Meet Stonebriar's Newest Elders
On June 13, SCC ordained five men who meet the biblical qualifications of elders as prescribed in I Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9. Jim Byrd, Ralph Ehren, Jim Goodyear, Dave Hammock, and Sam Mathai join the six current elders as spiritual leaders of our church.
The process of selecting each new elder is not one that is quickly done, as Pastor Chuck Swindoll shared, "It takes time to find individuals who meet the qualifications, to observe their lives as they serve others over the long haul, and then to determine if they are the Lord's choice. Such a decision calls for prevailing prayer, keen observation, wise discernment, faithful waiting on the Lord, and finally—unforced, mutual agreement among those already serving in leadership.
Jim Byrd
Jim retired from Reynolds and Reynolds Co. after 33 years where he was Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Healthcare Systems Division. He received his degree in Education from the University of Northern Iowa and a Certificate of Completion of the Executive Management Program from The Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. Jim serves as an usher each Sunday, is part of the leadership council and sings with the Celebration Singers, volunteers with the Finance Department, and is actively involved in Marathon Adult Fellowship. Jim and his wife, Shirley, have five children and nine grandchildren.
Ralph Ehren
Ralph has been a pastor for 33 years, leading churches in Wyoming, South Dakota, and Maryland, among others. He taught at the Korean Bible College in Falls Church, Virginia, and later joined the faculty of the Korean Bible University in Seoul, Korea where he and his wife, Betty, both taught. Ralph also served for several years as an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University. Ralph and Betty have traveled extensively in the Middle East, Europe, and the Far East. At SCC, Ralph is part of Celebration Singers and teaches the Marathon men’s Bible study on Thursday mornings. He and Betty volunteer as greeters on Sunday mornings.
Jim Goodyear
Jim currently works at LifeSize Communications as a Director of Sales in the high definition videoconferencing industry. Jim and his wife, Danette, are charter members of Stonebriar Community Church. They are active in the Authentic Living Adult Fellowship where Jim serves as a co-leader. Jim believes Stonebriar is unique in that it provides the benefits of a metropolitan church with the intimate feel of a neighborhood church experience. In his free time, Jim likes to play soccer, golf, and mountain bike.
Dave Hammock
Dave is an assistant vice president at AT&T where he has been employed for more than 35 years and has served in a number of different departmental assignments in Missouri and Texas. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management and a Master's Degree in Marketing. Dave and his wife, Marsha, both Missouri natives, relocated to Texas in 1997 and live in Plano. They are charter members of Stonebriar and are passionate about mentoring and encouraging young couples. They are mentors in Titus II and facilitate the equipping class Love and Respect. Dave also serves on the leadership team for Stonebriar Missions Ministries. The Hammocks have two grown sons and a daughter-in-law who reside in the north Dallas area.
Sam Mathai
Sam has been a financial professional for 25 years and currently works at PepsiCo. He received his undergraduate degree in India and Masters in Business Administration from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. Sam and his wife, Priya, are charter members of Stonebriar and actively serve in many areas of church ministry. Sam is class coordinator for Life on Purpose Adult Fellowship, is active with LOP's missions effort, and serves as an usher in the second service. Sam and Priya have two children, Nathan and Abigail.