A Legacy of Faith and Biblical Scholarship: Alan Winkler’s Impact

In 2025, Tim and Connie Winkler Slocum and Annette Winkler Egeberg established the Alan Winkler Memorial Scholarship for Biblical Studies in honor of their dad, a beloved Bryan College professor whose dedication to God’s Word and love for students left an indelible mark on the Bryan community.

Alan Winkler’s journey to Bryan was marked by perseverance, faith, and divine providence. Born in Chattanooga in 1928, Alan came to faith as a young boy and began his working life on dairy farms. It was while working at McDonald Farms in Sale Creek that he first heard about Bryan College from part-time student employees and felt God’s unmistakable call to preach.

In 1955, with a wife, two young daughters, and a full-time dairy job, Alan enrolled at Bryan. The registrar arranged his classes around his work schedule, but his days were still grueling — morning classes, dairy work until supper, studying late into the night, and returning to the barn at 3:00 a.m. for milking. In May 1960, he graduated with honors and received the F.R. Rogers Senior Award for excellence in Bible study and Christian character.

A Heart for Students and Scripture

After earning his ThM at Dallas Theological Seminary, Alan returned to Bryan in the early 1960s to teach Christian Education and, later, Bible. Over 28 years, he developed courses including Life of Christ, Old Testament Survey, and Prophecy and End Times, becoming a mentor to many on the Hill, known for his kindness, humility, and genuine care for each student’s spiritual growth. Alongside his teaching, he faithfully served as pastor of Ogden Baptist Church on Dayton Mountain for 32 years.

Alan was a man of quiet, consistent faithfulness. He walked a well-worn path through the woods from his Blueberry Hill home to campus each day, and was an avid gardener who generously shared his harvests with neighbors — living out the servant-hearted faith that marked every aspect of his life.

Even in his final years in memory care, Alan’s love for Scripture remained vibrant. Staff members were amazed by his ability to recall verses and translate his Greek New Testament with ease. Through all the challenges of aging and memory loss, he often repeated the phrase he had spoken throughout his teaching years: “God is good.”

Continuing the Mission Through Biblical Education

Through the Alan Winkler Memorial Scholarship for Biblical Studies, students pursuing biblical and theological studies will be equipped to serve Christ with the same dedication and love for God’s Word that characterized Alan’s life. 

Your gift to the Alan Winkler Memorial Scholarship is an investment in future pastors, teachers, missionaries, and ministry leaders. Give today and help advance the work of biblical scholarship for Christ’s kingdom!