Meet Our Team
Our Pastoral Team
Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of these qualifications as the “senior pastor” of this church.
Read More About the Qualifications of a Pastor
- A pastor must be devoted to his wife; one-woman man (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:2). The pastor’s marriage illustrates Christ’s love for His church—His bride (Eph. 5:22 ff.). A Pastor must love his wife exclusively with his mind, will and emotions and not just his body.
- A pastor’s children must be in submission, though not perfect (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:4-5). If a man does not know how to manage his own family, he will not know how to take care of God’s church. The first flock for a pastor is his own family as Pastor Dad. A Pastor’s qualification for the church starts in his home management as he leads them up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).
- A pastor is a faithful steward (Titus 1:7). Here the term used is overseer (Greek episkopos). It is not another office, but a functional title of the elder. It is what he does. He is a steward, a manager of God’s resources and Jesus’ flock. He takes responsibility, but not ownership.
- A pastor must be humble — not arrogant (Titus 1:7). A pastor must constantly demonstrate the gospel by admitting when he is wrong and assuming responsibility and restoring relationships.
- A pastor must be gentle — not quick-tempered (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3). No man will be of any use in the kingdom that is quick-tempered. The difference between how Jesus demonstrated anger is that He was angry at the abuse of others in the name of religion and the dishonoring of God. We get angry at how it affects us.
- A pastor must be sober — not a drunkard (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3). This is not just overindulgence in alcohol but is idiomatic for any behavior that fuels addictive responses.
- A pastor must be peaceful — not violent (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3). A pastor is not prone to inflict violence through his words. He is to be a peacemaker.
- A pastor must have financial integrity — not greedy for gain (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3; 1 Peter 5:3). A pastor is to be upright in his financial dealings and not accused of pursuing money over the kingdom of God.
- A pastor must be hospitable (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 3:2). A pastor’s home is to be open for others to enjoy. A pastor’s home is not a heaven on earth, but rather a place of ministry.
- A pastor must be a lover of good (Titus 1:8). A pastor genuinely loves what is good. He does not just think he should love it.
- A pastor must be self-controlled (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 3:2). Self-control is a characterization of every area of a pastor’s life: diet, time, mouth, exercise, relationships, sex, and money.
- A pastor must be upright (Titus 1:8). He has integrity in his relationships and in how he treats others.
- A pastor must be holy (Titus 1:8). His life is devoted wholeheartedly to Jesus externally and internally.
- A pastor must be able to teach (Titus 1:9; 1 Tim 3:2). All of the other qualifications are character qualities. This is the only ability-based requirement. He is to be able to teach sound doctrine, not just be able to communicate in an excellent manner. His teaching can be to one or two, to twenty, to a hundred or to a thousand. Most of the churches in Crete were house churches. The elders were to defend the faith once delivered to the saints against the numerous false teachers that arose.
- A pastor must be spiritually mature (1 Tim 3:6). Positions of authority without spiritual maturity lead to the trap of pride. When pride grows in a man, sin abounds.
- A pastor must be respectable (1 Tim 3:7). That does not mean that everyone must like him or even appreciate him. It means that there is no credible witness to an ongoing sinful behavior.
- A pastor must be an example to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). Elders are examples of biblical expressions sexually, time management, marriage, parenting, worship, relationships and any other way. A pastor should be someone your sons could pattern their life after and the kind of man your daughter should marry.
What would you do if an elder violates one of these requirements? 1 Timothy 5:19-20 warns us not to accuse an elder flippantly. Matthew 18:15-18 gives us the steps:
- Go to the elder alone,
- If still unsatisfied, go with another person,
- If still unsatisfied, let the greater eldership know. If accusations are verified and the elder remains unrepentant, rebuking that elder before all is the next biblical step.
Jay Thomas Lead Pastor
Jay met his wife, Rebecca, while interning at College Church in Wheaton, IL. They have four children.
Jay was born in India, but gre...Read More
Jay Thomas
Jay met his wife, Rebecca, while interning at College Church in Wheaton, IL. They have four children.
Jay was born in India, but grew up in Marin County, CA. He holds degrees from Wheaton College (B.A.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M.).
