HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Facility & Office Manager
Billy and his wife, Shawn, have two sons, Logan, age 24 and Jordan who is in Heaven. Billy worked in the construction industry for 27 years. Billy and Shawn have been members at Heritage since 2000 and have enjoyed leading small groups in the student ministry, serving in the children's ministry, and Bible Clubs with inner-city children. Billy currently serves as a lay elder on the governing elder team.
Job Titles:
- Student & Communications Pastor
I am married to Annie, my high school sweetheart and best friend. Together we walked through the doors of Heritage in 1981, and for nearly 40 years have called this our church home. I can't imagine life apart from our Heritage family. Our two sons are actively involved in ministries in their respective churches along with our wonderful daughter-in-law and four grandchildren.
After responding to the Gospel as a 13-year-old, I often lacked assurance in my relationship with God. After wrestling with doubts for fifteen years, I met some men who invited me to a weekly Bible study. As I studied the Bible, I began to comprehend the depth of God's grace, love and forgiveness, and to understand that my attempts to be good enough or sincere enough would always fall short. Verses like Philippians 3:9 and Titus 3:5 gave me the assurance I longed for, and today I continue on my journey with a heart full of joy (Acts 8:39 Phillips).
At home, I'm often found in my garage where I create folk art and roast my own coffee beans. Or you may find me in someone else's garage (sale) where I'm frequently looking for buried treasure.
I am just an ordinary guy who barely made it through high school and became an oilfield welder. Then, because of God's grace, I became a follower of Jesus, and He called me to be a pastor. God allowed me to marry my high school sweetheart, Sherry, and we have been blessed with three daughters, two sons-in-law, one awesome granddaughter, and two wiener dogs. Just an ordinary guy, called by God, having the time of my life!
I grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, and grew up in our little church until I was married. Although my parents took me to church every time the doors were opened and taught me at home about Jesus, I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus nor did I follow Him. I guess I believed that going to church was the same as following Jesus. Then one day it dawned on me that I lived one way on Sunday and a totally different way the rest of the week.
Job Titles:
- Worship & Administrative Pastor
I am forever indebted to the Triune God for His staggering work of salvation, transforming a sin-idolizing enemy awaiting His wrath into a blood-bought child encapsulated by His grace. The sole commendable facet of my life is the perfect righteousness of Christ which prevails in measureless beauty before God's holy sight. I love my Savior and rejoice to make Him known! "Posterity shall serve Him; it shall be told of the LORD to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, that He has done it." (Psalm 22:30-31)
I am husband to my wonderful wife, Chriselda, and father to my beautiful little girl, Eliana. It is my distinct joy to spend time with these sweet ladies! The Lord blessed Chriselda and me by placing us in pastors' families. Watching our parents sacrificially give of themselves to serve the local body of Christ has spurred us on to love in the same fashion. We have had the privilege to serve great churches in Texas, Oklahoma, and Hawaii. It is a great honor to call Heritage our home today.
My wife and I have three boys and four girls - our youngest four children were born at home with the assistance of a midwife, and together we homeschooled them for ten years.
During my childhood we moved every year until I was in eighth grade, so I was always the new kid in school and neighborhood. As long as I can remember, I had a strong belief in God. I feared dying because I knew that judgment would follow. I struggled greatly with self-acceptance and had strong suicidal thoughts throughout my teen years, but the fear of an eternity in hell kept me from taking my own life. As I sat in my car after an accident that could have been fatal, I realized that God had given me a second chance. Less than a week afterward while I was recovering from that accident, a friend who I hadn't seen for years invited me to church. Following the evangelist's message was an invitation to walk to the front of the auditorium to receive Christ, but because my fear and pride kept me from responding in front of several hundred people, God used one of the church leaders to ask me personally if I wanted to be saved. I agreed, and then made a public profession of faith. Immediately, I felt a peace I had never known before, and was baptized that same day.
Throughout my life, at times when I have struggled with feeling stuck, adjusting to change, anxiety, or adversity the Lord has lovingly whispered "Be still." Psalm 46:10.
Job Titles:
- Teaching & Missions Pastor
Job Titles:
- Pastoral Ministry Secretary
In this, "sweet," quiet demeanor is the heart of an aggressive warrior! The strength is here when needed - "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.
I love seeing people encouraged by the Word's waterfall of Christ's love. I love being a husband to Darise and a dad to Heather, Sean, and his wife Kelsey. I love seeing God's Word put into action and application.
"The Word says that ‘All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.' I was a double exclamation point to the truth of that verse! Strangely, at the time, I also had a yearning to start going to church again. God, in His grace and mercy, continued to draw the rebel to Himself. I wanted to fix the frustration. I wanted to find peace from the growing sense that I was doing stuff that I knew I shouldn't be doing. There was a hatred of my own sin, an unwillingness to thwart it, and a deep anger and frustration that I couldn't stop it if I wanted to."
Job Titles:
- Project & Event Coordinator
Working with and being around children has been my joy for as long as I can remember. I love seeing their delight in life, especially their excitement as they learn new things from God's Word! "We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done." Psalm 78:4
I became a believer in Jesus Christ as I child. Over the years I've grown in my relationship with Him and am learning to trust Him in all the things that come my way. "Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Pslam 62:6.
I love to go to the beach - take a walk or just sit and look out at the ocean. So amazing and peaceful!!