Jon Randles

Jon Randles

Lubbock, TX

Jon Randles was called home on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 after fighting a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Randles was born in Lubbock, Texas, on October 13, 1956 to Ann and the late BJ Randles. He attended Monterey High School while his dad was principal and received the award of Mr. Monterey in 1975. Jon dedicated his life to truth and discipleship as a pastor and global evangelist/motivational speaker since he was called at the age of 17.

Randles grew up in Lubbock, Texas, where he met the love of his life, Kelly Dennis Randles. They graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene before Jon went on to receive his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and did doctoral work in Ancient Roman History at his beloved Texas Tech University. During that time, he pastored View Baptist Church (View, Texas), Oak Street Baptist Church (Graham, Texas), and Indiana Avenue Baptists Church (Lubbock, Texas). He also served as an Adjunct Professor of Bible at Wayland Baptist University for several years.

Randles was called into full-time evangelism in 1993, where he spent his life traveling the country preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. His passion was ministering to students, athletes, and coaches. Randles motivated sports teams and schools and even pioneered the Paradigm Bible Study at Texas Tech in 1997, which is now on several college campuses throughout the US.

Randles moved to Frisco, Texas in 2002, where he and Kelly continued their ministry when Jon was chosen to be Director of Evangelism for the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) and served the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in various capacities.

The US Air Force commissioned Randles to create a curriculum on leadership and mentoring for officer training, which is still implemented today. Most recently, Jon was personally invited to be guest Chaplain at the Texas Senate in Austin and, even in his final days, traveled to Washington, DC to be the guest Chaplain over the US House of Representatives on March 17, 2015, where he charged our country's leaders to "make choices that are righteous, just, and good for all Americans and beyond."

In the last 18 months, Jon Randles left evangelism to experience his greatest joy: accepting a Pastorate at Victory Life Baptist Church. Randles constantly looked for ways to better the Lubbock community being a leader and commanding his congregation to be "Room Changers" for Christ.

He is survived by his wife, Kelly; his sons, Zack and wife Autumn Randles of Washington, DC, and Sam and wife Jennifer Randles of Seekonk, Massachusetts; his daughter Hayley and husband Chancey Williamson of Dallas/Lubbock; his grandchildren Landree, Jon David "Jack", Harper Randles, all of DC, and Fox Randles of Massachusetts; his mother Ann Randles of Lubbock; his sisters Lyn and Paul Rodgers of Houston, and Becky and Rusty Householder of Lubbock; as well as numerous relatives and friends.

The service will be held on Monday, April 6th at 1:00pm at First Baptist Church, Lubbock with viewing beginning at 10 am in the parlor. To view services visit live.firstlubbock.org or www.memorialdesigners.net., where you may also view a tribute of Jon and leave your words of encouragement to his family.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Victory Life Church c/o Jon Randles Foundation, 12401 Slide Road, Lubbock, Texas, 79424.