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"We view BTBS as a drive-thru," explains Janet Kinder, Garry's wife. "We encourage people to become involved in a local church."

Yet many people still view BTBS as their church. According to the Kinders, BTBS ministers to three types of attenders: people who come for a while, then leave to find a church home; people who use BTBS as their Sunday school/Bible study, then go to church afterwards; and people who view BTBS as their church.

"This isn't a social club," says Garry. "This is learning about the Bible. When the Bible study is over, we go about our business in the world, taking what we've learned, applying it to our lives, and sharing it with others."

Garry and Janet continually hear stories about people whose lives have turned around because of God's work through BTBS. "Recently, I met a young man at First Baptist Church," says Garry. "I didn't know who he was. He said, 'Garry, I went to BTBS two times. Then I went home and prayed to receive Christ because of your Bible study.'"

But their greatest success story may be the alcoholic who showed up one Sunday morning.

Kathy Golla was in trouble. Her life was a mess. She was a new Christian but was suffering from depression. She was an alcoholic who could barely handle the day-to-day tasks of keeping her business running. She'd even begun drinking in the mornings just to face the day. In 1981, when a business associate invited her to a Bible study at the Bent Tree Country Club bar, she accepted eagerly.

"I was never comfortable with the 'church' scene—especially with Sunday school," says Kathy. "So a bar was a comfortable setting for me!"

It was a simple Bible study that lasted about an hour and ten minutes. Kathy, who knew nothing about the Bible, was amazed. "Garry's teaching was so clear," she says. "He explained each verse and brought it to life with everyday examples that I could understand."

From that point on, she faithfully attended the Bible study, learning about God and the Bible. All the while, she still attended inebriated.

"I showed up every week drunk!" Kathy says. "I thought no one knew since I had such an outgoing personality. But God knew. Every week as I listened to Garry teach, and the more I read and studied my Bible, the more God got a hold of me." Until finally, a year later, he had her complete attention, and she entered rehab to get her life in order.

While she was away, members of BTBS sent her cards telling her they were praying for her. "I didn't know what to do with all of that, it was so new to me," she says. "God showed me such grace and forgiveness through Garry and BTBS. I began to recognize that God had a plan and a future filled with hope for me. People did care about me—I did matter to God."

Once Kathy was released from rehab, she decided to go to school to become a psychologist. And several years later, she approached Garry with an idea: "I want to start a counseling center."

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