Jay became the Lead Pastor at Chapel Hill Bible Church in 2011 after serving as the College Pastor at College Church. He is co-author of Sex, Dating, and Relationships: A Fresh Approach, and the author of 1 Corinthians: A 12-Week Study in Crossway's Knowing the Bible series. He has also written articles and reviews at The Gospel Coalition, Tabletalk Magazine, and Themelios.
I love serving in a major culture and university environment. We can make a high impact on our nation and world. This is an international, relational, semi-southern area with a strong need for a healthy, gospel-driven church.
For fun, Jay likes to dabble in music, humor (especially puns), art, architecture, eating, and occasional fitness.
Geoff Grant Worship Pastor
Geoff met his wife, Chelsea, when they were studying music in college. They have two children.
Geoff and Chelsea are both from the suburbs of Los Angeles. After completing an un...Read More
Geoff Grant
Geoff met his wife, Chelsea, when they were studying music in college. They have two children.
Geoff and Chelsea are both from the suburbs of Los Angeles. After completing an undergraduate degree in Music Composition at California Baptist University, Geoff went on to earn an M.A. in Theology from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. Geoff and Chelsea joined the Bible Church coming from Southern California in 2019. As the Pastor of Worship, he leads singing and crafts the Sunday morning services.
Geoff and Chelsea spend time writing songs together, camping, canoeing and enjoying good food and coffee. More than that, they enjoy spending time with their kids and with their family of Chapel Hill Bible Church.
Matt Smith Discipleship Pastor
Matt and his wife, Tammy, met at their home church in Burlington, NC. They have one adopted daughter and actively foster parent.
Matt was born and raised in Burlington and gradu...Read More
Matt Smith
Matt and his wife, Tammy, met at their home church in Burlington, NC. They have one adopted daughter and actively foster parent.
Matt was born and raised in Burlington and graduated from Wake Forest University (B.A.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
Before coming on staff in 2017 as Discipleship and Training Pastor, Matt served as a high school physics teacher, Associate Pastor at Bethlehem Christian Church in Elon, NC, editor for Zondervan, Vice President for BiblicalTraining.org and New Directions International, and a cross-cultural missionary with Freedom to Lead International. He is an associate editor for Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.
I believe discipleship is meeting people where they are and helping them go where God wants them to go. Ultimately, that means helping others become more like Christ in their beliefs, affections, and behavior. I am passionate about coming alongside people in this journey of discipleship.
For fun, Matt enjoys music, movies, hiking, and travel.
Roddy Dinsmore Missions Pastor
Roddy and his wife, Katie, met at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event at the University of South Carolina. They have 3 children (one of whom is adopted). They also actively fo...Read More
Roddy Dinsmore
Roddy and his wife, Katie, met at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event at the University of South Carolina. They have 3 children (one of whom is adopted). They also actively foster as God provides opportunities.
Roddy grew up in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, and moved to Bristol, TN, when he was 13. He majored in German at Presbyterian College, where he was an all-American soccer player.
Before coming on staff as Youth Minister in 2007, Roddy was the singer/songwriter for the Christian rock band Origami and served as a worship leader and youth pastor at Saxe Gotta Presbyterian Church in Lexington, SC. Roddy has preached in four different languages (English, Portuguese, Spanish, and German) and has done ministry in four different continents.
I love languages and cultures of the Triangle. It is a fantastic place to meet people from all over the world and to learn about them and their cultures. I especially enjoy the fact that we can reach the nations right here in the Triangle.
For fun, Roddy enjoys soccer, songwriting, gardening, and languages.
Ryan McKee Community Pastor
Ryan served the Bible Church nearly 3 years as a pastoral resident before coming on full-time as Community & Care Minister. Ryan’s residency was ...Read More
Ryan McKee
Ryan served the Bible Church nearly 3 years as a pastoral resident before coming on full-time as Community & Care Minister. Ryan’s residency was defined by coupling his biblical and theological training at Western Seminary with hands-on ministry training and mentorship from the pastors and elders. Ryan has served in various roles, which include: preaching, teaching, next-generation formation, shepherding, and community building.
As Community Pastor, Ryan leads the training and oversight of over 50 life groups around the Triangle. In addition, his role oversees our congregational care to respond to tangible and spiritual needs within our church family.
Ryan has also worked as a college football coach and continues to steward his knowledge and skillset of the game of football by mentoring and discipling young athletes.
Ryan & Laura have called Chapel Hill Bible Church their home since 2013. They live in Durham with their two boys and two girls.
