Our Leadership
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” – Eph. 4:11-13 (NIV)
Ministers
Equipping the Church
These ministers have been called by God and this congregation to serve the body at Singing Oaks and equip the church in their various areas of giftedness and expertise:
- Ross Thomson – Preaching Minister
- Andres Badillo – Hispanic Outreach Minister
- Bob Bentley – Outreach Minister
- Don Compton – Benevolence Minister
- Beau Davis – Youth & Family Minister
- Nic Dunbar – Worship Minister
- Casey McCollum – Campus Minister
- Laurie Templeton – Children’s Minister
Elders
Pastoral Leadership
These men have been called by God and equipped with pastoral, administrative, and leadership gifts to spiritually nurture and direct the members at Singing Oaks:
Deacons
Special Servants
Our deacons are selected as special servants and work with ministry leaders and staff in various ministry areas:
- Senior’s Ministry – Larry Bryan
- Youth Ministry – Mike Farley
- Sunday Services – Brian Tucker
- New Members – Eddy Russell & Jim Bolz
- Involvement – David Peeters
- Home Groups – Monty Stanley
Staff
Administrative Servants
- Office Administrator – Steve Speck
- Office Coordinator – Kim Cook
- Financial Secretary – Carolyn Fansher
- Office Assitant – Judy Hutson
- Office Assitant – Brent Dooley
- Building & Grounds – Steve Hocking
- Children’s Corner Pre-School Director – Chele’ Burnett
Missionaries
Ministers Abroad
Mark and Nicole Kennell – Togo, Africa.
Oscar and Yudiela Lopez – Mexico City, Mexico
José & Raquel Coronado – Bogota, Columbia
Emmitt Bewley
Emmitt and Ronda Bewley have been members of Singing Oaks since 1997. They were married January 18, 1974 in Visalia, California by Ronda’s grandfather, James “Jim” Hill. They moved to Texas in 1977. They have three adult sons, Patrick, Timothy and Daniel. Patrick and his wife, Amy, and their 3 children Camille, Nathan and Gavin live in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Timothy and his wife, Holly, and their three children McClain, Easton and Reagan live in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Daniel and his wife, Amber, live in Lufkin, Texas.
Emmitt is sales manager for Helena Chemical Company, and works with pest control companies and public mosquito control districts. Ronda works at the University of North Texas.
At Singing Oaks, Emmitt has served in multiple ministries including prison ministry and teaching. Currently he serves on the “We Care” elder team and assists with the “On the Journey” ministry. Ronda also helps with the “On the Journey” class and has helped in areas of preschool classes, youth ministry, and Women’s Ministry.
Jerry Browder
Jerry & Marcia Browder have been at Singing Oaks since moving to Denton from Los Angeles in 1989. They have three adult children, Tiffany of Corinth, TX, Tyler and his wife, Ashley, of Nashville, TN, and Blake and his wife, Katie, of North Richland Hills, TX.
Jerry is president of Signet Health Corporation, a company that manages mental health and physical rehab programs for hospitals. The Browders, who met as students at Abilene Christian University, have been married for 35 years.
At Singing Oaks, Jerry serves as an elder and teacher and coordinates the bicycle ministry. Marcia is coordinator of the nursery teaching program and volunteers in the clothing ministry.
Dwight Carter
Dwight and Donna have been members at Singing Oaks since moving to Denton in 1989 from Graham, TX. They have three children – Daren and wife Nichole of Denton, Deana of Arlington, and Dedra and husband Jeff of Highland Village, and five grandchildren. Dwight is an executive for the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council. Dwight and Donna have been married for 43 years.
At Singing Oaks, Dwight has served as a deacon, taught Bible classes, and leads a home group. Donna is involved in the nursery ministry, teaching children’s Bible classes and volunteering in the benevolence ministry.
Jerry Cheatham
Jerry and Sandra have been at Singing Oaks since 1979. They were married in 1960 and are the parents of three grown children, Valinda Bruce, Jay Cheatham, and Kristen Hamilton. They are also the proud grandparents of six grandchildren.
Jerry is self-employed in the used car business and has served Singing Oaks as an elder for the past six years.
Joe Keck
Billy Kellum
Billy and Laura have been at Singing Oaks since 1979. They married 50 years ago at the Wood Street Church of Christ in Denton TX. They have two adult children, Michael who is a Family Practice MD in Allen, TX and Marcia who is Language Arts Coordinator at DISD. They have two grandchildren, Miles who is a sophomore at ACU, and Bonnie who is a senior at Allen High School.
Billy is a retired airline pilot from Delta Air Lines. He served as an elder at Pearl Street Church of Christ, and was formerly an elder at Singing Oaks for 20 years. Laura teaches in the Children’s Ministry, is a team coordinator in the Nursery department, the coordinator for Meal Relief ministry, volunteers in the Food Pantry and serves in the Visitation/Connection Partners ministry and serves on the Greeters Ministry. Billy serves in the Kardia Chaplaincy ministry, Visitation/Connection Partner ministry, volunteers in the Food Pantry, is coordinator for the Monday and Wednesday Men’s Prayer/Bible study and the Greeters ministry. They both are pleased to be servants of God and the Singing Oaks family.

