Odis Bryan Recordings

Alto Missionary Baptist Church Staff

Pastor Odis Bryan

Pastor Odis Bryan

Odis Bryan was born on December 16, 1943 to Dovie Stringer Bryan and William Jennings “Durb” Bryan.  He was the fourth of nine children.  In early life he attended Oak Grove Baptist Church not far from the family home in the southern part of San Augustine County, Texas, and then the Harvey Creek  Baptist Church which later re-located to Broaddus, Texas due to the plans for Sam Rayburn Reservoir.  It was during the time before the move to Broaddus, he professed faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior, and was baptized in the Angelina River, below the old iron bridge.
             Upon graduation from Broaddus High School, he joined the Navy and served his country for four years.  He was assigned to naval aviation.  He was serving in Attack Squadron 65, off-shore Viet Nam when his enlistment came to an end.  Upon discharge he returned to Broaddus.
            It was at the Harvey Creek Baptist Church in Broaddus in July, 1968 that he announced his call to the ministry.  He was licensed and later ordained by Harvey Creek Baptist Church.  In the fall of 1968 he enrolled in Texas Baptist Institute and remained a student until graduation.  His pastorates include:   Antioch Baptist Church of the Gravel Hill community near Hemphill, Texas, Sunset Baptist Church of Marshall, Texas, Harvey Creek Baptist Church of Broaddus, Texas, Landmark Baptist Church of Bedford, Indiana, Alto Missionary Baptist Church of Alto, Texas, and Calvary Baptist Church of Huffman, Texas.  For the past seventeen years he has been pastor of Alto Missionary  Baptist Church, which is his second time to pastor the church.
            On August 29,1969, he married Gail Foster, daughter of Charles and Mary Foster of Lufkin,  Texas.  She has been and continues to be a source of joy, help, and encouragement in his life and ministry.  They were blessed with two children, Teresa and Nathan.  Teresa married Kevin Ragland, and when hope was almost gone, they blessed him with a joy in his life, grand-daughter, Reagan.  Nathan married Karla Mitchell who has been a welcome addition to the family.
            While the pastoral ministry is his primary calling, he enjoys writing and singing Southern Gospel music, having recorded three projects of ten songs each with all songs written by him.
            One of the greatest highlights of his ministry as far as he is concerned, is to be allowed by God to be the sponsoring pastor for the Robert Blume Family, missionaries to Romania

Brother Odis bringing a message to the church at Persani, Romania (Brother Florine translating)

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Missionary to Romania - Robert Blume

  Brother Rob and Family (Kriss, Caleb, Grace) at Dumbravita, Romania

Brother Robert Blume was born in 1963 to commercial fishermen on the Texas Gulf coast.  He came to know Jesus Christ as savior at age nine in Clute, Texas.  At around 18 years of age the Lord began to call Brother Rob to a special service, and he began seeking God's will for his life.  He met and fell in love with Kriss Keith and they got married.  They served as house parents for the ABA orphanage in Texarkana.  He then went to seminary at Texas Baptist Institute Seminary for a Christian education.  At TBI, Brother Rob was drawn toward other missionaries and was fascinated by missions work.  During his 4 years at TBI, he served as youth director for Alto Missionary Baptist Church.  He received an excellent education at TBI that was integral in helping him to grow in his faith and more effectively serve the Lord. 

After graduation, he became pastor of Argo Missionary Baptist Church.  During his 4 years as pastor, he and the church were missions minded.  They supported foreign missions, and went to Mexico for missions work.  It was then that he began to feel God's call toward foreign missions work.  Brother Rob was committed to serving the Lord in whatever capacity he could, wherever he could, and however the Lord led.  Brother Rob felt led to Romania, and the Lord opened numerous doors allowing Brother Rob to serve in Romania.  In March, 1995 the Blumes moved to Ghimbav, Romania and started a church there.  Since that time, many have been saved and two other churches in Dumbravita and Persani have been started.

Brother Rob says, "The love for lost souls and knowing God makes redemption possible for all mankind and we as the people of God have the privilege and responsibility to spread His Gospel to the world.  It is a great sin for those of us who have been so blessed by the Lord to withhold His Gospel by our apathy and selfishness.  The greatest blessing in this live and beyond is to fulfill the purpose and plan of God in our lives."  (See 1 Timothy, 4:7-8)

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Brother Rob working on School in Ghimbav, Romania

Brother Matthew McBroom was born in Houston, Texas in 1972.  He came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord as a teenager.  He graduated from Rusk High School in 1991.  He married his high school sweetheart, Jackie in August 1992. He then went to Stephen F. Austin State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry in May of 1995 and a Master of Science in Forestry in December 1997.  Brother Matthew joined Alto Missionary Baptist Church in July 1998.  He surrendered to the ministry in May 2001.  He is currently working on his Ph. D. in Forest Hydrology at Stephen F. Austin and his Masters of Ministry in Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary.  He is also responsible for the internet ministry, Sunday school administration, teaching the young adult Sunday school class, and serving the church in any and every way the Lord leads.

Brother Matthew enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, and fishing as well as racquetball and reading. 

One of his favorite sections of scripture is Romans chapter 8, because it begins with no condemnation by the grace of Jesus Christ, and ends with no separation from God by the power of Christ. Brother Matthew says, "Apart from the grace of God, I am nothing but a dead man walking.  The fact that God could take a cynical, jaded, hard-hearted, academic-skeptic like myself and save him and even use him in the ministry is an awesome display of how loving and merciful He is.  God saved me from death and changed me into one worthy to be called 'son' not because of anything I could have ever done, but because of the grace available to everyone through repenting of one's sins and trusting Jesus Christ as savior and lord." (See Plan of Salvation)

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Brother Matthew and daughter Rachel exploring God's majestic creation at Enchanted Rock, Texas