Colin Mercer

Rev. Colin Mercer is the senior minister of Faith Free Presbyterian Church. He and his family moved to Greenville from Northern Ireland in September, 2009. He was converted to Christ at the age of eight. He commenced attending his local Free Presbyterian Church in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, as a young teenager and soon became involved in the ministry of that congregation. He served as a Sunday School teacher and participated in Youth meetings and open air services. In 1988 he was called by God to prepare for the gospel ministry and consequently in September 1989 commenced studies in the Theological Hall of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. On the completion of his studies he accepted a call from the Castlederg congregation and was ordained and installed on 21st January 1994. In 1999 Rev. Mercer moved to Mourne Free Presbyterian Church, and accepted the Lord’s call to Faith in May 2009.

Mr. Mercer and his wife, Heather, have two daughters, Lois and Hannah who are students at Bob Jones Academy.

Michael Barrett

Dr. Michael Barrett is the president of GRS and an associate minister of Faith Free Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South Carolina. Raised in a Christian home, he was converted as a child and was called to the Christian ministry early in his college career. By divine providence, he was led to pursue that ministerial call in the field of academics. He earned his doctorate in Old Testament Text with a special focus on Semitic languages. His dissertation was titled “A Methodology for Investigating the Translation Philosophies and Techniques of the Septuagint.” For almost thirty years, he was professor of Ancient Languages and Old Testament Theology and Interpretation at Bob Jones University. He assumed his present position at GRS in the fall of 2000.

Formerly a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, Dr. Barrett has had an active role in the ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church since its inception in North America. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and has published numerous articles in both professional and popular journals. His other published works include Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament; Complete in Him: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying the Gospel; God’s Unfailing Purpose: The Message of Daniel; The Beauty of Holiness: A Guide to Biblical Worship; Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea and The Hebrew Handbook.

Dr. Barrett and his wife, Sandra, have two sons and five grandchildren. Dr. Barrett’s hobbies include hunting and thinking about hunting.

Charles Barrett

Dr. Charles Barrett is professor of Church History and Historical Theology at GRS. He was born into a Christian home where he was under the sound of the gospel and has attended Faith Free Presbyterian Church his entire life. Before his senior year in high school, he came into the assurance of salvation in Christ and yielded his life to the gospel ministry. After receiving an undergraduate degree in Bible, he earned a master’s degree in Theology and a doctorate in Church History. His dissertation focused on the separatist principles of Henry Barrow and John Greenwood, two English Separatists in the sixteenth century. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. Dr. Barrett serves the College and Career Fellowship at Faith Free Presbyterian Church and teaches the college-age Sunday school class. He is camp director of the Free Presbyterian Youth Camp.

Dr. Barrett and his wife, Bridget, have a son and a daughter. Dr. Barrett’s hobbies are reading about two of the finer subjects in life—theology and sports—and playing golf as often as possible.

Alan Cairns

Dr. Alan Cairns was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and was saved as boy in the Salvation Army. He became a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster almost from its inception and was called by the Lord to minister in the denomination. After his graduation from the Theological Hall of the Free Church, he pastored churches in Dunmurry and Ballymoney. While ministering in Ulster, Dr. Cairns was instrumental in establishing and producing the Let the Bible Speak radio program, a ministry with worldwide influence. He also served as the professor of Systematic Theology in the Theological Seminary for the Ulster denomination. When he assumed the pastorate of Faith Free Presbyterian Church in Greenville, he continued both his radio and teaching ministries. It was under his direction that the training of preachers for the North American ministry of the FPC commenced in 1982. Geneva Reformed Seminary exists because of his vision and tireless labors. His radio ministry continues to be blessed as the North American version of Let the Bible Speak is reaching a vast area. Many of his sermon series have been adapted and published in book form, and his Dictionary of Theological Terms has received a wide circulation.

He and his wife, Joan, have a son who currently serves in the U.S. Army.

Dr. Cairns now resides in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland.