Andrew was raised in a Christian home and was born again at the early age of eight. He avoided the rebellious phase often associated with adolescents and teens and went in the opposite direction, becoming a modern-day Pharisee. Andrew believed that by his own righteousness and good works, he could develop his relationship with the Lord.
Then, on a Saturday night in 1968, everything changed. Andrew had an encounter with God that changed his life forever. For him it was like looking into a mirror and seeing his reflection clearly for the first time. What did he see? He saw the reflection of a hypocrite, much like the Pharisees that Jesus rebuked. He realized he had fallen into the bondage of legalism. He began confessing his self-righteousness, expecting the wrath of God to fall, but instead of wrath, God’s presence flooded him with love. Now he understood that he had been trying to earn God’s love by good works and religious performance. He said, “God’s love consumed me. When I was at my worst, God’s love was the strongest.” Andrew has never been the same since.
Andrew’s encounter with God motivated him to make another life-changing decision. He decided to leave college to follow God’s leading in his life, even though he knew he would lose his student deferment. Subsequently, he was drafted into the army and shipped to Vietnam, where he served as a chaplain’s assistant. As difficult and dangerous as things were on the front lines, this became a time that God used to ground Andrew in His Word and begin establishing the course of his life.
Upon his return, Andrew submitted to the call of God, a call to be a teacher of His Word. He and Jamie were married in 1972, and together they began teaching Bible studies. Over the next six years, they would pastor three small churches and complete their family with two sons, Joshua and Jonathan Peter.
In 1976, Andrew broadcast his first Gospel Truth radio program on a little country-and-western station in Childress, Texas. With the exception of a few months, he has been broadcasting the program ever since. Today he is heard across the country.
Andrew and Jamie moved their ministry to Colorado Springs in 1980 and continued to see God’s blessing as they followed the call to teach. By now, the vision was becoming quite clear: to teach the truth of the Gospel to the body of Christ throughout America and the world with special emphasis on God’s unconditional love and the balance between grace and faith. They were fulfilling that vision by traveling to speaking engagements, producing radio broadcasts, and distributing audio cassette tapes, millions of which were provided at no cost to those who could not afford them. But God had more.
God began speaking to Andrew about 2 Timothy 2:2. In that scripture Paul told Timothy to take the things that he had learned and commit them to faithful men who would be able to teach others. Andrew knew God wanted him to do the same. In 1994 a cornerstone of the ministry was laid in place with the dedication of Charis Bible College —a college committed to equipping the saints for ministry by providing sound biblical teaching and practical “on-the-job” training. CBC now has extension colleges in other cities and countries as well as In-Church Bible Schools.
