John & Jane Gilbert
John has been serving as the Administrator/Principal at Yorktown Christian Academy in Corpus Christi, TX since 2009. He came to YCA from a background in church administration, religious education, missionary service, and teaching. He has an MRE (Master of Religious Education) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a BS and MS in physics from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Leaving an almost completed Ph.D. in physics at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, John has served churches as a Minister of Education, Executive Pastor, and Administrative Pastor.
During his missionary service, John directed the supervised ministry program at the Temuco Theological Institute in Temuco, Chile, and served one year as the interim director of the institute. He travelled throughout Chile leading workshops in church administration and church growth. He served as a church growth consultant working with local churches, associations, and the national convention in gathering and interpreting church growth data and teaching church growth principles with a vision toward better strategic planning.
Working with the International Mission Board, SBC, John led the Global Research office in the study of the status of evangelization of the peoples of the world. The focus of his work was merging missions research and technology into strategic planning tools for the IMB.
Prior to entering the ministry, John taught physics at Eastern Kentucky University and did research in molecular spectroscopy at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. He was ordained to the ministry in 1978 by the First Baptist Church of Manchester, TN.
John’s desire is to see that families at Yorktown Christian Academy are impacted by the message of Christ, and that students are equipped to live out the calling that God places on their lives. John retired in 2023 after serving 14 years as the Administrator/Principal.
John also serves the South Texas Council, Boy Scouts of America, as a member of the Council Executive Board. He is an Eagle Scout, Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow, has the God and Country Award, and has taught at two council summer camps and one regional canoe base, and has served on several Wood Badge staffs and as a Wood Badge Course Director. He is actively working with Pack 226, Troop 226, and Troop 356; and teaches basic training and outdoor skills for Scoutmasters. He is also a certified instructor in archery, pistol, black powder rifle, and Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics.
Jane is a gifted teacher and has led Bible studies and ladies retreats in many states throughout the central US and the east coast.
John and Jane have three grown children, 9 grandchildren, and have been married for over 53 years:
- ♦ Corey is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a Ph.D. in Family Psychology. He is on the faculty of Corban University in Salem, Oregon. Corey and Kelly have two sons, Alex and Blaize, and one daughter Mylie.
- ♦ Jeremy and Summer Palmer have returned from missionary service in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. They have five children Mackenzie, Luke, Mason, Levi, and Lantz.
- ♦ Brittney is a registered nurse (RN) and has a son, Isaiah.