My name is Merrick Bledsoe, and I believe in Grace. For sixteen years, I worked through the ranks of laborer, carpenter helper, electrical helper, journeyman electrician, field engineer and project coordinator in the Beaumont, Texas area.

I began to seek out seminary in the year 2000 after becoming very close to my pastor. About that same time, my marriage came under the attack of the enemy and it ended in divorce months later. Wounded, I continued to pour into younger men at work, but I began to fall in my fellowship with God. Nevertheless, God never gave up on me.

Over the next six years, God brought me to the realization of my true worth in Him and I also met my wife, Wendy. A few years later we had our first child. As I was re-establishing my fellowship with God, three women who were attending Grace approached me about starting a youth group in our congregation. Those same three women later invited me to sit in on Dr. Chris Moody’s theology class at Beaumont’s First Baptist campus. Not only would FBC Beaumont give me a place to serve, it gave me a place to teach in youth ministry and learn with Grace.

I began my Grace studies as an audit student but quickly felt led to enroll into the Theological Certificate Program. I truly appreciated the accessibility and affordability because it allowed me to finally work toward the goal of a seminary education. I also became involved in college ministry with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and took on the role of baseball and football chaplain at Lamar University. I began to disciple passionately. My secular work became less fulfilling as it began to interfere with ministry, but God had a plan for this.

I had labored many years to attain a site manager position, but all I could think about was my discipleship group and youth ministry. I declined a job promotion that required extensive travel and time away from my family and ministry. I then prayed that God would provide a greater ministry opportunity and requested a layoff, but God quickly provided another job making more money than I had ever made before. At this point, I graduated with the Theological Studies Certificate and immediately began the Bachelor’s program to learn more from Grace.