About Us

Meet Our Staff

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Michael A. Cox was born in an orphanage in Athens, Greece, in 1959 to an unwed mother of Greek ancestry. Immediately placed in the care of the orphanage, he was adopted at the age of three months by a Navy serviceman and his wife, Thomas and Faye Cox, both from Porter, Oklahoma, stationed in Morocco at the time. Michael was soon brought to the United States and naturalized as a citizen. Most of his early years growing up were spent in Tulsa and Muskogee, Oklahoma. He gave his life to Christ just before his eighth birthday in January 1967.

Licensed to preach in 1983 and ordained in 1984, he became Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Pryor June 1, 2008. Dr. Cox came to First Baptist Church of Pryor from West Lynchburg Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he served from 2003 to 2008. He has also served as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Inola, Oklahoma, Lakeview Southern Baptist Church in Skiatook, Oklahoma, First Baptist Church of Boynton, Oklahoma, Oak Street Baptist Church in Cushing, Oklahoma, and Trinity Baptist Church in Keefeton, Oklahoma. Moreover, he has preached an evangelistic crusade in Dominica, West Indies, under the auspices of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as a number of Bible conferences and revivals in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas.

In addition to his pastoral duties, he has served as an Adjunct Professor of Evangelism for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Tulsa extension and as a Doctor of Ministry Field Supervisor for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has also served as a member of the Southern Baptist Convention Committee on Committees; as Moderator and Vice-Moderator of the Lynchburg Baptist Association; as Co-President of the Pastors’ Conference, Resolutions Committee member, and Personnel Committee member of the Tulsa Metro Baptist Association; and as President of the Inola Ministerial Alliance.

He is a graduate of Muskogee High School (1977) in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and a graduate of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies (1986). He also holds Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages (1989) and Doctor of Ministry (2000) degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, with an emphasis in his doctoral work on biblical hermeneutics, especially as applied to New Testament interpretation and Christian apologetics, done under the faculty supervision of the late Southern Baptist theologian and philosopher John P. Newport.

Dr. Cox’s preaching focuses on competent biblical exposition utilizing the grammatical-historical hermeneutic taught by Southern Baptist seminaries and universities and is built upon sound exegesis. His sermons are a blend of preaching and teaching, routinely stressing evangelism, discipleship, repentance, and stewardship. He is committed both to Old and New Testament Bible-book exposition, with particular emphasis on the New Testament, having preached, exegeted, and translated through twenty-one New Testament books. He also addresses important topics such as alcohol and drug prevention, anti-gambling, the sanctity of human life, the virgin birth of Christ, the virtuous woman, spiritual discernment, spiritual gifts, and the inspiration and authority of Scripture.

His writing accomplishments include one book, Not One Little Child: A Biblical Critique of Calvinism, published in 2009 by CrossBooks, his copyrighted Doctor of Ministry Professional Project, “A Pastoral Ministry Approach for Developing a Biblical Response to Channeling and Its Principal Tenets,” two works posted on the website of the North American Mission Board, “A Closer Look at New Age Channeling: An Overview,” and “A New Age Glossary,” and an article in the October 18, 2007 edition of the Virginia Baptist state paper, Religious Herald, entitled “Imprecatory Praying: Is Invoking a Curse a Valid Part of Prayer?” Additionally, he has a number of other articles posted on the First Baptist Church website at www.pryorfbc.org, using the "Resources" link above, as well as an unpublished manuscript entitled, “A Practical and Homiletical Examination of the Book of Zephaniah.”

He married his high school sweetheart, Joyce McConnell, December 16, 1977. She has been very active in women’s and children’s ministries as well as adult choir. Mike and Joyce have two sons, Michael, Jr. and Matthew, and one grand-child, Blakeley.

Michael, Jr., a Broadcast Journalism graduate of Oklahoma State University and sales account manager for Stough Tool, lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his wife, Kassi, who is also a graduate of Oklahoma State University and was a Union Public Schools elementary school teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom. They have one daughter, Blakeley. Michael and his wife are members of First Baptist Church of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Matthew, too, is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he was a University Studies major with an emphasis on wildlife management, range management, and communications. He lives in Pryor, Oklahoma, and is a sales account manager for DynaFlo in Tulsa. Matthew is also a professional musician, playing lead guitar for different bands. He is also a member of First Baptist Church of Pryor.

Dr. Mike's recreational passion is whitetail deer hunting, especially with a bow and arrow, which his dad introduced to him when he was nine. His favorite color is camouflage! He is also an avid bass and crappie fisherman and enjoys turkey hunting and wild hog hunting as well.

