Hello, my name is Greg Teel
My pastoral desire is to see people connect to God both personally and together as a church faith family. Jesus Christ is God Almighty and the answer to all that we need in this life and the life to come. He loves us deeply (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8). In fact, it is summed up by Jesus Himself who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father (God the Father in heaven) except through me." (John 14:6). Jesus also said He came that we "...may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10b). Jesus is the only way to heaven and to a full, rich, fulfilling life now. Therefore we seek and honor Him.
My Story
My wife Kim and our family of five and one Australian cattle dog came to Delta in September of 2014. Until that time we had lived in Colorado Springs and were blessed to served a great church family at Vista Grande Baptist Church for 21 years. We are now excited to be part of this wonderful community and are blessed to serve this blessed faith family at Calvary Baptist Church! We love being a part of the great community of Delta, Colorado. For our family, ministry is a whole life, whole family commitment.
I did a variety of manual labor jobs early in my life. I have worked roofing, in an ice plant bagging ice, janitorial, restaurants, paving state highways, loading lump coal, working as a professional mover for a moving company, and as a master potter's assistant. Its how I paid the bills and stayed in high school and college. Then I worked in/with a variety of mental health, social work settings, and school populations from 1993 to 2006. During those years I had a private practice of counseling, worked for the Department of Human Services in El Paso County for five years, did some outpatient substance abuse treatment, and have done inpatient mental health care also. These were primarily multi-problem families and young criminal populations. I also worked six years as an elementary school counselor for a school of 500 kids.
Since 2006, I have been in full time vocational ministry for SBC churches. I served eight years on staff as a minister at a large suburban SBC church in Colorado Springs, Colorado where my family attended for 21 years. Now it is my pleasure to serve at Calvary in Delta. My wife and I are always open to God's leading to our next adventure with Him.
My Favorites
Favorite Things
in Life
My wife and kids, my church family. I love God's Word in my hand and on my lips as I meditate on and pray the Scriptures.
Favorite place to do this is on the side of a high mountain overlooking a high lake in the Colorado Rocky mountains (preferably Red Mountain or Molas Pass, Holy Cross Wilderness, Silverjack, or Grand Mesa wilderness areas)! I am passionate about preaching and pastoral work!
Favorite Joys
and Hobbies
Reading and looking at books (I love books!), shooting, hunting, hiking, camping, outdoor motor sports (some), and watching action/ adventure movies with my family and friends. I prefer SCUBA diving any warm, clear water. Spending anytime with my wife or just being in her presence. Playing and hanging out with my kids. Spending time with friends. These are my greatest earthly joys. However, these relationships and past times pale in comparison to being in the Presence of our heavenly Father, just hanging out with Him in silence and solitude or in a nice historic church sanctuary.
Favorite
Music
Diana Krall, Adele, John Coltrane, Kenny G, Boney James, Chicago (pop jazz), BB King, and the great Miles Davis. I love most doctrinally solid Christian music. I enjoy the great traditional Christian hymns as well. I love to listen to live orchestas.
In fact, I enjoy all kinds of music, even an occasional opera.
Favorite Sports
Football, football, football!
Especially Delta Panthers, Colorado University Buffs, and the Denver Broncos! I also love a good hockey game. Colorado College, DU, and CO Avalanche are all great!
A Few Of My
Favorite Books
The Holy Bible, Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Lone Survivor (Marcus Luttrell), Same Kind of Different As Me (Moore, Vincent, & Hall), Systematic Theology (Wayne Grudem), and Ordering Your Private World (Gordon McDonald), Imperfect Pastor ( Zach Eswine), The Art of Pastoring: Ministry Without All the Answers (David Hansen). I love the Chronicles of Narnia (CS Lewis) and the Fellowship of the Ring (JRR Tolkien) series. I pretty much love all military history and tactics books. Most Stephen Ambrose books were pretty good. I also value classical literature as it reflects the deeper aspects of the human condition.
Favorite
Art
The Thinker (bronze sculpture - Rodin -1902),
Ansel Adams photography
(as well as some of Stan Rose's tribute photography),
Leonardo di Vinci's original The Last Supper oil on canvas painting (1498),
Beverly Doolittle western art, Thomas Kincaide art, and Washington Crossing the Delaware (Leutze), as well as pictures of nature,
preferably Colorado.
There is no artist like God!
Favorite
Preachers
Allistar Begg, Tony Merida, H.B. Charles, Jr.,
Al Mohler, John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, David Platt, Tim Keller, John MacArthur, Charles Swindoll, the late Charles Stanley, and Mark Dever.
Wayne Grudem, Bruce DeMarest, Gregg Allison, Bruce Ware, DA Carson, Ben Merkle, Andreas Kostenberger, Doug Moo, Millard Erickson, Norman Geisler, Calvin, Luther, and Augustine are all good theologians. Mark Noll, Eric Metaxas, and Ian Murray are great biographers and church history guys to follow.
Favorite
Foods
BBQ, Smoked meat,
Sushi with my fam,
anything Asian (preferably Korean BBQ), Italian food (cooking linguine & clam sauce with my youngest is awesome).
As a recovering Mountain Dew-aholic, I'm now tea and Coke Zero guy. A Caesar salad on a regular basis isn't too bad either...
Fun
Facts
I have always lived near the mountains - Bavarian Alps, Smokey Mountains, Colorado Rockies, visited the Canadian Rockies and Andes in South America. Conversely, I'm not
a fan of the desert.
Places I've Done
Missions Work
Brazil
Ecuador
Mexico
(My wife joined me on four of those trips and two of my children on others)
My Education
-
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - University of Colorado (1995)
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Master of Arts in Psychology - Emphasis Marriage, Family, & Child Counseling (MFCC) - Chapman University (1998)
Magna cum Laude (3.98 CGPA)
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Master of Divinity - Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (GGBTS now is renamed Gateway Seminary)
William O. Crews Presidential Leadership Award (3.65 CGPA)
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Post Graduate Studies in Elementary School Counseling
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Planning Doctoral Work in Applied or Systematic Theology, Biblical Spirituality, or Expository Preaching