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 President of the Pryor
Church League Softball; as Moderator and Vice-Moderator of the Craig-Mayes
Baptist Association; 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-two New Testament books and
having preached through thirteen Old Testament books. He also addresses
important topics such as why there are so many different denominations,
worldviews, just war theory, the creation-evolution debate, 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 two grandchildren, Blakeley and Boston.
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 until
deciding to be a stay-at-home mom. They have one daughter, Blakeley, and one
son, Boston. Michael, Jr. 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 Broken Arrow,
Oklahoma, and is a sales account manager for Accelerated Artificial Lift
Systems. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Pryor. He is also a
professional musician, playing lead guitar for different bands, including the
FBC Pryor praise band.
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. Additionally,
he has been coaching the First Baptist Church of Pryor’s men’s softball team
since 2010. The men’s team won the USSSA Church League State Tournament in 2013
and was NSA Church League State Tournament runner up in 2014.