Dr. Jack Schaap
After suffering nearly fatalinjuries in a car accident, Marlene Schaap was told she would be unable to have children. She gave birth anyway to a little girl named Kristi. Five years later, the doctor scolded Marlene for becoming pregnant again. The doctor felt that having another child was too dangerous for both the baby and his mother. Complications did result, and the baby was expected to be a "blue baby."
In spite of this, Jack Allan Schaap safely arrived at the Holland Community Hospital in Holland, Michigan, on October 1, 1957. He was born into the home of a construction worker, Ken Schaap, and his wife Marlene.
Jack was brought to church just a few weeks after birth, and he attended the Rose Park Baptist Church of Holland, Michigan, for most of his early life. At the age of five, Jack was led to the Lord by his ten-year-old sister Kristi as he sat on the edge of the bathtub.
Jack was reared in a very secure home, where he learned strong family values. He led a simple life in the small, "religious" town of Holland, Michigan. Yet, he was a very shy child who cried every day in the first and second grade and preferred to be with family members or a few close friends rather than with a crowd.
When Jack was 11 years old, his dad started a business. Ken Schaap had worked midnight shifts cleaning a grocery store, as well as working day shifts doing construction, in order to save for this business venture. Ken bought property, cleared land, and built a 200-lot mobile home park from scratch. Ken hired his son Jack to be his chief partner in construction. Ken and Jack worked together all through Jack's junior high and high school years. Through these years, Jack learned the value of hard work, and his dad became his hero and his best friend. Jack and his dad made plans to go into business together.
Jack's parents hosted many visiting preachers during Jack's growing-up years. A couple of these preachers challenged Jack by asking him to pray about going into full-time Christian service. During Jack's senior year, he became burdened about the salvation of his two best high school buddies. Jack prayed each night for several hours that Jeffand Jerry would become Christians. Jack witnessed to his buddies after a Jack Van Impe Crusade. The next morning, both friends informed Jack that they had accepted Christ. That night, Jack jumped in bed relieved that he would no longer have to pray for his friends' salvation. When he could not sleep, he got out of bed, fell to his knees, and began to pray again. The love of God flowed over Jack as he prayed in his bedroom that night, and the light of the Holy Spirit illuminated the room. Sometime during that evening, it became very obvious to Jack that God was calling him to preach. Jack surrendered during the wee hours of the morning to that very definite call.
The next morning, Jack shared with his mother what had happened, and she shared with Jack that she had been praying for him to be a preacher ever since her accident when she was 15 years old.
Pastor Schaap and Family
Pastor Chuck Surrett was Jack's very caring pastor during Jack's teenage years, and he advised Jack to attend Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Minnesota. This he did for a year and a half.
After Jack's first year of college, a new pastor came to Jack's home church. Pastor Jim Binney was a Hyles-Anderson College graduate, and he pointed Jack to Hyles-Anderson College. Jack Schaap arrived at Hyles-Anderson College in January of 1977. Through some miraculous experiences, he met and started dating Cindy Hyles about six weeks later. After two dates, both were convinced they had found God's will for their life's mate.
Jack graduated from college in May of 1978 with his bachelor's degree. He received his master's degree in May of 1979. On June 1, 1979, Jack and Cindy were married. Jack began teaching Bible at Hyles-Anderson College that fall after he and Cindy were married. He became an Assistant to the President. Then on June 4, 1996, Jack became the Vice President of Hyles-Anderson College.
Dr. and Mrs. Schaap have two children. Their daughter Jaclynn (20) is a junior at HylesAnderson College, and their son Kenny (16) is a sophomore at Hammond Baptist High School. (June 2001)
Jack has traveled extensively across America and has become one of America's foremost preachers. He has been a bus captain for 11 years, starting with one bus route with six riders. He now captains six bus routes, which had a high day of 300 during this past fall program. Jack has superintended and taught the College and Career class at First Baptist Church for several years. Jack has been known at HylesAnderson College as one who is a dynamic preacher, as one who is a diligent worker, and as one who brings a refreshing spirit to everything he does.
On March 7, 2001, Dr. Jack Schaap was voted in with a 96 percent vote as Pastor of the great First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. He has said that his agenda is to carry on the work of First Baptist Church and its ministries just like Dr. Jack Hyles would have wanted it. Those who know him best believe that Pastor Schaap will bring a passion to the work that will see it through and perpetuate Dr. Hyles' ministries for the next generation. If Pastor Schaap's life had to be summed up in just one statement, it might best be summed up in this one: Dr. Jack Schaap is a man who has a passion for God.