“One Year” That Led to a Lifetime of Service: Alumnus Glenn Amos
Glenn Amos had it all figured out. He’d give Faith Baptist Bible College exactly one year. That was the deal he made with himself when he arrived on campus in August 1972.
But sometimes God has bigger plans than our neat little timelines.
In May 1975, Glenn walked across the stage with his B.A. in Bible and Pastoral Theology. That “one year” had stretched into three, and, more importantly, it had solidified something Glenn was just beginning to understand about his future.
The President Who Wouldn’t Let Him Go
Glenn’s path to Faith started with his youth pastor, who saw something in the young man that Glenn didn’t see yet. “My youth pastor told me about Faith and told me that he believed I needed to be in ministry,” Glenn recalls.
But it was his meeting with Dr. David Nettleton that sealed the deal. The Faith president had a way of making students feel essential to the school’s mission. Glenn recalls, “He made me feel like if I didn’t come to Faith the school would have to close.”
That personal touch from Dr. Nettleton made all the difference. Glenn wasn’t just another prospective student—he was someone the president believed in, someone Faith needed.
Finding His Calling
Glenn threw himself into campus life. He played soccer, basketball, flag football, and softball. He chaired the Spiritual Life Committee. His girlfriend (now wife) helped with youth ministry at a small church in Bondurant, and Glenn preached in area churches whenever he got the chance.
But it was at the end of that first year—the year that was supposed to be his only year—that everything became clear. “I knew God wanted me in some type of full-time ministry.”
Faith provided Glenn with more than an education. It gave him direction.
A Ministry That Kept Evolving
After graduation, Glenn’s ministry took him in directions he never expected. He served as a youth pastor in two different churches, then as lead pastor in two others. He spent time back at Faith working in PR and recruitment, then moved to Pennsylvania where he became VP of Enrollment Services at Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Clarks Summit.
Along the way, he led BBC’s Teen Leadership Conference and served as a police chaplain. “God prepared me to adjust to whatever it was that He gave me to do,” Glenn reflects.
The Real-World Challenges
Ministry wasn’t always smooth sailing. Glenn faced the kinds of challenges that test a person’s calling and character.
“With people there are always challenges,” he admits. “Deacons trying to get rid of the pastor… working through harsh disagreements over issues that were perceived to be black and white biblical but were not.”
But there were also incredible highlights. “Taking high school students on missions trips overseas” was memorable because it was a “good” challenge.
The most serious challenge came in the form of health crises. “Physical—3 open heart surgeries in 9 years, hard on wife and family, scary times,” Glenn says. “But God brought me through each time more dependent & confident that He would take care of me.”
Faith’s Lasting Impact
When Glenn looks back at his Faith years, he sees more than just academic preparation. “My years at Faith solidified God’s call to ministry and prepared me to serve in various ministries,” he explains. “God used Faith to give me a heart for people & students and local church ministry.”
That heart for students never left him. Even as his career took him into enrollment services and recruitment, Glenn kept that passion for helping young people discover their calling—the same way Faith had helped him discover his.
Not Done Yet
Glenn recently retired from “full-time, getting paid for it ministry,” but he’s quick to add: “I’m not done serving!”
After 32 years in Pennsylvania, he and his wife have relocated to Virginia. “We have found a church and are excited about opportunities to continue to serve in the local church and make disciples,” he says. “Opportunities to equip workers for the harvest!”
And he has another mission that’s close to his heart: “I want to continue to be used to recruit students for FBBC who are willing to be challenged to serve God in full-time career ministry!”
Glenn has seen what’s happening across the country. “Bible colleges are closing all over our country,” he observes. “Our churches must be challenged with the need to equip people to make disciples of all nations—Faith is doing just that!”
Full Circle
Sometimes God’s best work happens when we’re willing to extend our one-year plans into whatever He has in mind.
From a young man who planned to give Faith one year to a seasoned ministry veteran who wants to recruit the next generation of Faith students, Glenn’s story has come full circle.
That youth pastor first saw ministry potential in Glenn, and he was right. Dr. Nettleton personally invested in Glenn before he even enrolled. Now, the Amoses are paying it forward as they seek to identify more potential students for Faith.
Do you know a student who is interested in training for life and ministry? Do you see potential in someone who has never considered Bible college?
If so, please connect us with them so that we can help them figure out their next steps!
