Todd Fisher
Alumni Spring 2022

No Need for Fallback Plan

Called to the ministry at an early age, Dr. 托德·费雪跟随神的呼召,从不回头.

Early Days

Dr. Todd Fisher, ’92, grew up in suburban Fort Worth, Texas, raised in a single parent home by his mother, who was a schoolteacher. Sports were a major part of his life, whether watching or playing; especially the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers, teams for which he is still a passionate fan.

One day, at age 14, 他正在看奥廖尔·赫舍的电视节目, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hershiser分享了他的证词,他的采访者发出了邀请. Fisher was moved by the gospel message. 他跪在床边,求耶稣作他生命的主.

费希尔有个朋友的父亲是北沃斯堡浸信会的牧师, 在那里,他很快受洗,并在教会的青年小组中非常活跃. 16岁时,他觉得自己被呼召去事工;18岁时,他觉得自己被呼召去当牧师.

Journey to Bison Hill

OBU从来就不是计划,至少Fisher不知道. 由于家里有很多贝勒校友,他原计划到韦科上大学. In fact, by spring of his senior year in high school, he was enrolled, 甚至知道他未来在贝勒大学的房间号. 

Then, one day, that all changed. 费舍尔在他的朋友克林特·帕斯查尔家停下来接他, when his friend’s father, Paul, 开了门,开始和他谈论OBU. 保罗是OBU的校友,并公开分享了他对母校的爱. In fact, when all was said and done, 费希尔高中毕业班的26名学生就读于OBU, mostly thanks to Paschall’s influence.

那年春天,他说服费舍尔和他的一些朋友一起参加OBU预演日.

“I had barely left Fort Worth,” Fisher said. “我们没有去度假或做类似的事情. 我想,‘你知道,我从来没去过俄克拉何马州. So, why not?’ ”

As he prepared for college, 很多人告诉他不要主修宗教, 所以他有一个后备计划,以防内阁没有成功. While at Preview Day on the OBU campus, and with that advice as the backdrop, 他从圣灵那里听到了非常清楚的信息.

“有那么一刻,我们穿过校园,快要离开了. I’ve never heard God audibly speak to me, 乃是圣灵向我所说的话一样清楚, I just sensed God say to me, ‘Have I called you to the ministry or not? You don’t need a fallback plan. 你需要来这个地方,你需要学习我叫你做的事情.’”

From that point forward, he never looked back.

Shaped and Equipped

Throughout his time on Bison Hill, 费希尔认为有两位教授对他的生活和事工产生了深远的影响. 汤姆·威尔克斯(Tom Wilks)是宗教教育荣誉退休教授. Bob Evans, professor emeritus of religion.

“Dr. Wilks and Dr. Evans were very influential to me,” he said. “I love those two guys. Both of those men set me on the right path. 他们让我对事工是什么、应该是什么以及它的现实有了很好的认识. 我完全明白上帝为什么把我带到OBU来,因为我要和那些家伙合得来.”

费雪很感激两人都看到了他的潜力并加以培养. 他还指出,他们体现了OBU最大的资产之一——教授们亲自了解并深切关心他们的学生.

“那两个人对我很感兴趣,并在我身上投资. 我知道即使是学生,如果我需要什么,我可以打电话给他们. 这就是OBU对我的特别之处.”

During his time on Bison Hill, Fisher gained invaluable ministry experience, 在多个教会服事,并在更多的教会讲道. Beginning his freshman year, 他参加了OBU的部长级实践经验(MPE)日, organized by Wilks. Four or five times per semester, 一个州的协会会有一个MPE日和Fisher, along with several other student preachers, 会开着货车去不同的教堂布道吗.

During his sophomore year, he served as youth minister at FBC Weleetka, Oklahoma, 在六个月的牧师交替期间,他每周日也在那里讲道. The next year, as a junior, 他几乎每个星期天都在全国各地布道, 向12到800人不等的会众讲道. 他开始在伯特利英亩的霍普韦尔浸信会担任牧师, Oklahoma, during his senior year.

A Life of Ministry

Fisher graduated from OBU in 1992. 然后,他继续在西南浸信会神学院的扩展中心学习,同时也在霍普韦尔讲道. 正是在这段时间里,他开始和他的妻子杰米(金)费舍尔(1994年)约会. 他们是通过共同的朋友认识的,但直到他毕业后,两人才开始约会. 1994年7月,杰米从OBU毕业后不久,他们结婚了.

A month earlier, 他接受了FBC Wellston牧师的职位, where he and Jamy served until 1997. 接下来,他在俄克拉荷马城的高地山浸信会担任牧师,直到2003年. Then, 他被召为肖尼市以马内利浸信会的主任牧师, where he served until December 2021.

在这些事工期间,费希尔夫妇有了三个孩子:扎卡里、卡莉和安娜. Fisher also continued his education, 在西南大学获得圣经语言的神学硕士学位, 中西部浸信会神学院牧师博士, and both a Ph.D. and Th.M. 来自美南浸信会神学院.

In late 2021, 费舍尔被选为俄克拉何马浸信会的执行董事和财务主管, 他于2022年1月初担任这一职务. 在他被任命时,他正在担任俄克拉何马浸信会的主席.

虽然领导州代表大会并不是他的夙愿, 他现在可以看到上帝一直在为他准备这个角色.

“I’ve been a pastor for 30 years. That’s all I’ve ever known,” he said. “我期待着与这个州的牧师和教会建立关系. Being present, 继续发挥我们州大会的作用与州教会合作,帮助他们完成使命.

“作为一个州大会,我们的核心是我们的教会和牧师. 我们大会的健康将取决于我们教会和牧师的健康.”