Hayward Carl Brown and Jean Elmira Dean Brown.  He is the tenth of their twelve children and was born in Detroit, Michigan on the third of July in 1964.  With his father being a member of the church of Christ and a preacher of the gospel Phillip was raised in the church and began preaching at the age of seventeen.

             Phillip completed his high school education at Elba High School in Elba, Alabama in 1982 and went on to complete his BA Degree in ministry and biblical studies at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama in 1986.  During his college years Phillip worked as ministerial team leader to supply preachers for the Hooks Street church of Christ in Fort Deposit, Alabama.  Phillip has preached in various places throughout Alabama and has served as the assistant minister at the church of Christ at Kinston in Kinston, Alabama, the minister for the Church of Christ at Montgomery/Woodley Rd in Montgomery, Alabama, and an associate minister for the Bush Hills church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama.

             Phillip currently serves as an associate minister for the Sandusky church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama.  He works as a teacher for the Jefferson County School System and is currently in the process of completing a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration.  He has a genuine love for the Lord and prays that he will always be able to let God use him to further the cause and growth of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

E-mail: PBrown@SanduskyChurchofChrist.org

Tony Edwards - Instructor

             Tony was born and raised in Franklin, AL.  He graduated from Southern Christian University with a B.A. in Human Resource Leadership with an emphasis on Bible. He is currently finishing up his M.A. in Biblical Studies from Amridge University (Formerly Southern Christian).

Tony’s first preaching work was in Monroeville, Al. He has spoken in youth events, held meetings, and spoken on lectureships in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Kansas, and Georgia. Tony is now the minister for the Oakridge Church of Christ and the Campus Minister and Bible teacher for Jefferson Christian Academy.

Tony is married to the former Jennifer Howard. They have two daughters. Tony attributes his success in God’s ministry to the blessings that God has shed on his family and the support and love that he receives from his wife and children.

E-mail: tony_edwards23@yahoo.com