Jim began his ministry here at First Baptist Church of Pryor in 2009, returning to full-time Christian service from Calvary Baptist Church in Inola, Oklahoma, where he served as bi-vocational Minister of Music and Media from 2000-2009. His full-time occupation was as Middle School and High School Music educator and Choir Director for Inola Public Schools from 1997-2009.

Jim grew up the son of a Minister of Music and moved many times as a child. His dad served churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Missouri. As an eighth grader, his dad was called to Del View Baptist Church in Del City, Oklahoma. He graduated from Del City High School in 1984. He also became part-time Minister of Music at Del View Baptist Church in 1984. He served at this church until his graduation from college in 1988.

Jim graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1988. He continued his education by taking classes through the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Extension program in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He graduated with a Master of Religious Education degree from Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1992.

Jim has served as full-time Minister of Music and Youth for First Baptist Church, Crescent, Oklahoma, and full-time Minister of Music for Crestwood Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was called to First Baptist Church, Inola, Oklahoma, as Minister of Music and Education in 1993 and ordained to the gospel ministry there in 1993 as well, serving at this church from 1993-1997. In 1997, God opened the door with the Inola Schools for a music program, and he accepted the position. But he continued ministering in churches in a bi-vocational capacity even while working full-time for the Inola Schools, serving part-time for Clearview Baptist Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, as Music Minister from 1997-1999; then as Minister of Music at Calvary Baptist Church, Inola, Oklahoma, from 2000-2009, where he served until accepting the call to First Baptist Church, Pryor.

Jim married Julie Myers July 30, 1988, at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She, too, is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, and is a school teacher. They have three children: Eleshea, their adopted daughter, born in 1986, is married and lives in Tahlequah, Oklahoma; and two sons, Truett, born in 1993 and Jordan, born in 1996.

Jim and Julie enjoy hosting foreign exchange students. In 2007-2008, they hosted Julia Kramer from Germany and Jeong Ah Kim from South Korea. In 2008-2009, they hosted Deniz Schelfi from Germany and Rianne Bel from the Netherlands. In 2010-2011, they hosted Adam Edgren from Sweden. The Bryant’s call themselves foreign missionaries who live at home!

Jim’s greatest passion in ministry is to actively lead others to worship the Lord Jesus. He also feels called to build relationships with those he meets in order to show a genuine love for the Lord and wait patiently for the opportunity to lead others to Christ.

Jim and his family enjoy snow-skiing, RV trips to National Parks, and traveling to visit their exchange students and their families.

Roger Littleton is our Associate Pastor of Single Adult, Administration, and Missions Ministries. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, graduating from East Central High School. He is also a graduate of the University of Tulsa, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Commercial Art, and of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, where he received his Masters degree in Religious Education.

Roger has served in churches in Kansas City, Missouri, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Natchez, Mississippi, Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and North Little Rock, Arkansas. Roger came to First Baptist Church of Pryor in February, 2010, from Lynchburg, Virginia, where he served as Minister of Youth and Church Recreation.

Roger is married to Jayme Sinclair and has a married son, Jonathan, who lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with his wife Mindi and their beautiful daughter, Emma Grace. Roger and Jayme also have two college-age daughters, Alyssa and Kari, who live in Arkansas. Roger and Jayme are active in the adult choir and the handbell choir, and, Roger also plays bass guitar. He enjoys most sports and his four favorite sports teams are the Oklahoma Sooners, the St. Louis Cardinals, and any team who plays the Texas Longhorns and the New York Yankees!

Lucas and his wife Cheri came to Pryor First Baptist in October, 2011. He grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and is a graduate of Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Ministry and Biblical Linguistics. He also graduated from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, with a Master of Divinity degree in Christian Education in May 2011 and received his Master of Arts degree in Biblical Languages, also from Midwestern, in December, 2011.

Lucas has worked as a Youth Minister, Worship Team Member (guitar and banjo), Intern at a Christian campground, Summer Missionary, and as a Volunteer Youth Worker. Lucas feels called to minister to students and help them learn to be more like Christ and help them learn to love and serve.

Lucas and Cheri just had their first child, Levi, on October 24, 2011.

Kim Graham is our Director of Childhood Ministries. She is a Native American of Cherokee descent who has lived in Pryor since the age of three. She graduated from Pryor High School in 1983 and married Keith Graham in June of 1983. Keith and Kim have five children, one son-in-law, and three grandchildren.

Kim was saved when she was seven years old and credits a children’s ministry at a local church for helping her realize the importance of becoming a Christian. This early experience has also caused awareness in Kim of the importance of the children’s ministry in our community.

Kim earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 2006 from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. While attending college she began to feel the Lord’s leading toward a direction other than teaching in the public school system. Her love for Christ, children, and education have now been marvelously merged together in the most formational of all roles, that of Director of Childhood Ministries for the First Baptist Church of Pryor.