About The Authors

Jim McKinley and David Huston

How did an apostolic church planter from Pennsylvania and a leadership/education consultant from Alabama happen to write a book together? The story goes something like this: In August of 1992, David Huston with his wife, Barbara, moved from Annapolis, Maryland, to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to plant an assembly. The following year, Jim McKinley moved from the San Francisco bay area to the gulf coast of Alabama. Both men were deeply interested in participating in a genuine apostolic assembly where people could experience the redeeming power of Jesus Christ and find their place of service in the Kingdom of God.

In 1997, Dave published a book entitled The Sons of Oil, which describes how believers can minister to the spiritual wounds of their fellow believers. Later that year, the two men met at a conference and Jim obtained a copy of the book. After staying up most of the night reading it, he approached Dave with a host of questions.

Jim had come to the Lord in 1970 as a hippy drug-user in San Francisco. At that time his mind was so burned out through drug use that he was barely able to speak in coherent sentences. He was baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Spirit, but his complete recovery from the effects of the drugs did not happen instantaneously. In fact, it turned out to be a gradual process taking many years.

As time passed, Jim became concerned that many people coming to the Lord were struggling under that false belief that a person is “totally fixed” simply by receiving the Holy Spirit. While God is clearly able to grant miraculous healings, often the fixing process occurs over time. Jim observed that many believers, not knowing how to minister to severely damaged people, were actually hindering spiritual growth rather than fostering it.

Dave and Jim participating in a home group meeting in Carlisle, PA.

After reading Dave’s book and discussing it with him, the two men began communicating via email. One of their primary areas of discussion concerned the purpose and correct biblical structure of a local apostolic assembly. They concluded that only when the structure is correct will God begin to operate in the fulness of His power. After all, He had required Moses to build the tabernacle “according to the pattern.” And since the Church is God’s New Testament tabernacle, it must be built “according to the pattern” as well. After much study and discussion, the two men determined that many church practices today are simply non-biblical carry-overs from the denominational world.

In their book The Glorious Church, Dave and Jim have invited Paul, the apostle and “wise master builder,” to come into the 21st century and describe the church of the book of Acts. It is only by looking back at the church of the past that we can envision the glorious church of the future, the one Jesus will soon receive unto Himself.

Dave speaking at a men’s conference in Mexico City in September 2005.

Today, David Huston is part of a thriving elder-led assembly endeavoring to build according to the first century principles described in their book. He also works with local assemblies in establishing home groups and teaches seminars on marriage, parenting, home education, leadership, and apostolic doctrine. He has traveled to Nigeria four times to speak at conferences on the Oneness of God. He has also preached and taught in Congo, Botswana, Zambia, Mexico, India, Serbia, Hungary, and Austria.He is the husband of one wonderful wife (Barbara), father of three lovely daughters (Andrea, Alixandra, and Angela), and grandfather of ten spectacular grandchildren (Brent, Samantha, Katherine, Jonathan, Elisabeth, Sarah, Esther, Jeremy, Timothy, and Nathanael).

Dave hosts a home education seminar in Carlisle, PA.

Today, Jim is currently working to support the planting of several local apostolic assemblies in the pattern described in The Glorious Church. He also travels to work with local church leaders in developing home groups and multiple leader structures. He is active in leadership and educational consulting with both public and Christian school leaders and works with home educating parents in developing educational purposes and methods. He also presents home educator seminars. Feel free to contact either of these men by email.

Dave being silly with his ten grandchildren.	Dave’s daughters, Angela, Andrea, and Alixandra.
Dave’s grandchildren lined up in birth order (summer 2006).	Dave and Barbara at the Panama Canal, March 2006.
The Hustons with their ten grandchildren (spring 2005).	Dave receiving counsel from his closest advisor, Percy.