Elders
Kelly Grizzard
I grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I attended the University of South Alabama and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy. I worked about 17 years just 30 minutes from where I grew up. I began doing short term mission trips and met my wife, Katharina, on one of those. About 1 year later we were married and wanted to join the mission field full time which we eventually did in 2008, serving with Mercy Ships. We have been with Mercy Ships since then. I have had many roles, none of which were medical, and currently serve …Read More
David Hickey
I was born and raised forty miles down the road in Longview, Texas. My wife LuAnn and I grew up in the same community, attending the same schools and the same church. I gave my life to the Lord at ten years of age, and developed a love of reading early in my life. I felt His call to be a pastor as a teenager, and used my college (East Texas Baptist University) and seminary (Southwestern Baptist Seminary) days to prepare for the church ministry. I also married the love of my life, and we share this adventure together. Along …Read More
George Garrett
I was raised in a small town in central lower Michigan. I am the second of five children. My brother and I worked on nearby farms, were members of 4-H and Boy Scouts. Our family attended the Church of Christ where I gave my heart to Jesus while earning my God & Country award. I married my high school sweetheart Darlene, some 57 years ago. God blessed us with five children, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. After marriage we attended the Free Methodist Church where I taught 6th grade boys Sunday School class until the Lord lead me to start …Read More
Terry Keane
I was born in 1953 in Beaumont, Texas, and along with my older brother and sister, raised by a single mom and her unmarried sister in Lufkin. After graduation from Lufkin High School, I went to college in San Marcos and then to the University of Texas in Austin to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art. I worked for about 20 years in both art and history museums in Austin, Tyler, Abilene and Omaha, Nebraska. In more recent years, I was employed as an aquatic exercise instructor in a physical therapy setting, before retiring in 2015. Mother …Read More
Phil Tompkins
I grew up in Houston. My twin and I are the oldest of nine. I always look for fun, and being a product of the 60’s that wasn’t always the best thing. After attending a teen Bible study with friends from school, I accepted Christ and was Spirit-filled. Soon after, I sought out a Bible school in East Texas. There I met Nancy. We had been married 43 years before she left this world. Kay and I met at CCF after both losing our spouses. Our lives have been restored and we continue our honeymoon after four years of marriage. …Read More
Ken Winebark
I am the friend you may not have met yet. If we haven’t met call me; I would love to meet you. One of the great joys of my life is getting to know folks. I’m a country boy from the hills of Western Pennsylvania. I grew up on a diversified beef and hog farm in the coal regions near Punxsutawney, Pa. (the home of the great weather forecasting groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil). That farm life developed my desire to work hard, make the best of what you are blessed with, appreciate family and friends and lend a hand when someone …Read More
Don Wolven
Born and raised in Southern California. Received a commission in the US Navy in 1977, served on active duty for four years and then in the Naval Reserves for another sixteen years. Met my wife Lisa when I was twenty-seven and we married within a year of meeting. We just celebrated our fortieth anniversary. We have two grown daughters, each with their own families now. We have eight grandchildren. Our family served for two years as crew members of the m/v Anastasis. We moved to Lindale in 2005. Lisa and I completed twenty years of service with Mercy Ships this last year before retiring. …Read MoreStaff
Janna Moore
Having been raised at Texas Baptist Children’s Home in Round Rock, Texas, from the time I was 6 years old until I graduated from high school, I was in church every time the church door opened. While sitting in a service at the age of 8, I remember the missionary talking about how much Jesus loved me and went to a cross and was crucified so I could be forgiven of my sins. He spoke about how Jesus wanted a relationship with me that would last a life-time and into eternity. He said that Jesus would “never leave me or …Read More
Mike Packard
I have been doing maintenance and construction work here in east Texas for over 30 years. I started out here in 1991 at Last Days Ministries on their maintenance team, where I was on staff until 1996. After Last Days shut their doors, I continued living in the Tyler area and started a small construction company of my own. Community Christian Fellowship has been part of my life since 1995, when I first began attending. I taught kid zone for four years and led the nursing home ministry for ten years at CCF. During those years, I put my construction …Read More
Rebekah Wainwright
My earliest memories take place in church. Mom and Dad both taught Sunday School, sang in choir, and volunteered for so many other things. We were there every time the doors opened. As a 4 year old, I can’t count how many Sundays I went up to accept Jesus into my heart! So thankful for the adults who valued us and taught us how to hear God’s voice. I remember prepping to “teach” children’s church for the first time as a 4th grader thinking I knew everything! After only a few minutes, I realized I had a lot more to …Read More
Cameo Yeater-Socha
I was born in Ohio and Lived there for 42 years. I grew up with amazing parents who raised me with strong family values such as love God, work hard, be kind and sometimes you just have to “leave things go”. I am married to a great guy named Dennis who teaches History and coaches Football. We have 4 adult children and a High School Junior still at home. On of my life verses that I return to frequently is Romans 8:28. This verse has been helpful in my daily walk, knowing that in ALL things, God works for the good. …Read More
Dennis Socha
Dennis has spent his life sowing into the lives of others. His passion is helping others, especially young people to understand God and His kingdom or creation better, and helping people connect with God. Engaging, connecting, teaching and enriching wherever He can. He has the following experience: He has the following education: HobbiesRead More
