John Monroe "Monk" Parker (June 23, 1909 – July 17, 1994), was a Baptist evangelist, college president, and mission board director.
Parker was born in Thomasville, Alabama and was reared in Edgewood and Chillicothe, Texas where his father worked in a dry goods store.
In 1927, Parker matriculated at Birmingham Southern College, where he "dropped the pretense of religion," played football, and spent most of the rest of his time "frolicking, drinking, dancing, and running around with a wild gang.
"[1] After being caught in prank by students at a rival college and having his hair shaved off, a friend nicknamed him "Monk," a name that followed him through his evangelistic career.
[5] In 1937, after five years of full-time evangelism, Parker returned to Bob Jones College (which had since moved to Cleveland, Tennessee) to teach and serve as Director of Religious Activities.
Two years later, he married Ruby, the widow of Ed Whitley who was an acquaintance and longtime board member of Bob Jones University, on January 4, 1983.