Randy Russell Pastor Emeritus
Randy has been married to his wife, Kathy, for over 40 years. They have five grown children (two of whom are adopted), and five grandchildren (one in heaven). He grew up south of C...Read More
Randy Russell
Randy has been married to his wife, Kathy, for over 40 years. They have five grown children (two of whom are adopted), and five grandchildren (one in heaven). He grew up south of Chicago and graduated from Northern Illinois University (B.S.) and Denver Seminary (M.A.).
Randy joined the staff of the Bible Church on Labor Day Sunday, 1980. During his ministry here, Randy has helped over 230 couples begin their marriages and was the founding pastor of Chatham Community Church in Pittsboro, NC. He retired from full-time ministry in summer of 2017, but continues part-time in a counseling capacity.
In my many years at CHBC, I have been able to lead people to the Lord, to grow in the Lord, to become servants and leaders, and to mature in their relationships. Over this time I have seen the church grow in expressing gifts, expressing unity, expressing diversity, and living together in the gracious life of Jesus.
Randy enjoys playing golf, watching the Chicago Cubs, studying history - particularly the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. You can find Randy's research on Abraham Lincoln and slavery at his website.
Malcolm Pettigrew Youth Pastor
Malcolm met his wife, Kelly, while working at Sky Ranch, a Christian summer camp in Texas. They have four children. He grew up in Cincinnati, O...Read More
Malcolm Pettigrew
Malcolm met his wife, Kelly, while working at Sky Ranch, a Christian summer camp in Texas. They have four children. He grew up in Cincinnati, OH and graduated from University of Kentucky (B.A.) and finished his Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies with a concentration in exegesis from Western Seminary in 2021.
Malcolm joined the Bible Church team in 2012 after serving at Sky Ranch for five years and was ordained as Youth Pastor on April 25, 2021.
The Triangle is my perfect storm of everything I love about the city and outdoors. I love being able to do ministry in a place where I'm within 15 minutes of everything from a Durham Bulls baseball game to a hike along the Eno River.
Malcolm enjoys camping, fly fishing, biking, and simple barbecues in the backyard with friends.
Our Ministers
Gaby Correa CHBC en Español Minister
Gaby was born and raised in Puerto Rico and studied at the University of Puerto Rico. At the age of 17, he began to serve in ministry and in 2006 was sent to plant a church in Guay...Read More
Gaby Correa
Gaby was born and raised in Puerto Rico and studied at the University of Puerto Rico. At the age of 17, he began to serve in ministry and in 2006 was sent to plant a church in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. During this time, he met his wife, Katie, online while she was in Pakistan as a missionary. He moved to North Carolina in 2012 in preparation for their wedding. They now have three boys.
While working in sales at a car dealership, he began serving in ministry to other hispanic families in the Triangle. In 2016, he joined Global Outreach International as a commissioned missionary to Spanish-speaking residents in the area and was commissioned as the Latino Ministries Director in August of that year at Chapel Hill Bible Church. Likewise, Katie is actively engaged with Gaby in ESL ministry as an outreach to hispanic residents who are interested in learning English.
For fun, Gaby enjoys music, movies, sports, and traveling.
Mark Hampton College Minister
Mark began attending the Bible Church in 2015 when he moved to North Carolina from Texas to attend Duke University Divinity School.
During his pas...Read More
Mark Hampton
Mark began attending the Bible Church in 2015 when he moved to North Carolina from Texas to attend Duke University Divinity School.
During his pastoral residency at the Bible Church, Mark taught in the PostCo (Young Adults) class working to build a relational community among our young adults. He has also served on the Bible Church's worship team since 2015, both leading musical worship and providing instrumentation. In summer of 2018, Mark was added to our team to lead the college ministry - College Collective.
I have a passion for seeing people grow in their knowledge of Scripture, and then take that knowledge and apply it to everyday life in such a way that they live intentionally and missionally.
In his free time, you can find Mark out on a hike, a bike ride, or searching the Triangle high and low for the best tacos.
Erin Bethany Women's Minister
Erin, married to Jesse, is originally from Newport News, VA and moved to Durham in August of 2017. She began to follow Jesus as her Savior and King in college at James Madison Univ...Read More
Erin Bethany
Erin, married to Jesse, is originally from Newport News, VA and moved to Durham in August of 2017. She began to follow Jesus as her Savior and King in college at James Madison University. She found her passion for sharing the truth of Christ and equipping His saints through church-planting in Richmond and Newport News over the twelve years following.
