Bill Gepford

Student Missions Director

Email:  gepfordb@hpumc.org
Office: 214.523.2149

Bill made his way down to Dallas from Kansas City, Kansas - the home of the Chiefs and good KC BBQ.  While growing up there, Bill loved playing sports, especially football, wrestling, and swimming.  Church was a huge part of Bill's life as he was growing up, and on a mission trip to urban Kansas City during middle school, Bill felt that he was called to full time ministry.  He has spent the time since then preparing to be a pastor.  Furthermore, he has been fortunate to be mentored by many amazing people throughout his life, many of whom are still active in his life. After high school, Bill attended Kansas State University where he double majored in English and History, where he started leading disaster relief trips to rebuild the gulf coast in the wake of Katrina - something that he deeply loved and that had a profound impact on his life.  After Kansas State, Bill came down to pursue a Masters of Divinity at Perkins School of Theology.  While at Perkins, Bill started serving part time as a youth intern at HP; when he was offered the job working with youth missions, it felt like a dream job, combining his love of Jesus, students, and missions.  When he isn't at Church, Bill enjoys camping, working out, dancing (especially swing and salsa), growing beards, wrestling, and missions trips.  

Who were some of your influences / Inspirations?  My grandfather is one of the most honorable men to ever live - hes been a huge influence in my life.  Also, my pastor has been pouring into my life since I was 6, and that has had a deeper impact than I will ever realize

Whats an interesting fact about you?  I love dancing (I'm currently on a two-stepping kick)

Describe your perfect day...waking up at 1pm, eating a HUGE Irish breakfast with a double espresso made of hand- roasted Guatemelan estate beans while reading some classic literature (I'm a closet book nerd, so perhaps Ivanhoe or Le Morte D'Arthur) followed by spending the afternoon pouring concrete or doing demolition work for some people who need it.  Lunch would be a massive burnt-end BBQ sandwich from OK Joes in Kansas City, then on to an afternoon football game at BIll Snyder Family Stadium to watch my beloved KSU Wildcats crush the Jayhawks. Next on to first dinners (which would be thick and juicy T-bones served rare), then heading to the Church I grew up in - such a great place.  After that, I'd be heading out for a night of dancing at Louis in Kansas City with all my friends, then finish the night eating some of my home-made Gumbo with the people I love and talking in the kitchen until we all crash.  

My all time favorite movie is... Braveheart

My favorite food is... KC BBQ...Or Gumbo...Or Steak....Or Bison Burgers with Jalapenos and Mayo...

My favorite sport is... Wrestling

My favorite quote is... "Some wish to live within the sound of church and chapel bell. I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell."
-C.T. Studd

What's on your iPod... Lots of Celtic punk - bands like Flatfoot 56, the Pogues, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, the Real McKenzies, The Blaggards....you know, the classics

Whats one of the most important lessons you learned in life?   Jesus Loves the world.  The rest is just details

My favorite scripture is...  2 Cor 5:17-20 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!  18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.