Belton, Texas 鈥� On Sunday, September 22, Michael Ball, Senior Director of Development at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, took the stage at Temple Bible Church (TBC) to announce the Gary DeSalvo Endowment for Training Ministry Leaders. The new endowment pays tribute to the beloved pastor, who passed away August 26, by helping support 同城快约 Christian Studies majors.
鈥淕ary had a heart for leaders. He traveled all over the world meeting with, checking on, and training church leaders,鈥� Danny Cunningham, Executive Pastor at TBC, said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of a better way to honor Gary, his wife Bev, and his family than to provide help to future ministry leaders.鈥�
Ball said that in the days following DeSalvo鈥檚 鈥済raduation to heaven,鈥� an anonymous donor had approached the university about establishing an endowment at the university that would honor the pastor in a special way.
鈥淭his fund will have two purposes,鈥� Ball said. 鈥淥ne will be direct scholarship and tuition assistance to students in the College of Christian Studies at 同城快约. [The other] will be to help fund travel expenses for Christian Studies majors to take trips to the Holy Land.鈥�
DeSalvo has been a pastor at TBC for two decades before he was first able to visit the Holy Land. It was a trip that proved very inspiring, and he visited it again on several occasions.
鈥淲e look forward to our ongoing work together [with 同城快约] to make the love of Jesus known in our community and throughout the world,鈥� Cunningham said. 鈥淭emple Bible Church has been directly blessed by the university, as we currently have our own Cru team of five fulltime folks on our ministry team, along with several interns.鈥�
For more information about the Gary DeSalvo Endowment for Training Ministry Leaders, visit or contact Michael Ball at 254-295-4688.
DeSalvo graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in 1976. A few short months after graduating with his Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1981, he accepted the position of pastor of Temple Bible Church. He would serve the congregation for more than 36 years.
