Doctrines and Disciplines for Bible Believers

Sam and Linda Ensor

An old Southern colloquialism best describes that when a man convinces a lady much better than he deserves to wed, he has "married over his head." I am that man.

Linda is a retired educator, after thirty years in the classroom and as a special education home-bound instructor. The teaching profession is better because she chose it. Linda has two brothers; Dr. Walter and Mrs. MaryEleanor Hines, and Dr. Leonard Hines. They all are gifted, wonderful Christians and I am honored to be a part of their family. Linda is the patient, long-suffering editor of my writing, and even with a professional in the house, the preacher often doesn't listen.

Introduction to the Preacher

Born on Mother's Day, May 13, 1945, in Knoxville, Tennessee, I am the second child of Ruby May (Pettigrew) and William McKinley Ensor.

Mother's firstborn is Elizabeth (Ashe.) "Miss Elizabeth," as she was known to her students, taught Sunday School for many years until her retirement. She passed away on Friday, February 10,2017, after a lengthy illness and hospital stay. She is in glory now, and her passing makes the thought of Heaven ever more sweet.

Younger brother Charles is pastor of Carson Island Baptist Church, Maryville, Tennessee. We share a very unique blessing: each is married to a Linda, and both are church pianists.

Watch Linda and her brother, Walt Hines play a piano/clarinet duet of John Newton's most beloved hymn, "Amazing Grace:"

Brother Harold, who is now 96 years old, makes up our family. Our other siblings, Jo (Phillips), Betty (Wilson), Elmer and Fritz, are deceased.

Ministry Biography

I grew up in church. I was saved in 1958 at New Testament Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1971, my local church, Fountain Park Baptist, called me to serve as a deacon. After moving to Tekoa Baptist Church, Knoxville, the Lord, for reasons known only to Him, called me to preach in 1975, which was announced publicly in 1977. After finishing Bible school training from Thomas Road Bible Institute (now Liberty University) in 1979, I was ordained into the gospel ministry.

My evangelistic ministry is now in its forty-sixth year. My early revival meetings demonstrated to me the need for a Bible study course for local churches that went beyond the normal Sunday School curriculum, and writing began on the first edition of what is now Doctrines and Disciplines for Bible Believers. Now in it's fourth edition and available for study on this web site, the Bible Institute has been a tool used in my meetings, by local churches, in prison ministries and foreign missions to reach more than ten thousand people who wanted to learn more about the Word of God.

Now the Lord has broadened our ministry to include this internet outreach, and writing, with some of our sermon booklets and outlines available here, and in print. Revival preaching is still my first love, and though my age is a factor in my stamina, God continues to bless the work as we faithfully go where He leads.