Stephen Medlicott
Stephen & Cindy Medlicott joined Singing Oaks Church of Christ in 1986. They met in college at West Texas State University and married in 1984. The Medlicotts have three children, Elizabeth Grace who attends ACU, William Duane and Benjamin Luke who are in the SOCC Youth Group and attend Lake Dallas High School.
Stephen is National Director of Marketing for the Boy Scouts of America and Cindy is a teacher and certified language therapist for Lake Dallas ISD.
At SOCC, Stephen is an elder and teacher and small group leader. Cindy has taught Bible classes, serves in meal relief and greeter’s ministry.
Stephen and Cindy feel blessed to be of service in God’s kingdom through Singing Oaks.
Doug Moody
Doug and Kim Moody have been at Singing Oaks since 1999. Doug grew up in Texarkana, TX and Kim in Detroit, MI, and they met at Harding University and were married in 1987. Doug works as a corporate manager in the Consumer Package Goods industry while Kim is a stay-at-home mom, where she homeschools their five children.
At Singing Oaks, Doug serves as an Elder, teacher, small group leader, and a member of the Administrative Committee. Kim serves as a teacher in the Children’s Ministry and on the meal relief team.
Steve Speck
Steve and Julie were born and raised in Denton, and have been members at Singing Oaks since moving back to Denton in 1989. They have two married children Mike and wife Emily, Jennifer and husband Tommy Green, and one grand child. Steve is retired and serves as the Church Administrator. The Speck’s have been married for 41 years.
At Singing Oaks, Steve has served as a deacon, taught Bible classes, and participates in home group. Julie volunteers in the benevolence ministry clothing and pantry room, and is involved in the nursery ministry.
Jack Taylor
Jack and Greta have been members of the Singing Oaks family since 2000, moving here from Lubbock, Texas. In Lubbock they attended Monterey Church of Christ where Jack served as a deacon for 13 years.
Jack is a journeyman carpenter and is a Construction Superintendent for Hunt Construction Group in Dallas. Greta is a Licensed Vocational Nurse and is employed at the Student Health Center at the University of North Texas. They married 33 years ago at South Plains Church of Christ in Lubbock.
Jack serves as an elder and is a co-leader of a home group as well as being involved in various outreach programs and the jail ministry. Greta is involved in the women’s ministry and in the nursery. They have a daughter Leslie who is a long haul truck driver and Scott who is a student at UNT. Jack and Greta believe that God placed them in Denton and are happy to serve him here.
Ross Thomson
Ross was born in Scotland and at the age of four, his family emigrated to Australia where they were converted through the Herald of Truth Television program. His father Robert Thomson became a missionary in Rhodesia and worked there for many years.
Ross received his Bachelors degree and Master of Theology degree from Harding University and did further graduate study at Rice University in Houston.
In 1989 he met and married his wife Christine. They have three children – Joshua, Savannah, and Justin.
Ross and Christine have worked with churches in Alice TX, Raleigh NC, Atlanta GA, and Houston TX before coming to Singing Oaks in June 2008.
Ross’s passion is preaching. He is an avid lifelong learner, as can be seen from his library! He also loves contact with nature, walking and meditating.
Andres Badillo
Andrés Badillo came to Singing Oaks in November of 2012. In 1997, he received God’s calling to share the gospel. He has served the Lord’s church in South and Central America and in North American churches from Kentucky to Texas. He serves the Singing Oaks Church of Christ as the Hispanic Outreach Minister.
He was born into an evangelistic family who has shared the Gospel for nearly 40 years with congregations all across Colombia. He gave his life to Christ at the age of 16 and began his ministry as a youth minister in San Miguel, El Salvador in 2002. In 2003, he arrived in McKinney, TX to work with the Hispanic church and the mission committee at the High Point Church of Christ. He then went on to Lexington, KY to initiate a Hispanic church plant. In 2010, he returned to Texas to work with the Hispanic church in Richardson.
Andres attended the Baxter Institute of Biblical and Cultural Studies located in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In 2001 he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Theology. Two years later he married the former Nidia Camargo, whom he met in Colombia. In 2003 she graduated from S.E.N.A. (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje), where she received her government license as a Nursing Assistant. She serves God through her expertise in the area of health care. Andres is passionate about his Kentucky Wildcats, outdoor adventures and enjoys various other sports and entertainment, but His greatest passion is for sharing the Word of God.
Bob Bentley
Bob and his wife Michele have been associated with the Singing Oaks Church of Christ in various capacities since the early 1980′s. In 2006, they returned to Denton after 15+ years of work in East Africa among the people of Tanzania and Kenya.
Bob currently serves as the Outreach Minister at Singing Oaks and is actively involved in the mission of our congregation to bring people to Jesus Christ.
Bob received his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in 1977 from North Texas State University. After working as an accountant for nine years Bob returned to school and in 1989 completed a Master of Science (MS) degree in Biblical and Related Studies. The degree was tailored to focus on biblical studies and missions related courses to prepare him for the mission field.
