Ministers
Bill Allen
PREACHING MINISTER
Dr. Bill Allen and his wife Joyce came home to Texas and to us in July 2015. Bill received a Bachelor’s degree in Bible from Oklahoma Christian in 1978, a Masters in Bible from Abilene Christian (ACU) in 1986, and a Doctor of Ministry from ACU in 1992. Bill served as youth minister and then preacher for his home congregation, the Lackland Terrace Church of Christ in San Antonio, from 1978 to 1985. He was the preacher for the Woodland West congregation in Arlington, Texas for 17 years from 1985 to 2002, and then was the president for the Center for Christian Education (formerly the Preston Road School of Preaching) from 2002 until 2005. Before coming to West Erwin he had served as the preaching minister for the South Fork Church of Christ in Winston-Salem, NC for 9½ years. Bill has served on the Board for women’s shelters in Arlington and Fort Worth, and has been to Ukraine for six mission trips with the Woodland West and South Fork congregations.
Bill and Joyce met and became friends in seventh grade in their hometown of San Antonio, started dating their senior year of high school, and married in 1977. Bill and Joyce have two married daughters—Amy and Brian Tindell in Maryland, and Amanda and Paul Adkison in Arlington. They have given their parents four wonderful grandchildren—Sam, Isaac, Ella Mae and Will. Joyce has cheered Bill through eight marathons, and they enjoy music and movies, family and friends, and serving the Lord, His church, and His world.
Bill’s personal mission statement is taken from Colossians 1:28-29: “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
Donnie CarnathanBENEVOLENCE MINISTER
Donnie lived in the Houston area all his life before moving to Tyler in August of 2012. He worked for the E.I. DuPont company for 31 years. While working for DuPont, he also worked part time with the youth at the Channelview Church of Christ for 15 years and from that experience, he developed his interest for ministry. After his retirement from DuPont, he then went into the ministry full time with the Lake Houston Church of Christ as their Youth and Family Minister. He served in that capacity for 8 years. Donnie and his wife Suzie have 3 children. They have been blessed with 8 grandchildren.
Davy Carter
OUTREACH MINISTER
Davy moved to Frankston from Tulsa, OK, where he served as youth minister for 19 years at Tenth & Rockford Church of Christ. He graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 1980 with a BA in Bible. He is married to Sonja and they have three grown children, Brice, Brittany and Barrett. They also have five grandchildren, Savanna, Griffin, Vivian, Canaan and Reid.
Donni CookCHILDREN’S EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Donni began working as the Children’s Education Program minister in January 2018. Donni and her husband Tom have been members of the West Erwin Church since 2006. Donni has spent her lifetime working with and around children. In addition to teaching elementary classes at West Erwin Church of Christ since 2006, Donni comes to the children’s program at West Erwin after working as an educator in the public school setting for over 30 years. During that time, Donni taught elementary and middle school students, served as a curriculum director, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction and recently ended her career in public education after serving eight years as a Superintendent of Schools. Donni attended Abilene Christian University, the University of Texas at Tyler, and Texas A&M Commerce. She has earned her bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees in the field of education which she plans to use in her new role as the Children’s Education Program Coordinator/Minister. Donni and Tom have been married since 1987 and have two children. Caitlin, their daughter, is a graduate of TAMU and has two precious sons, Ralph and Emerson. Chandler, their son, is a graduate of TAMU. Chandler lives in Odessa, TX and works as an engineer in the oil industry.