Before moving to NC, she was the Director of Communication, Missions, and Women’s Ministry at Catalyst Church in Newport News and began pursuing seminary studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The Bethanys moved to NC in 2017 for Jesse to study and work in the UNC library system, and they immediately found a home at Chapel Hill Bible Church. Erin was brought on staff with CHBC as the Lead Administrative Assistant in August 2017, and promoted to Women's Minister in July 2019.
Josh Cooley Kids Minister
Josh and his wife, Kelly, who are both natives of the D.C. area, met at The Gazette in Maryland. They were marrie...Read More
Josh Cooley
Josh and his wife, Kelly, who are both natives of the D.C. area, met at The Gazette in Maryland. They were married in December 2003 and have four daughters.
Josh majored in journalism at Liberty University (VA) and spent 11 years as a sportswriter/editor before God called him into full time vocational ministry at Covenant Life Church (MD) in 2007. From 2011 to 2015, he led the children’s ministry there before coming to Chapel Hill Bible Church.
My passion is to reach the next generation with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do this at the Bible Church.
Josh is also a New York Times bestselling author who has written four books and co-authored five others. His latest book—The Biggest Win: Pro Football Players Tackle Faith—focuses on how Christian athletes can glorify God through sports. He also co-authored Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles’ memoir—Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure & Overcoming the Odds. You can check out his books and freelance work at joshuacooleyauthor.com.
In his free time, Josh likes to play with his kids, exercise, read, write, watch sports and classic movies, and dream of halcyon days of his youth when he had hair. 😉
Ministry Staff
Amanda Bell
Amanda grew up in California and moved to the south in college. She received her undergraduate degree in Child Studies and Early Childhood Special Education from Vanderbilt. She moved to Durham in 2007 and completed her M.A. in Early Childhood Intervention and Literacy at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2009. Amanda has taught in public school preschool classrooms for children with autism as well as served on the preschool assessment team for Durham Public Schools. She has also worked on research projects focusing on early childhood intervention. She has her Birth-Kindergarten teaching license in North Carolina.
Amanda and her husband, Andrew, have two children and live in Durham. Amanda previously coordinated the Let’s Be Friends playgroup for children with and without special needs at the Bible Church. She is passionate about play-based education and inclusive settings for children with special needs. She believes it is a privilege to be part of the lives of children and their families during such an important time of growth and learning about the world God has created and the community we live in.
Ashley Gyori
I've been working with the special needs community since 2009. I have a passion for this group of people and I strive every day to make our church more inclusive and welcoming to people of all abilities.
Colin Rowley
Elizabeth Portnoy
Elizabeth was born in the States, raised in Oxford, England, and remains a proud citizen of both countries. She attended James Madison University, and, upon graduation, moved to Philadelphia, where she earned her Masters of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania.
Elizabeth married her husband Jason in 2006, and they have three children. She and her family moved to Chapel Hill in 2014, and have been attending the Bible Church ever since. She has served as a volunteer in both the Connections and Children’s ministries.
Due to many moves throughout my life, I have often been the “newcomer” finding my way in unfamiliar places. Over time, these experiences have fostered a deep love of people, their cultures, and their stories. I delight in building relationships and am excited to continue growing the culture of hospitality at CHBC, through the love of Jesus.
Elizabeth enjoys traveling; a crisp, cold morning with abundant sunshine; green pastures; and doesn’t know of anything much sweeter than a rich conversation over a good meal with friends.
Support Staff
Ready to TAKE THE NEXT STEP and get involved?
Get Directions
Chapel Hill Bible Church
QUICKLINKS
Take Your Next Step (biblechurch.life)
Learn About & Pray for Our Missions Partners (biblechurch.partners)
Bible Church en Español (biblechurch.es)
Bible Church Preschool (biblechurchpreschool.org)
Integrate Your Faith + Work (trianglefellows.org)
CONTACT US
Chapel Hill Bible Church
260 Erwin Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Office: 919.408.0310
Email: info@biblechurch.org
FOLLOW US
© 2020 Chapel Hill Bible Church
Read our Privacy Policy