Collection 559 Oral History Interviews with Garth G. Gittens
Scope and Contents
Oral history interview with Garth Gabriel Gittens, ordained pastor in the Open Bible Standard Church in Trinidad. Topics discussed include Gittens' upbringing in Trinidad; education at the Bible Institute of San Fernando; conversion to Christianity; call to ministry; strengths and weaknesses of the Evangelical church in Trinidad; experiences as an evangelist; the need for better training for Trinidadian pastors; the challenges of pastoral ministry; and charismatic renewal in Trinidad. The period covered by the interview is 1958 to 1998.
Garth Gittens was interviewed by Robert Shuster on November 20, 1998 at the Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College.
Dates
- Created: 1998
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.
Biographical or Historical Information
Full Name: Garth Gabriel Gittens
Birth: February 11, 1958 in Trinidad
Family:
Parents: Mervyn and Iris Gittens
Marital Status: Married in 1980 to Gillian
Children: Andre b. 1982 and Gabriel b. 1994
Conversion: 1963 - Experienced conversion at age 15 during service at Revival Times Assembly Church in San Fernando.
Education:
1988-1991 - Bible Institute, San Fernando, Trinidad
1998 - BS, Eugene Bible College, OR
1999 - MA, Wheaton College
Career:
1990 - Served as interim pastor while still in Bible school.
1991 - Ordained as pastor in the Open Bible Standard Church of Trinidad.
1993 - Planted a church in Arima under the auspices of the Open Bible Standard Church of Trinidad.
Other Significant Information: Gittens was partially raised by his maternal grandparents, whom he describes as having a powerful Christian influence on his upbringing. In May 1986, during a church service at San Fernando Open Bible Church, Gittens experienced supernatural call from God to preach the gospel. Gittens is an ordained pastor in the Open Bible Standard Church in Trinidad, serving in ministry since 1991 until he relocated to the United States to attend Eugene Bible College.
Extent
1.00 Audio Tape
73 Minutes
Language of Materials
English
Accruals and Additions
The material in this collection was given to the Billy Graham Center Archives by Garth Gittens in November 1998.
Accession 98-77
January 12, 2016
Katherine J. Graber
- Caribbean -- Social life and customs.
- Caribbean Area.
- Christianity and culture -- Caribbean Area.
- Christianity and culture.
- Clergy
- Clergy -- Training of
- Clergy -- Training of -- Caribbean Area.
- Clergy -- Training of -- Trinidad.
- Conversion -- Personal narratives.
- Conversion.
- Evangelistic work -- Caribbean Area.
- Evangelistic work.
- Gittens, Garth G.
- Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.
- Open Bible Standard Churches.
- Pastoral care.
- Pastoral theology.
- Pentecostalism -- Caribbean Area.
- Pentecostalism.
- Preaching.
- Religion and culture
- Religion and culture -- Caribbean Area.
- Religion and culture -- Trinidad.
- Revival Times Assembly (Trinidad)
- Revival Times Assembly, -- San Fernando, Triniadad.
- Theology
- Theology -- Study and teaching -- Asia.
- Wheaton College (Ill.)
- Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni.
- Title
- Collection 559 Oral History Interviews with Garth G. Gittens
- Author
- Katherine Graber
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Roman Script
Repository Details
Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository