Perry B. Cotham (1912–2013)

Gospel preacher listed in Preachers of Today, Vol. 1, p. 83. He was baptized by I. A. Douthitt.

He was baptized at an early age and began preaching in 1929. He completed a two-year degree at Freed-Hardeman College in 1931. Following this and preaching in and around Murray, he graduated with a B.A. from Murray State University in 1934. In the summer of 1934, he moved to Shawnee to do full-time work there with a growing church.

He ministered to congregations in Oklahoma -- Oklahoma City, Wewoka and Duncan; in Texas -- Grand Prairie, Paris and Big Spring; and to a congregation in Nashville, Tenn. In 1972, he resigned from local ministry to do worldwide evangelistic work, supported by Skillman Church of Christ in Dallas. Perry had always wanted to be a gospel preacher, which he did the greater part of his life -- over 80 years.

Having delivered a few sermons as guest speaker after turning 100 years of age, he clearly would be among the oldest preachers, if not the oldest, in the history of the Church of Christ. He preached in all 50 states, 75 nations and multiple continents, including over 75 nations. He also bought and distributed many thousand of Bibles for various parts of the world. He wrote and distributed millions of his gospel tracts. Perry made 12 trips to India, with many hundreds being baptized, and 15 or more trips to Singapore and Thailand.