▁schools ▁in ▁Maryland . ▁His ▁higher ▁education ▁included ▁studies ▁at ▁Western ▁Maryland ▁College ▁and ▁Bridge water ▁College , ▁Virginia , ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ; ▁Beth any ▁The ological ▁Sem inary ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁M . Div . ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ; ▁Du ques ne ▁University ▁in ▁Pitts burgh ; ▁and ▁Pitts burgh ▁The ological ▁Sem inary . ▁One ▁year ▁of ▁B ix ler ' s ▁college ▁years ▁was ▁spent ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy . ▁ ▁Relig ious ▁career ▁Following ▁sem inary , ▁B ix ler ▁became ▁past or ▁of ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁Bre th ren ▁and ▁completed ▁th ir teen ▁years ▁there ▁as ▁past or ▁before ▁res ign ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁He ▁continued ▁his ▁status ▁as ▁an ▁ord ained ▁minister ▁in ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁Bre th ren . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁char ism atic ▁leader ▁in ▁the ▁religious ▁community , ▁B ix ler ▁served ▁for ▁twenty ▁years ▁as ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Pl anning ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁annual ▁five - day ▁Gre ater ▁Pitts burgh ▁Char ism atic ▁Conference . ▁He ▁has ▁written ▁for ▁nine ▁Christian ▁publish ers ; ▁his ▁first ▁book , ▁It ▁Can ▁H appen ▁to ▁Any body , ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁by ▁Whit aker ▁House , ▁and ▁it ▁has ▁sold ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁copies ▁in ▁English ▁and