Bio

• Roots in southwestern Arkansas.

• Parents: Leroy Parker Henry and Charlene Roberts Henry. (Mother a granddaughter of J. A. and Georgia Copeland of Delight, Arkansas.)

• Born in Hope, Arkansas in 1950.

• Lived briefly in Oxford, Mississippi in the early 1950's. (Father, a watchmaker, worked on William Faulkner's watch a time or two.)

• Grew up in Meridian, Mississippi and Gulfport, Mississippi.

• Since college have lived in Mississippi, Kentucky, Indiana, Texas, and Tennessee. Currently live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Education

• Meridian, Mississippi: Marion Park Elementary School (1956-62).

• Gulfport, Mississippi: Central Elementary School, West Junior High School, and Gulfport High School (graduated 1968).

• Florida College, A.A. (1970)

• Florida College, Biblical Studies (1970-72)

• Western Kentucky University, B.A. in Religious Studies (1976)

• Western Kentucky University, M.A. in Humanities (1979)

Evangelistic Work

• 1972-2007 - Worked with local churches in Mississippi, Kentucky, Indiana, and Texas.

• 2007-present - In addition to writing and gospel meetings, work with Broadmoor Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee.

Writings

• Former editor of Brass Tacks (1986-89).

• Numerous articles for Searching the Scriptures (1972-92) and Christianity Magazine (1984-99).

• Articles in Focus Magazine, Biblical Insights, and Truth Magazine.

• "Malachi: A Call for Reverence" in The Minor Prophets for Every Man (Florida College Press, 1989).

• "Belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God" in God So Loved: Studies in the Gospel of John (Florida College Press, 2002).

• "The New Exodus" in The Gospel in the Old Testament (Florida College Press, 2003).

• "I Know That My Redeemer Lives - Job 19:25" in Great Texts in the Old Testament (Truth Magazine, 2007).

• Books

  • Diligently Seeking God: Daily Motivation to Take God More Seriously (WordPoints, 2003).

  • Reaching Forward: Daily Motivation to Move Ahead More Steadily (WordPoints, 2008). Scheduled for release in late-2008.

• Numerous web site writings

  • WordPoints

  • Brass Tacks

Family

Son: Brock Adam Henry

Son: Grant Parker Henry

Pets

Cat: Tigger

Cat: Banjo

Greatest Ex-Pet

Wrigley, the Australian shepherd. Wrigley was my beloved dog -- and the greatest dog I had ever had the privilege of owning. In the fall of 2005, however, due to my increasing travel schedule, I felt it best to give him up for adoption. He lives with a wonderful family now in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Rarely a day goes by that I don't think of him.

Interests, Hobbies, etc.

• Reading, reading, reading. Favorite authors: J. R. R. Tolkien first, then Eudora Welty, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Bailey White, and James Michener.

• Music, music, music. Favorite musicians: Loreena McKennitt first, then Van Morrison, Alison Krauss, Andreas Vollenweider, and October Project. Play guitar (relearning) and banjo (just beginning).

• Humor, humor, humor. Favorite humorists: Jerry Clower first, then Rowan Atkinson, Jonathan Winters, Bob Newhart, and Woody Allen.

• Traditional Southern cooking. Member of the Southern Foodways Alliance. Favorite foods: cornbread & buttermilk first, then country ham, pinto beans, turnip greens, and pineapple upside-down cake.

• Barbecue. Like it virtually any way it can be done. "And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'" (Daniel 7:5).

• Miscellaneous favorites:

  • Movie: Sounder

  • Song: Dante's Prayer by Loreena McKennitt

  • Jazz Song: Days Gone By by Patrice Rushen

  • Non-Fiction Book: Payne Hollow by Harlan Hubbard

  • Scholarly Book: Words & Values by Peggy Rosenthal

  • Series of Books: The Foxfire Books by Eliot Wigginton & students

  • Bookstore: Joseph-Beth in Lexington, Kentucky

  • Supplier for Reading & Writing Tools: Levenger

  • Small Town: South Pittsburg, Tennessee

  • City: Chicago, Illinois

  • Sandwich: Muffaletta

  • Beverage: Barq's Root Beer

  • Doughnuts: Krispy Kreme (with Shipley's gaining ground every day)

  • Hamburgers: Whataburger

  • Restaurant: Smokey Pig in Bowling Green, Kentucky

  • Cook: Ronni Lundy

  • Food Writer: John Egerton

  • Cartoonist: Jerry Van Amerongen

  • Dead Composer: Beethoven . . . and his favorite composer, Handel

  • Living Composer: Howard Shore

  • Painter: Thomas Kinkade

  • Public Speaker: Mike Vance

  • Motivator: Stephen R. Covey

  • Journalist: Charles Osgood

  • Essayist: E. B. White

  • Grammarian: Edward D. Johnson

  • Scholar: James Augustus Murray

  • Philosopher: Mortimer Adler

  • Statesman: Henry Kissinger

  • American Hero: George Washington