Tom Sloan
I was born and raised in Miami, Florida, where my parents settled in 1955 after my father found an engineering job there. We had no extended family and no roots as we grew up in the midst of a developing cosmopolitan melting pot in the tropics, i.e. hurricanes and mangos. My parents came from very different religious backgrounds and I was raised attending mainline denominational churches. In the 7th grade I experienced salvation but wallowed without direction. As my mother experienced a personal spiritual awakening, my sister and I were influenced by her deeper walk and understanding. Although I was …Read More
Austin Roberts
I was born and raised in Kansas City, MO and grew up as the oldest of 13 kids to godly and loving parents. They taught me the value of hard work, the importance of caring for people, and that God has a special plan for each of our lives. Though I was raised in a Christian home, I strayed from truth in my teenage years. At age 18, I chose to truly follow Christ. I spent the next seven years, working with children’s ministry, teen camps, young adult internships, and short term missions trips. It’s my aim to inspire the …Read More
Sarah Preston
I was born in Tyler, Texas and raised by my parents in the small town of Hawkins, Texas with my two older brothers and my younger sister. We spent our days watching the best shows of the 90’s and exploring the woods in our backyard. Fast forward into my “adolescent years,” I became somewhat rebellious, and entered into a world of drugs, and alcohol, and fell into a really dark place. After high school ended in 2005 (thank goodness!) I went to Hands on Therapy Massage School and received my license in therapeutic massage. Then in 2006, I had my …Read More
Bryn Neely
I’ve grown up in Lindale, TX the majority of my life. I am the youngest of three siblings, who are my best friends in the world! I’ve grown up in a christian home my whole life with incredible parents who have instilled in me the goodness of God. It wasn’t until I was 9 years old that I wanted a deeper relationship with Jesus like my siblings had, and that’s when I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. In 2000, my parents started searching for a church where we could grow up in and be a part of the Lindale …Read More
Chad Bowers
I was born in Garland, Texas and lived at the same house until I was 18 years old. For 2 years, I attended Tyler Junior College (TJC) and I had 2 more years at UT-Arlington. I studied engineering, but decided to keep working for my dad as a structural steel draftsman. I worked for him from 1995-2015, at which time I started my own company, where I create the steel shop drawings for commercial buildings in the area, such as schools and retail centers. My wife’s name is Holly, and we were married in 2000. We have three kids: Katie, …Read More
Josh Langer
Originally from Germany, Reverend Josh Langer is an ordained minister through the Ecclesia Ministers Alliance and has studied theology with the University of the Nations. After attending a school for jazz and popular music in Germany for 3 1/2 years, he became a part of the missions organization Go-Mission e.V. in his birthplace of Augsburg. In 2001 he came to the USA to join Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Tyler, Texas, with a huge heart for worship and leadership. For the last several years he has served as the worship leader both at YWAM Tyler and at Community Christian Fellowship …Read More
Judy Jaynes
I was born in Minneapolis, MN. On my 17th birthday, God revealed His love to me when two guys came into our neighborhood doing odd jobs. The Spirit of God compelled me to believe His Word was true, so I responded with a simple “OK.” My life has never been the same. At 19 I met the Agape Force and attended their Discipleship Training School in Sebastapol, CA. After Christmas I traveled to Texas and joined the Agape Force. Years filled with singing, reading, and hearing the Word of God preached gave me such a deep and rich experience with …Read More
Kristen James
I am a born and bred native Texan, living in Lindale most of my life. I was home-schooled and loved being the oldest of 5 children. I was saved very early on and am blessed to have learned to hear the voice of God at an early age. A lot of hard things, like deaths of close family members as a child, were really the cement in my connection with God. I remember talking to him and constantly pouring out my thoughts and concerns. I have attended CCF since 1995 and began working as church secretary November of 1997. I …Read More
Roland Heddins
I was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana of half Louisianian, half East Texan parentage. At the age of three, I moved with my parents and younger brother to Argentina where my Dad worked at a petro-chemical company. We lived there just over 7.5 years where I learned Spanish, attended a private bi-lingual grade school, and even got an early geography/culture education, frequently travelling throughout Latin America. We moved back to Louisiana when I was nearly 11. I was raised in a Christian home by loving parents, and grew up in the Baptist Church where I first gave my life to …Read More
Moni Guyer
Born with a heart of rebellion and the eldest in my family, the Lord radically turned my life right-side up as He proved Himself as our Healer at the birth of our only child some 45 years ago. I’m testimony to the fact the Lord takes the broken, strong-willed, and wild at heart to show His majesty as He creates within them a new heart of flesh like His. Isn’t that a miracle? If the Lord God Almighty can do that for me, I know that every single person has the same opportunity to know the matchless, saving grace of …Read More
Daniel Camomile
I was born into a Christian missionary home and was raised from an early age to value Truth. Homeschooled all the way through the high school, I spent my childhood with my younger brother romping around in the central Texas woods and inventing imaginary worlds. I’ve always valued wonder and imagination and still cling devotedly to the fiction of C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, and George MacDonald. I’ve written many fiction novel manuscripts but with only one in print. Like most young men, I was reluctant to surrender my life to Christ despite calling myself a “Christian“. After doing a DTS at …Read More