Bryan C. Bailey
Evangelist/Pastor/Student Communicator

Bryan was raised in the deserts of Southeast New Mexico. Born in Abilene, Tx on September 20, 1978, Bryan learned the joys of being born into an oilfield family. He and his family moved around quite a bit before ultimately landing in Hobbs, NM in November of 1985. Raised in a Christian home, Bryan was privileged to be able to grow up in the church. “I love the church” Bryan says, “it holds such a special place in my heart. God has been faithful to place Godly men and women in my path who have helped shape me into the man I am today, I’m eternally grateful for them.” During his sophomore year of high school, Bryan moved up the road to Artesia, NM where life began to take an ugly turn. “It was during that time that I began to really run from God, I was so angry at my family for moving me away from my friends and those I loved. I got involved in some bad stuff.” It was through those experiences that Bryan really began to notice the power of a praying mom. “I hated it!” Bryan jokingly says. “she would always tell me that she would pray that I got caught when I was doing things I shouldn’t be doing, but I am a living testimony to the power of a praying mom who never gave up on me. I am who I am today because of my mom.”

Bryan graduated from high school in may of 1997 and headed off to college at Texas Tech University. “I got back to Texas as quick as I could!” Bryan remarked. It was there that all Bryan had been taught growing up was really put to the test. “I was raised in a Christian home, went on every choir tour, mission trip, summer camp, you name it – I did it all. But once I got to Tech I found myself involved in a lifestyle that bore no resemblance to that of my upbringing. I was heavily involved in partying, drinking, etc. and really could have cared less about church.” As the first two years of college went by, Bryan found himself living a life that had nothing to do with Jesus Christ or the church. “It had been probably two years since I was seriously involved in church. I was on the phone with my mom one night and she said something that really struck me; ‘Bryan, what’s going to happen when you graduate and you realize you’ve had no church home?’ those words hit hard for some reason. I hated religion though, I was so tired of just going through the motions. I knew there was something more. Again, it was Godly men and women that came alongside of me and just loved me.”

Bryan began to realize some things about the gospel that would make a tremendous impact on his life and ministry. “Religion failed me.” Bryan says very seriously. “But Jesus never did. We run from God and think we’ve moved so far away from Him, and it’s when we simply turn around that we find He’s never left. It was then that I realized that it’s all about having a daily, fresh, and vibrant walk with Jesus Christ. I think that’s one of the things that gave me such a passion for communicating the gospel and for students, because it was during those years at college that God really got my attention. I hope to help students avoid making some of those same mistakes that I did. I mean, I really should be dead.”

When you ask Bryan about His salvation, he tells a very interesting story. He says he remembers very little about that first moment when he met Christ. “I was 7, and I can remember nothing about that day. I would always ask my mom to tell me about what happened. Did God save me? Yeah. My little 7 year old brain knew enough to know that I needed a Savior.” But throughout his teenage years and in to young adulthood, Bryan would always doubt his salvation. “All my friends would tell these stories of what they were wearing, what song was on the radio, etc. on the day that they met Christ, but I couldn’t, so I worried.” It wasn’t until late in Bryan’s college career that he began to grasp the enormity of the gospel message. “I just realized that my doubt and my fear were paralyzing my walk with Christ. I had messed up so much, I just figured that God had given up on me. I just got tired of doubting the power of God’s grace, it’s so simple, yet I made it so hard to believe. I remember sitting down one Sunday morning and just telling God that my life was His, whatever He wanted to do with it.”

It was during the middle of Bryan’s senior year in college that he began to sense a calling to preach. “I had gone with a youth group as a sponsor, and was sitting in worship that night in Tyler, Tx when God spoke in a big way. I’ve never had a verse leap off the page like that one did.” Bryan said. “As I was reading through that first chapter of Joshua, it hit me, I knew then and there that I was headed into full time Christian service.” Bryan graduated in may of 2001 with a bba in corporate finance and a bba in economics. Bryan then entered graduate school and in December of 2002 graduated with his MBA in high performance management. “I was headed to Austin I thought, I wanted to go be an investment banker and run for political office. All I wanted to do was drive the fancy cars, wear the nice suits, and have the huge house in the hills. But I just realized that there was more to life than all that stuff. I really had to take a deep long look within and get real with myself. I found that the only thing that gave me a true joy was communicating the Word of God and seeing people respond in a real, life changing way. There's just something so powerful when you see someone come alive and join the eternal story of God”

Things haven’t changed much for Bryan. In January of 2003 Bryan obeyed that calling God placed on his life and enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas where he eventually earned a Master of Divinty degree in the Biblical languages. “I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going, but I knew God had called me” Bryan jokes.  “My whole motto for ministry is simply; “BE REAL”, people are tired of stale, stagnant, lifeless religion. What they need is a breath of fresh air which comes from a fresh walk with Jesus Christ. You are hearing more and more people today echoing the phrase 'There's got to be something more.' We hear people everywhere talk about the Gospel, sing about it, wear shirts about it, etc., but it’s time for us as God’s people to start living it out. The word of God is “living and active” and it changes lives. There’s so much more to life than just going to church twice a week.” Bryan currently travels and speaks at events where he challenges students and their families to live it out, to get real with themselves and each other. When you talk to Bryan about Jesus Christ, you see a joy and passion on his face, and it’s definitely contagious!!

In January of 2007 Bryan married his best friend and "side kick" Karina. They are active in ministry together and believe that a marriage can thrive when God is at the center. Very rarely will you see the two of them apart. They live in Odessa Texas where Bryan also serves as Pastor to High School & College Students at First Baptist Church. Bryan is also currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Expository Preaching at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

MISC

Married to Karina Ann - no kids yet (but one very feisty weiner dog named Franklin!

Licensed to the Gospel Ministry: October 19, 2003 by West Main Baptist Church, Artesia, NM

Recipient of the 2005 W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. Award for Evangelism (awarded by Southwestern Baptist Seminary)

Ordained: December 7, 2008 by Dr. Roy Fish and First Baptist Church, Odessa, TX

bailey ministries
PO Box 14033
Odessa, TX 79768