PREACHING TEAM

  Pastor Bert serves as the Vice President of Missions & Member Care for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA) in Bristol, TN.   .
Since 1988 Bert has led multiple teams across the street and around the world. Bert has traveled on 5 different Continents and to over 36 different Countries to teach and preach the Gospel.    
  Bert is the author of the book “A Leadership Journal from a Leader’s Journey” published by CMDA in 2022.  He also coauthored the books “Servant Leadership Proverbs” and “Leadership Proverbs” with Dr. David Stevens.   Bert is also the author of “Practical Youth Ministry” published by Bristol books.  
    Bert holds his ordination through the Missionary Church USA.  The Missionary Church is an evangelical denomination committed to Church planting and world missions.  Bert is under special appointment from the Missionary Church to CMDA.  
Prior to rejoining the staff of CMDA, Bert served as the Senior Pastor of Woodburn Missionary Church (from 2014-2021) and as the President & CEO of GO International.    
  Bert grew up as no stranger to the ministry & evangelism.  His father and grandfather were both involved in full-time ministry and evangelism.  
  Bert graduated from Asbury University in 1989 with a degree in Bible.   Bert finished 2 years of Seminary at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
  Bert and his wife Cheryl have been married since 1989 and have three children: Joshua, Allyson, and Aaron.  His wife Cheryl is a teacher and is very active in their ministry.        

Bryce Bowman, the youngest member of the preaching team, is a proud local of the Bristol VA/TN area. Bryce was born in Bristol and raised in a godly home that faithfully attended Victory Baptist Church and taught Bryce to love and fear the Lord. Bryce surrendered his life to Christ at an early age, which allowed his relationship with the Lord to deepen through his formative years. After graduating high school, Bryce attended Virginia Military Institute and graduated with honors in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology. Upon graduating, Bryce received a commission as an Armor Officer into the Tennessee Army National Guard and is still currently serving. While away serving on active duty orders in July 2023, God called Bryce to serve Him as a gospel preacher and through pastoral ministry. Since that time, Bryce and his wife, Leanna, have been given a heart and burden to reach people with the life-changing message of the Gospel!

  Dr. Gene Rudd obtained his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Georgia in 1973 and his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1977. He completed a categorical internship in 1978, as well as a residency in 1981 in obstetrics and gynecology at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.  He has garnered several awards, including the prestigious Gorgas Medal in 1981, which was presented to him by U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop for achievement in preventative medicine. This award recognized his groundbreaking research during his residency in establishing the efficacy of preoperative antibiotics. His findings changed the course of antibiotic use in surgery. After 12 years in the U.S. Army, he resigned his commission at the rank of Major before moving to Marion, North Carolina. He was in solo private practice in a rural region in Western North Carolina that previously had the worst perinatal statistics in the state. In the six years he practiced in this area, he was on call all but six days.
  Dr. Rudd served with Samaritan’s Purse and was one of the first Western physicians to enter the former Soviet Union after the Berlin Wall came down. He taught extensively in medical schools and hospitals during that time and established the Christian Medical Mission of Russia, started the first CMDA chapter in that country and obtained an institutional medical license enabling medical missionaries to get licensed until this day. He stepped off the ramp of a still moving Canadian C-130 in the midst of the Rwanda genocide and walked through the bodies of the slain to open the Central Hospital in its capital Kigali. He faced down killing teams that wanted to slay patients in their beds and was appointed medical coordinator for the city when the United Nations finally arrived on the scene. He also performed relief work in the Balkans during the Balkan Wars where he was pinned down in a ditch for over an hour by sniper fire. He also served in Belarus, Bosnia, Kazakhstan and India.
Gene joined CMDA in 1995 to work alongside his friend Dr. David Stevens, serving in the capacity known in many organizations as Chief Operating Officer. When CMDA was recognized as a “Best Christian Workplace” by Christianity Today in 2003, they described Dave and Gene’s unique relationship as a partnership that functions like co-CEOs. One of the most visible parts of Gene’s impact on the organization was the building of CMDA headquarters, as he was the project manager for the construction. His oversight resulted in the building receiving all four awards that year from the Southern Building Association. It was the first time that had happened in their history.
  Dr. Rudd has received national media coverage, including appearances on NBC News, National Public Radio, American Family Radio and Salem Radio Network, as well as the Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, The Washington Post and American Medical News. He has authored countless articles and co-authored Practice by the Book, a Christian doctor’s guide to living and serving.
  Dr. Rudd began working part-time in 2017, but he continues to be involved in numerous ways and his leadership is felt throughout the entire ministry.  And as a result of his part-time hours, Dr. Rudd is also enjoying spending more time with his wife Gay, their four children and their 10 grandchildren.

  Dr. Stevens holds degrees from Asbury University, is an AOA graduate of the University of Louisville School of Medicine and is board certified in family medicine. After completing his residency, David, his wife Jody and their family answered God’s call to serve as missionaries. From 1981 to 1991, Dr. Stevens was a missionary doctor at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya where he served as Medical Superintendent and Executive Officer.
  After leaving Kenya, Dr. Stevens served as medical director of World Medical Mission. In Somalia, Dr. Stevens led an emergency medical team that treated 45,000 suffering Somalis in the midst of war. In the Sudan, medical teams under his leadership treated over 25,000 villagers to stop the spread of an epidemic.
  Twenty-five years ago in 1994, Dr. David Lynn Stevens answered God’s calling to lead the Christian Medical & Dental Society. Throughout this journey under his leadership and God’s guidance, the organization grew in ways never imagined. While he sought financial stability for the organization, the doors opened for a larger facility for a significant cost savings, resulting in a move to Bristol, Tennessee.
  As spokesman for 19,000 Christian healthcare professionals, he has conducted more than 2,000 media interviews on bioethical, public policy and scientific issues, including CBS Evening News, ABC World News, MSNBC, BBC-World Television, CNN Sunday Morning, Newsweek, FOX News, PAX-Television, Tech TV, Associated Press, JAMA, USA Today, Family News in Focus, National Public Radio and many other national outlets.
  While Dr. Stevens’ role as Chief Executive Officer focused on many areas of ministry, his heart has always been and will always be on the mission field.  Sharing his missionary experience through his first book release, Jesus, MD, Dr. Stevens inspired others to walk in Christ’s footsteps. And his subsequent books, Beyond Medicine, Leadership Proverbs and Servant Leadership, combined missionary training and leadership skills with the Word of God. In addition to his books, he has also written countless chapters, magazine articles and more.
  He earned a master’s degree in bioethics from Trinity International University in 2002 and served on the boards of World Gospel Mission and Asbury University.
  Dr. Stevens and his wife, Jody, have a son, Jason, and two daughters, Jessica and Stacy and 10 grandchildren, all who are involved in domestic or international healthcare ministry.