BHC Officers, Directors and Advisory Member
Jim Myers - Co-Founder, President & Director
Jim comes from a background in banking and finance. He graduated from the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University (now the Graduate School of Banking at LSU). He managed a consumer lending office before become the head of the Consumer Loans and Credit Cards department of a West Texas bank. He taught local courses in Consumer Lending and Business Law for employees of local banks.
Jim served six years in the United States Air Force, six-month on active duty and five and one-half years in the reserves. He was trained as a surgery technician and was responsible for setting up operating rooms, preparing the instrument packages and handing instruments to the surgeon. He was also certified as a radiology technician.
In 1981 Jim graduated from the Word of Faith Bible College and was ordained as minister at the Word of Faith World Outreach Center. He founded and was President of the Believer’s Word Center, Inc., later that year. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, his church was the 20th satellite congregation in the Word of Faith Satellite Network, which transmitted meeting as well as Bible College classes by satellite to hundreds of congregations around the globe.
Jim was also Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of several periodicals (Through Their Eyes, Discovering the Bible, Understanding Your Belief System, Teshuvah, The Biblical Analyst, and The Informed Believer). In addition Jim enrolled in Hebrew, Greek, Linguistics, Roman History, Greek History and other classes at the University of Texas at Arlington. He also earned a Th.D. (Biblical Studies) and Ph.D. degree (Biblical Linguistics) from the Logos University Graduate School.
Jim co-founded the Center for Biblical Analysis, the research and educational division of the Believer’s Word Center, Inc., with Ike Tennison and Sid Dosh. The work of the Center for Biblical Analysis included research, analysis, and study of ancient Hebrew and Greek texts of the Scriptures. Jim developed the Linguistic Method for Biblical Analysis and the Biblical Analyst Certification Program.
Jim was appointed chaplain at the Johnson County Law Enforcement Center and completed the Jail Operations course in 1991. He taught at Law Enforcement Center and served as a counselor for inmates or officers. During his work there, he met John Weatherred, a man that had a passion for helping people that were addicted to alcohol and drugs. Jim and John co-founded Helping Open People's Eyes Inc., a program that operated in Law Enforcement facilities and Adult Probation departments to assist in the recovery, rehabilitation, and successful reintegration of offenders back into the community.
Over the years Jim as has also been actively involved with youth sports and coached boys pee wee football teams (first through sixth grade) and boys select basketball teams (third grade through varsity) for many years. He has served as an officer and advisory board member of the Brazos Valley Football Association. Jim also co-founded the TOV Center, Inc. with Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor and served as Vice President.
Susan Myers - Secretary-Treasurer & Director
Susan is Jim's wife and Secretary-Treasurer of the Biblical Heritage Center. She was a co-founder of the Believer's Word Center and the Biblical Heritage Center. Susan is Executive Director of Southwest Jewish Congress. Susan loves to work with and help people. She has been an invaluable member and brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and management experience to the BHC team.
Dr. Ike Tennison - Co-Founder & Past President
( b. October 16, 1935 - d. March 21, 2022)
Newton Isaac “Ike” Tennison received his B.A. degree (Greek major and Religion minor) from Baylor University and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees (Classical Languages and Literature) from the University of Texas at Austin. He has over 19 years of college teaching experience (the University of Texas at Austin, Austin College in Sherman, Texas, Dallas Baptist College, and, the University of Texas at Arlington).
Ike has over 14 years of pastoral experience (6 years for the Joppa Baptist Church in Burnet County, Texas, and 8 years for the First Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Texas); 17 years of federal program experience in programs authorized by the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and the Job Training Partnership Act; 12 years of experience as a Consultant primarily for employment and training programs at the local, state, and national levels. He has served 8 years in executive positions (Director of Planning and Administrative Services, Fiscal Officer, Dean, Executive Director, Chief Administrative Officer); and, 12 years as a Trustee, Director, and/or Officer of non-profit corporations. Tennison has written plans, proposals, and policies at the local, state, and national levels and has published articles in several publications.
Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor - Past Advisory Board Member
(b. March 19, 1953 - d. September 16, 2020)
Jeffrey graduated from Rutgers University in 1983, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges, and a Rutgers Honors Program Scholar. He accompanied Dr. Stieglitz to Israel and participated in his first archaeological dig. Jeffrey studied Jewish history, philosophy, language, Hebrew Bible, midrash, Mishnah, Talmud and many other near eastern subjects and cultures including Christianity and Islam.
He was accepted at Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, which only accepts students from the top 5%. There was a great concentration on Hebrew language, grammar and texts from all different historical periods. Jeffrey spent a second year in Israel on a dig with Professor Stieglitz and then a Hebrew immersion course called an ulpan. He also attended seminary classes and classes at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 1989 Jeffrey graduated with a MA and was ordained as a rabbi. He decided to take a pulpit position in a synagogue in Richardson, Texas, a north Dallas suburb and spent sixteen years there.
Jeffrey also became a police chaplain for the Plano Police Department and received many certifications -- trauma, death and loss. He became a Victim Chaplain with the Dallas police Department specializing in homicide, suicide and domestic violence. He also became a Pastoral Care Specialist, Suicide Intervention Trainer and PTSD De-briefer. In addition, he has also been actively involved as a chaplain for Hospice organizations.
Before Jeffrey decided to become a rabbi he was a member of an acoustic "folk rock" trio turned into one of the premier New Jersey rock'n'roll bands of the Seventies – Stanky Brown. They had four Singles for Arista Records, three LP’s (Two with Sire / ABC and one with Sire / Warner Brother’s) and it members are listed in “Who’s Who of Rock ‘n Roll” (Charles Scribner & Sons) 1977. touring with Billy Joel, Eagles, Beach Boys, Paul Simon, Jefferson Starship, J Geils Band, Loggins And Messina, New Riders, Allman Brothers Band. They were the first band to perform at Giant’s Stadium (Rutherford, NJ) on June 25, 1978 opening for the Beach Boys, Poco, Steve Miller, and Pablo Cruise. They were also the first band to back up “The Blues Brothers” (Dan Akroyd, John Belushi) at Rutgers University.