Elton "Butch" Ikels was born in San Antonio Texas, but was raised in Marion, Texas. He graduated from Marion High School and was the first President of Marion's F.F.A.
After graduation he began a career in the grocery industry. First with a small supplier and then nine years with McCormick Spices and Extracts. There he began as a Salesman, Key Account Manager, District Supervisor, District Manager, as well as serving on the National Sales Board and a Seminar Conductor for the southern part of the U.S.
Later the owners of a large wholesale grocery asked him to become their Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. It was at this time he felt God's call to preach. God having impressed upon him that people and their eternal destiny were far more important than boxes, bottles, and cans!
Since then, he has pastored one Church, the Salem-Sayers Baptists Church for fifteen years. Then five years in full-time evangelism, conducting Revivals and Bible Conferences through the south and overseas.
He now pastors The Country Church of Guadalupe County. The Church was organized in 1998, meeting in the Ikels living room with nine members.
The church now sits on sixteen acres in Marion and has approximately 70,000 square feet of buildings plus a 42,000 square foot covered arena. All to, and for, the Praise, Honor, and Glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ!
