Based on New Testament scripture, we believe that the local church is to be ruled by elders having equal authority. The elders are assisted by other leaders when necessary to carry out the ministry, all of whom are selected according to standards expressed by the New Testament. The specific verses upon which our beliefs are based are as follows:
The elders at FBCA give selflessly of their time and talents to benefit the church. Their contributions are immeasurable, and each man brings unique experiences and interests to the group. Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho is fortunate to have a fantastic elder board.
Chip Bell became pastor of FBCA in 1998 with a passion to help people discover God’s grace and grow in their faith. "I was led to FBCA by the contemporary worship, the emphasis on grace, and by the church’s commitment to follow the biblical directions about what a church should be, while allowing creative freedom in the way the church’s functions are expressed in our particular culture."
Chip received his Masters of Theology in Christian Education at Dallas
Theological Seminary, where he also met his wife Julie 
. Additionally, Chip holds
degrees in History and Social Science as well as Secondary Education from
Christian Heritage College.
Before serving as pastor of FBCA, Chip and Julie served as missionaries to Yugoslavia for four years. The Bells lived in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, through the time of the international economic sanctions against Serbia and the height of the Yugoslav civil war. When their son was diagnosed with autism, they returned to America to live in Dallas. Chip became the Director of Operations for East-West Ministries, a Dallas-based mission focused on evangelism, pastor training and church planting in former communist countries.
Chip’s hobbies include handyman projects, archaeology, computers, Star Trek, motorcycles/Sea-doos, and travel. Chip and Julie have four children, Barclay, Sasha, Niki, and Rebekah.
He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God? — Micah 6:8 (NAS)
Bill Holston, elder since June 1997, is an attorney by profession, practicing business law in Dallas with a small firm, Sullivan and Holston 
. He has led men’s Bible studies and discipleship groups for several years and currently teaches on Tuesday nights. In addition, on Sunday mornings he teaches a discussion-oriented adult class. Bill preaches 4-5 times a year and enjoys taking trips to visit prisoners with the Prison Ministry.
When asked what he loves about FBCA, Bill replied, "The thing I really appreciate about our church is the emphasis on authenticity — that this is not a place where you have to pretend to have it all together, but that we are all redeemed sinners on a spiritual journey together. At the same time we’re dedicated to teaching and studying the truth about God revealed in the Bible."
Bill is personally dedicated to the study and teaching of God’s Word, and he particularly enjoys praying with others in the body. Bill is married to his wife, Jill, a teacher for Richardson Independent School District, and together they have two boys, Will and Fred. Bill loves the out-of-doors, especially the Big Bend region of West Texas. His other interests include reading non-fiction and writing a blog on local music and the arts. Since 1997, he has been privileged to do pro bono legal work with a local non profit Human Rights Initiative of North Texas , where he has represented refugees from 18 different countries in their applications for asylum here in the United States. Bill looks forward to the day when neckties are declared illegal in this country.
Steve and his wife Claudia first began attending Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in 1989, and Steve joined the elder board in 2006. In addition to his duties as an elder, Steve has also served with Claudia in the children’s and youth ministries for as many years as they have attended FBCA. In recent years they have been involved in teaching and sponsoring the senior high ministry, and they have participated in numerous youth mission trips to Mexico for more than ten years. In that same vein, they aspire to participate in Serbia missions as they enter into their "empty nest" years, and one of their goals for retirement includes world travel and global missions work.
Outside of the church, Steve is a marketing veteran with a career spanning more than two decades with hardware and software developers in the computer industry. He holds a B.S. degree in computer science from the University of Tulsa.
Steve and Claudia have been married since 1981 and have two college-age daughters. Both daughters grew up at FBCA and dedicated their lives to Christ there. Steve says, "FBCA has been our home over the past twenty-plus years. This is where Claudia and I have raised our family and grown in our spiritual walk. I can’t imagine a more loving or nurturing environment to raise our two girls, and their Christ-led lives are a testament to the teaching and love that we’ve received at FBCA."
"It’s exciting to see God use our church to help people grow while we show Christ’s love to those around us!"
Gary Keep first became an elder at FBCA when Lake Highlands Bible Fellowship merged with FBCA in 1985. Since that time, Gary and his wife Betsy have had the opportunity to lead various mini churches (small groups). They meet twice each month in homes as they enjoy meals, study the Bible, pray together, and care for one another. "This really doesn’t feel like a service because through this ministry we have built friendships that are closer than family!"
In addition to mini church leadership, Betsy and Gary taught in the learning center for several years, hosted an adult Sunday School class, and Gary served on the church building committee.
Gary is an architect for learning environments with SHW Group Architects in Dallas, and he and Betsy are the parents of three great boys, now all grown and married.
When speaking of Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho, Gary says, "I really appreciate FBCA because here it’s okay to be transparent. God accepts us as we are, and it is a beautiful thing to watch Him work in the lives of the people here!"
David and his wife Cindy have been members of FBCA since 1986, and David has been on the elder board since 1991. David’s ministry involvement at FBCA has primarily involved serving in the youth ministry, leading a men’s discipleship group and co-leading a mini church with Cindy. Using his professional knowledge as a clinical and consulting psychologist in Richardson, David has also led some marriage workshops for a couple’s class at FBCA. He considers his spiritual gifts to be teaching and exhortation and willingly uses those gifts to benefit the church.
David and Cindy have been married since 1983 and have three children. David is a life-long Texan and a former college cheerleader. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt college and holds a graduate degree from NTSU.
Gary Noble has been an elder at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho since 2001 and has been attending FBCA since 1996. Over the years he has served on the Men’s Ministry committee, acted as the Men’s Ministry coordinator, served as a mini church leader, and has been the chairman of the church’s "The Future is Now" campaign.
Gary has been married to his wife Karey for the last 16 years. Their daughter Keitrah and her husband Matt also attend FBCA along with Keitrah and Matt’s full-of-life son. Gary and Karey also have a son and daughter-in-law, Kirk and Tiffanee, and two beautiful granddaughters who live in Allen.
In 1983, Gary opened a general and cosmetic dental practice for children and adults in northeast Richardson. He has also acted as a Smarttravel Independent Consultant and loves traveling the world (and getting paid to do it!). He says, "Karey and I enjoy movies and keeping our grandchildren. I like fantasy football and cheering for my Mavericks, Cowboys and Rangers. It is my privilege and honor to serve this fine church as an elder."
Joe Spencer joined the elder board along with Bill Holston in June, 1997. Joe and his wife Pegi live in the north Dallas area and have attended FBCA since the fall of 1987. They have enjoyed being part of our small group ministry from the beginning and have led a mini church since 1990. The Spencers’ three sons also enjoy being part of the student and children’s ministries at FBCA.
Joe has worked as a sign designer at Chandler Signs since 1987. Prior to getting married and moving to Dallas, he served for four years in Texas with Campus Crusade for Christ at both Sam Houston State and Rice University. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 1983.
Besides involvement in mini church leadership, Joe has also been part of the teaching team for the church orientation and membership class, "FBC & Me," and he co-leads a class on the basics of Christian living. He has also enjoyed taking part in the FBCA prison ministry for over a decade.
"FBCA is home for me. We have chosen to commit ourselves to this body on this corner because God doesn’t just provide His local church to minister to us. But just as importantly, He uses the church to change us through our service here. This is a great place to grow and learn to depend more on God and less on the things of this world. God’s hope does not disappoint." read more »