Bob and Michele married in 1981 and have two college-aged children, Jennifer and David. Bob plays an occasional game of tennis, enjoys camping, and likes to travel.
Don Compton
Don was born in Seymour, Texas, November 20, 1937. He graduated from Texas Tech University in January 1963 with a B. S. in Textile Engineering. His work experience covered 38 years of textile manufacturing with Mission Valley Mills in New Braunfels, Texas. He served as song director, deacon, and elder at the New Braunfels Church of Christ during that period.
Don moved from New Braunfels, Texas, to Aubrey, Texas, March 2002 to be near his children and grandchildren. Children are Cristi, Chris, Hunter and Cole Cannon – Aubrey, Texas; Craig, Candace, Ella and Emory Compton – Denton Texas; and David, Jennifer, Mac and Annie Compton – Edmond, Oklahoma.
He has served as Benevolence Minister since August 9, 2004. Don solicits your prays for wisdom to serve the Lord effectively as a representative of Singing Oaks through this ministry.
Beau Davis
Beau came to Singing Oaks in the summer of 2006 to serve as the Youth and Family Minister. He has a passion for sharing the gospel message with teens, connecting people across generational lines, and working with families who have been hurt or broken by divorce. He also loves helping volunteers, interns, and students discover and enhance their spiritual gifts and talents.
Beau has received degrees from Abilene Christian University in Marriage and Family Therapy (M.A. 2006), Christian Ministry (M.A. 2005), and in Youth and Family Ministry (B.A. 2002). He has also been a guest lecturer for the Pruett Gerontology Center’s “Older Adult Ministry Conference (2004)” held annually at ACU.
Beau married way up in 2006 when he married Jill. Jill holds a B.A. from Oklahoma Christian in Family Studies and a M.A. from Abilene Christian in Marriage and Family Therapy. Beau and Jill love to watch movies, run and exercise, ride bikes (motorcycles and bicycles), go camping, hike in the mountains, and play games. In May of 2010, they celebrated the birth of their first son, Tyce.
Nic Dunbar
Nicolas arrived at Singing Oaks in the summer of 2009 to share his gift of song as the Worship Minister. Nic is a passionate singer who loves to share the good news. He is adept in teaching and encouraging others to find their voice and share their hearts with our Creator, God.
Nic has attended Southwestern Christian College (Terrell, TX) and Abilene Christian University (Abilene, TX). He has also been a member of the acclaimed Acappella Ministries of Nashville, TN. While apart of this ministry he has traveled all across North and Central America, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe.
Nicolas has a lovely wife, Bathsheba Dunbar. Bathsheba holds a degree in English from Texas Christian University (Ft. Worth, TX). Nic and “B” have been married since 2005 and recently celebrated the arrival of their first child, Nicolas Paul Jr. Nic enjoys song writing, playing soccer, traveling and playing video games.
Casey McCollum

Casey grew up in Richardson, Texas and then attended Abilene Christian University where he received a degree in Youth and Family Ministry in 2003 and a Master’s of Divinity in 2006. Casey met his wife Kasey (yes, you read that correctly) at ACU where she also received both a degree in Youth and Family ministry and a Master’s of Divinity.
After ACU, Casey was a youth minister at the Richardson East Church of Christ and then came back to ACU to direct the K-12 Summer Leadership Camps. He also taught in the Bible Department.
Casey loves college students and is passionate about helping them grow into mature followers of Jesus. He is an avid reader and loves marathons, triathlons, and the Texas Rangers.
Casey and Kasey have 2 children, Clare and Micah.
Laurie Templeton
Laurie joined the Singing Oaks family in January of 2012 as the Children’s Minister. She served the Impact Houston church of Christ, an inner-city mission church supported by the Houston area churches of Christ, from June of 2006 through December of 2011.
Laurie attended Abilene Christian University from 1996 until 2004 earning a B.S. in Youth & Family Ministry and an M.A. in Religion. After graduation from ACU, she decided to travel another path and began prerequisites for entering nursing school, and then in 2006 was called back to ministry. She realized her true calling is to provide a safe, holistic, inter-generational, irresistible environment for people to meet and fall in love with Jesus.
Laurie has the BEST job in the world and will challenge anyone to a duel who thinks otherwise!
Laurie enjoys running, eating sushi with her co-workers, and really good coffee shops.
Mark & Nicole Kennell
Mark and Nicole Kennell have been living and working in Togo, West Africa off and on for the past 10 years. Currently they are working with churches in the region helping them to better understand the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. They have partnered with an American organization called Hope Through Health (www.hthglobal.org) that funds a full service clinic for people living with HIV/AIDS called Association Espoir pour Demain.
Over the years they have been able to see churches planted, people come to know Jesus and church leaders going out into their communities seeking people who are lost and suffering. Because of this, Mark and Nicole are honored to be witnesses to such wonderful things that God is doing here in Togo and all over Africa.
Oscar and Yudiela Lopez
Oscar and Yudiela Lopez are part of a team that is planting a church in Mexico City, Mexico.
José and Raquel Coronado
José and Raquel Coronado are part of a team that is planting a church in Bogota, Columbia.


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