Tony Fiser

How did you become a believer? 

I didn’t grow up going to church.  I first attended church at the age of 16 and responded to the call for repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ.  I do believe I was born from above at that time.  However, I was not properly discipled in the faith and continued living a mixed life, having little understanding.  I was in and out of various churches and denominations over many years, seeking to get a firm grasp on the truth.  It was finally at the age of around 28 that I discovered a church that grounded me in expositional teaching of the Word, accurate understanding of the Gospel, Sin, Christ’s Atoning Substitutionary Sacrifice, Spiritual Disciplines, Biblical Community and much more.  I have been and by God’s grace continue to grow in the faith and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Tell me about your family: 

Mandy and I married in 2009 and we are blessed with two children, Ava and Aiden.  Mandy has a B.S. in English Literature, a Masters in Education, and is a certified personal fitness trainer.  She schools our children at home, is an amazing cook and loves literature.  Ava has a deep love for music and is learning multiple instruments and is a voracious reader.  Aiden loves a good book, is learning piano and has been a builder at heart since he was first able to play.  He builds the most creative things out of whatever he can find!  We spend our time reading, watching a good movie, playing with our dog “Mabel”, walking in our neighborhood and eating good food.

What is your educational background?

I earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological University in 2003.  I have also completed courses in Systematic Theology at Harvest Baptist Association in Springfield and intend to take other offered courses.

What book of the Bible is dearest or most meaningful to you? Why?

This is a most challenging question and I think any answer I provide to it will be both good and lacking.  There are seasons of life and for that reason, I vary at different times on what resonates loudest with me in Scripture.  Ecclesiastes, John’s Gospel and Acts are all at the top of the list for me.  Ecclesiastes resonates because it is a true representation of life in this broken world and what should be most important.  John’s Gospel is fascinating because it is “not like the others” and brings a different perspective on the life of Christ.  I appreciate Acts because there is so much in that one book about Christ, Biblical Theology, Personal Transformation in Christ, those who have eyes to see and ears to hear and those who do not, Evangelism, Christian Unity, Christian Love and Self Sacrifice, God’s Providence and Sovereignty, and more…

Is there one person in your life (past or present) who has influenced you the most spiritually?

Stephen Gambill was the main teaching pastor at my previous church of twenty years.  He influenced me in so many positive ways it would be difficult to list them all.  He has a very large and deep understanding of the Word, a deep love for God, taught me to zoom in and then zoom out when reading and studying Scripture, about Spiritual Disciplines, demonstrated how to submit to the text of Scripture,  demonstrated faithful shepherding and love for God’s sheep, humility, and so much more.

Who are some of your favorite theological authors?

R.C. Sproul (what a great communicator he is), Michael Horton,  John Calvin, Wayne Grudem,  John Piper, Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer

What non-biblical book has influenced you most deeply?

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Do you have a favorite fiction author?

J.R.R. Tolkien

What book would you recommend for each the following:

* Prayer – E.M. Bounds on Prayer by E.M. Bounds

* Marriage – The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller

* Biblical interpretation – Living By the Book:  The Art and Science of Reading the Bible by Howard G. Hendricks

What are your hobbies/interests?

Music, playing guitar or the cajon, good movies, good books, smoking meats, barbecuing