Dr. Larry A. Maxwell and his wife Rebekah, came to Patterson Baptist Church in March 1995 to help the church as interim pastor for six months. At the time he was traveling extensively as the founder and executive-director of Challenge International, a missionary organization founded in 1980 to provide training in outreach and christian education for National Christian workers at home and abroad. That six months lasted a lot longer than he planned. In March 2010 he started his 16th year of ministry with the church. Much has happened in that time.

 

His educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty Baptist College (now Liberty University), Lynchburg, VA. and both a Master and Doctor of Biblical Studies degrees in Christian Education and Youth Ministry from the India Theological Seminary, Brahmavar, India. 

 

Dr. Maxwell was raised on Long Island in a Conservative Baptist Church. He was saved at a Baptist Youth Skate Night at a roller skating rink in Levittown, N.Y.   He surrendered to the ministry, under the preaching of Don “Uncle Robbie” Robertson at Word of life Ranch, in Schroon Lake, N.Y. 

 

Dr. Maxwell is also a popular author and conference speaker. For more than 30 years he has spoken for christian camps and conferences in the U.S., Europe and Asia, including speaking for: Word of Life in Schroon Lake, N.Y. , Awana Camps and Conferences, Odosagih Bible Conference, Machias, N.Y.; and more . He has extensive experience working with volunteers and staff in not for profit work and has helped serve as an advisor to churches and conferences on fiscal, staff and administrative matters.

 

He is very active in his community in and around Patterson. He is one of the founders of the Putnam County Cemetery Committee, which helps preserve cemeteries in Putnam County. He is the founder and past five-term President of Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County, N.Y.  He is a long time member of the Putnam Country Historians Round Table. He also served as vice chairman and then four-term chairman of the Company of Military Historians at West Point, and as the founder of the Living History Guild. He currently serves as the official town historian for the Town of Patterson.

 

His preaching and teaching style appeals to young and old alike. He often uses worksheets to help people follow along. It is not unusual to find him speaking in a variety of historical or ethnic costumes. Many times he has done dramatic first person sermons.