Francis John Gallagher
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19114
267-973-7319

• Education: BS Degrees in Accounting and Psychology, St. Joseph’s University; Computer hardware, software, network, and website training. Over 5,000 hours of Bible training from pastor-teachers who include R.B. Thieme (Houston, TX), Robert McLaughlin (Somerset, MA), and Joe Focht (Philadelphia, PA).
• Experience: Since 1979 when I was saved, I’ve ministered in several churches as Chairman of the Board, Treasurer, choir member, orchestra drummer, Single’s group leader, Sunday School Teacher, Tech Team, and preaching.
• Comment to those looking at my sermons: I spend about 10-15 hours preparing a sermon, making sure that I have Bible verses to support everything I teach. I also learn God’s word from pastors who study and teach from the original languages of the Scriptures. I use Powerpoint, a marker board, posters, handouts, and other teaching aids. I am available to teach free of charge at church services, retreats, prayer breakfasts, and other Christian activities.
• Sermon or series that made a difference: The sermon series that has made the greatest difference to me in my spiritual life is R.B. Thieme’s basic doctrines. Those Bible lessons helped me to clearly understand all of the Scriptural teachings I learned.
• One of my favorite illustrations: A tightrope walker is preparing to cross a long wire at a great height, with no safety net. He asks an onlooker standing nearby, "Do you think I can cross that wire safely, without falling?" The onlooker responds enthusiastically, "Yes, I’m sure you can do it!" The performer then asks, "Then would you be willing to sit on my shoulders as I walk across?" The onlooker suddenly looks fearful and answers, "No thanks!" We may say we have faith in God, but do we trust Him to act upon that faith?
• Family: I live in NE Philadelphia with my wife Liz. We are both retired and attend Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia. I have a married daughter Sara, son-in-law Alan, and grand daughter Nora, who all live in the Middle East. Alan teaches Engineering at the University of Kurdistan. Sara is a great mom to Nora, and both she and Alan are involved in the church there, and do personal ministry.
• What my parents think of my sermons: My Dad is not alive, and my mother is a Roman Catholic who resists my efforts to witness to her or get her out to church. She has never heard me teach.
• What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: My wife generally doesn’t say, but when she does, I carefully evaluate her advice to determine if I should follow it.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: The best advice I’ve gotten about preaching is to design my sermons for those who are serious students of God’s word, not for those who rarely attend or visit. Also, I learned that a pastor should not give a primarily evangelistic message every week, or his congregation can never grow spiritually.
• Books that have had an impact: The Bible, of course; Evidence That Demands A Verdict, by Josh McDowell; Doctrinal books by R.B. Thieme, Jr. Bible study books by Robert R. McLaughlin He That Is Spiritual by Lewis Sperry Chafer
• Hobbies: My hobbies include computers, music (smooth jazz, soft rock, rock, country, rhythm and blues, and oldies), movies, and TV. I also like watching football, hockey, swimming, diving, skating, and gymnastics.
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: I would preach my sermon about the Two Thieves of Calvary. It’s the clearest Biblical illustration of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone. It perfectly illustrates the simple issue of salvation by faith alone, with Jesus Christ in the middle as the only way to God, and positive and negative free will on each side of him.
• Something funny that happened while preaching: Once, I was teaching that certain spiritual gifts ended during the 1st century church. Suddenly, all of the lights and power in the sanctuary went out. We all laughed at the timing of the outage, at what it looked like. Another time, I was teaching my daughter Sara (who was 5 years old at that time) about the Shepherds on Christmas Eve. I read, "and they went with haste to Bethlehem", and Sara stopped me and asked, "Dad, who’s haste?"
• What I want on my tombstone: Faithful servant of God, and a loving husband, father, and grandfather.

• Grace Bible Church - Robert McLaughlin Ministries
• Calvary Chapel Of Philadelphia
• Thomas L. Constable's Bible Study Notes/Commentary