Bill Merkle

Bill grew up as an Irish Catholic and served as an altar boy. His grandparents were from Ireland and emigrated to the Bronx, NY. His dad served time as a browning automatic rifleman during the Korean War. His father was left for dead on more than one occasion. His father survived the war, but died at age of 47 when Bill was in high school. This left Bill and his two brothers with a mom who at the time was an alcoholic and addicted to drugs. His mom was in and out of rehab numerous times, leaving the boys on their own. Bill began to pray "Lord help me!"

As one who despised reading, he picked up a Catholic Bible and began to browse in Matthew. He read in Matthew 10 about how valuable he was to God and how he did not need be afraid. He took his Bible with him to college and began attending a Bible study initiated by Jack Spender at Quinnipiac University, freshman year in 1979. His first night at the study he was approached by Jack’s substitute for the evening. He asked Bill if he knew he was going to heaven, but he was unsure. God saved him right there and led him to West Woods Bible chapel where he was baptized and grew in the Lord. When he returned home for the summer the Lord provided him with fellowship from saints at White Plains Gospel chapel where Bill came to further appreciate New Testament truths. God began a good work in him and he continues to this day!