Max Lucado is an American author and minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Life

Lucado was born in San Angelo, Texas, the youngest of four children to Jack and Thelma Lucado. He grew up in Andrews, Texas. His father, of Italian ancestry, was an oil field worker, while his mother served as a nurse.

Lucado attended Abilene Christian University where he received an undergraduate degree in Mass Communication. While a student at Abilene Christian, Lucado worked to pay his way through college by selling books door-to-door with the Southwestern Advantage entrepreneurial program. Initially he wished to become a lawyer, but has said that a required Bible course at the university and a mission trip made him change his mind, deciding instead to become a missionary. However, this required that Lucado get a graduate degree in Bible and Biblical Studies, and have at least two years experience ministering to a church. Lucado graduated from Abilene Christian University with a master's degree in Bible and Biblical Studies.

After graduation, Lucado became an associate minister at Central Church of Christ in Miami, Florida. His responsibilities initially included overseeing a singles' group and writing a column for the church's newsletter. After two years in Miami, the now newlywed Lucado and his wife, Denalyn Lucado, moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to become full-time missionaries. In 1987, Lucado's father died from Lou Gehrig's disease. After five years in Brazil, he brought his family back to the United States to be closer to his mother.

Oak Hills Church

In 1988, he was hired as a minister to the Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas. He stopped taking a salary from the congregation in 1990 because he was already an established successful author.

During his tenure, Oak Hills began using musical instruments in worship services and held the belief that baptism isn't required for salvation (things not in accord with two key doctrines of the Churches of Christ); ultimately Oak Hills dropped its affiliation with them in 2003, calling itself simply "Oak Hills Church".

After serving as the senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, TX for 20 years, Lucado announced in early 2007 that he was stepping down due to health concerns related to atrial fibrillation. Lucado has since resumed the more limited ministry role of writing and preaching at Oak Hills with co-minister Randy Frazee, formerly of Willow Creek Community Church of South Barrington, Illinois.

Views

He believes the Bible to be infallible. Lucado is a credobaptist. Lucado adheres to a trinitarian view of God. Lucado has stated that he believes in “the traditional biblical understanding of marriage” (a male & female) and argues that same-sex marriage sinfully goes against God's original design. This said, he has strongly expressed disapproval of gay bashing, stating that, "LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ families must be respected and treated with love. They are beloved children of God because, they are made in the image and likeness of God." He adds: Faithful people may disagree about what the Bible says about homosexuality, but we agree that God's holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others."

Accomplishments

Lucado has written almost 100 books with 145 million copies in print. He was recipient of the Charles "Kip" Jordon Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year award three times for his books Just Like Jesus, In the Grip of Grace and When God Whispers Your Name), and has also appeared regularly on several bestseller lists including the New York Times Best Seller List.

Lucado was named "America's Pastor" by Christianity Today magazine and in 2005 was named by Reader's Digest as "The Best Preacher in America." He has also been featured on The Fox News Channel, NBC Nightly News, Larry King Live, LLBN, and USA Today. He has been a featured speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast

Education

• B.A. Abilene Christian University (1977)
• M.A. Abilene Christian University