Biographical Outline

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Dr. Paul E. Potter

I. Core Identity

  • Christian disciple and teacher shaped by covenant theology
  • Lifelong commitment to discipleship rather than platform-building
  • Sees faith not as an event to be managed, but a life to be apprenticed
  • Understands Scripture as a coherent, covenantal story centered on God’s initiative
  • Values accuracy, theological precision, and spiritual integrity over novelty

II. Foundational Faith Convictions

  • Confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
    • Embraces His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension as decisive, historical realities
  • Lives in conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit
    • Understands the Spirit as Teacher, Comforter, Counselor, and active guide
  • Sees covenant as God going first, bearing the weight of promise and fulfillment
  • Holds the fear of the Lord and the security of grace as complementary, not contradictory

III. Personal Journey

  • Has walked through an extended “wilderness” season spanning more than two decades
    • A period marked by obscurity, pruning, waiting, and quiet formation
  • Views this wilderness not as abandonment, but as preparation
  • Emerged with a deepened understanding of faithfulness, patience, and obedience
  • Speaks honestly about aging, limitation, memory, and dependence on grace

IV. Marriage and Partnership

  • Married to Tanya Gregory Potter, described as:
    • Companion, partner, and God’s gift
    • Fellow pilgrim through decades of ministry, hardship, and calling
  • Sees marriage as covenantal companionship, not merely support

V. Ministry Focus

  • One defining thread: discipleship
    • Teaching believers how to live faithfully, not merely believe correctly
  • Founder and leader of Schools of Ministry with an emphasis on discipleship training
    • Locations include:
      • New Mexico
      • East Texas
      • Texas Department of Criminal Justice (Rufus Duncan Unit)
  • Prison ministry as a central calling, not a side project
    • Teaches Scripture with gravity, dignity, and respect for incarcerated students
  • Functions primarily as a mentor rather than a performer or motivational speaker

VI. Teaching Style and Voice

  • Conversational, pastoral, and narrative-driven
  • Prefers hearth-side teaching over podium declarations
  • Uses Scripture in context rather than proof-texting
  • Integrates:
    • Biblical theology
    • Historical awareness
    • Pastoral wisdom
  • Comfortable with tension, mystery, and unresolved questions
  • Speaks with authority without triumphalism

VII. Writing and Scholarship

  • Author of Covenant: God Went First — A Covenant Written in Blood
    • Emphasis on Genesis 15 as a hinge moment in Scripture
    • Explores covenant through blood, promise, fear of the Lord, and divine faithfulness
  • Writing marked by:
    • Precision without sterility
    • Pastoral warmth without sentimentality
    • Narrative flow over staccato declarations
  • Writes as a teacher forming disciples, not an academic accumulating citations

VIII. Relationship to Scripture

  • Treats Scripture as intentional, cohesive, and Spirit-inspired
  • Believes no name, detail, or story is accidental (e.g., Og, covenant rituals, obscure laws)
  • Reads Scripture with:
    • Reverence
    • Patience
    • Expectation of transformation, not merely information

IX. Current Season of Life

  • Elder teacher still actively forming others
  • Continues to write, teach, and disciple despite physical and cognitive limitations
  • Values faithfulness over productivity
  • Increasingly focused on legacy, transmission, and spiritual inheritance

X. Defining Characteristics

  • Gentle authority
  • Theological sobriety
  • Deep empathy for learners
  • Resistance to hype, trends, and shortcuts
  • Anchored in covenant faithfulness rather than personal achievement

Published by Spiritual Wanderings

Paul Potter is Author/Teacher for Eagles Rest Ministry. Tanya, his wife, and Paul live in Lufkin, Texas. He was the Founding Director, School of Ministry, Church Alive University, Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is an ordained minister. As a retired, tenured University Professor, he has served as faculty for the University of North Texas, Stephen F. Austin State University, Xavier University, University of Oklahoma, Angelo State University, and Hardin-Simmons University. He has preached in churches in Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Ohio, Kentucky, and pastor’s conferences in Ohio and Alaska. His first major job out of the Air Force was broadcasting as an announcer, journalist, director, and producer in radio and TV. He was producer and announcer of nationally syndicated The Baptist Hour, Master Control, and other radio programs.

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