God showed me mercy by saving me while I was young and by giving me a family and a church that took my discipleship seriously. Before Christ, I can remember the feelings of despair and not having a purpose; the feeling of knowing there was more. And I can remember the evening when I surrendered my life to Jesus, confessing my belief to Him that He died on the cross and rose again! Even though He hasn’t spared me from heartache and pain, Jesus has over and over proven Himself as the only true source of joy and peace.
When I was in high school and college God provided opportunities for me to serve His church in leading music and bible studies. After graduating from UNC Charlotte, I began ministry as a high school social studies teacher and married my wonderful wife Krystle! After several years in the classroom, I spent four amazing years investing in families as a Student and Kids pastor.
Now, as the Lead Pastor of Provision Church, I’m continually praising God for how He is working in and through our congregation. It’s an honor and blessing to invest my life in a Christ-centered community driven by the joy of the Gospel to make disciples that make disciples.
About
From: Monroe, NC
Married to Krystle Navey; Sons: Owen, Knox, Jones, and Dawson
UNC Charlotte – Bachelor of History with Minor in Secondary Education; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – M.Div in Family Ministry (in progress)
In January of 2014, as a sophomore in high school, I attended a three-day youth camp where the gospel became so real to me. The best way I can describe it is as if I saw color for the first time. On the first night of the camp, God used the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 to grip my heart of my sinful lifestyle and my need to “return home” to the Father. The forgiveness He offered through Jesus’ death in my place gripped my heart, and through His Spirit and Christ’s resurrection I was made into a “new creation.” When I look back, this grace was simply irresistible; it was exactly what my soul had always longed for, even though I didn’t know it. Now, I see that this grace has sustained me until this day, even through life’s many toils and trials. Confidently, I trust this sovereign grace will lead me home, on that day when I enter into eternal fellowship with the triune God upon Christ’s return.
Since that weekend, I have felt an unshakable purpose to give my life for the purpose of ministry. I didn’t know what to do with this passion until someone came along to invest in me during my senior year in college. Because of this intentional discipleship, I have grown to see the huge burden facing my generation. Broken homes. No direction. Endless pressures. Fading truth. With all this, there is only one hope: the gospel that reconciles lost and sinful people unto a holy, righteous God. It is my desire to bring this good news to bear on the lives of the next generation.
I wholeheartedly believe in Jesus’ command to make disciples, and I am thankful to be a small part of Provision Church’s heartbeat to reach Wingate University with the same intentional discipleship that first spurred me on towards growth in Christ. If I can make but one “disciple who makes disciples,” with this I will be content. Yet I pray to God for a lifetime of disciple-making.
About
From: Greensboro, NC
Married to Ellen Bohnsack; Daughter: Josie
UNCG (2019) – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Spanish
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (2023) – M.Div in Preaching and Pastoral Ministry
Church was always a part of my life growing up, but during my High School years I was looking to find my place in this world so I bounced around from one group to another. A friend invited me to visit his youth group which I really enjoyed, but I continued to bounce around.
Then one evening, after reading though a pocket Gospel of John, two things stood out. Jesus said, “You must be born again,” and “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” I realized I was a moral kid on his way to hell, so I repented of my sin and believed on Christ for salvation.
My journey eventually led me to Bible College and seminary and included several years in vocational pastoral ministry. As I have entered my 40th year as a Bible-believing follower of Jesus Christ, my desire is to continue to utilize my spiritual gifts and prepare the coming generations to remain faithful and true to God and His Word.
About
From: My path has included Southern CA, Southern NJ, Western NY, with now 16 years in Stallings, NC
Married to Margaret Korth; Three grown children
Grand Rapids Theological Seminary – Master of Religious Education in Ministry; Cairn University – BS in Bible
I grew up in a Christian home with parents who had me in church all the way through school. I professed to believe in Christ and the offer of salvation at a young age and was baptized.
MY LIFE CHANGED
Although I was present for a lot of teaching, discipleship and accountability were virtually non existent in my life. After I moved away for college, I lived life my way. I still believed, but it was hard to tell by looking at my life. After moving home and getting married to my beautiful wife Rachel, I became convicted that my way of doing things was not working very well and I had been very ungrateful for the gift of life I had been given. My wife and I agreed to start taking our lives as heirs of God more seriously and devoting ourselves and our marriage to Him.
Since then, I have been intentional about taking advantage of every opportunity possible for discipleship and serving. I’m excited to be able to serve in the role of elder at Provision and look forward to seeing what God has in store for me.
About
From: Unionville, NC
Married to Rachel Outen; Children: Riley, Levi, and Nora
Self-Employed General Contractor
I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home. My parents always attended church and showed me the love of Jesus. When I was 9 years old, I gave my life to Christ during a Vacation Bible School service.
The day I decided to follow Christ, my life changed. I was given a peace that is beyond my own understanding. I haven’t been perfect, and my life hasn’t been without ups and downs, but that peace from Christ has always been there.
God has been developing me as a leader since high school. I was part of the leadership team for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and my church youth group. I started growing in my walk with Christ. During college, God put godly men in my life to mentor me. After college, God blessed me by bringing Erin into my life. We were married June 6, 1998 and have two boys. During a church revival, I realized I wasn’t being the husband and father God had called me to be. Since that revival, I have worked hard to lead my family well. In addition to leading my family, I was called to lead the men’s ministry at my church. God also called me to serve Him as a deacon. Now God has called me to help plant Provision Church and serve as an elder. I am so excited to watch Him work in my life and the life of Provision Church.
About
From: Knightdale, NC
Married to Erin Stephenson; Sons: Will and Russ
Wingate University – Bachelor of Science
I grew up in a Christian household and regularly attended a good church. But I never took the faith seriously and by high school and early college, I was in full rebellion against God. I remember the feelings of deep hopelessness I had.
In the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college, the Pastor of the church I grew up in invited my girlfriend (now my wife) Paige and I to go to a week long seminar at a church in Charlotte. During this seminar, I genuinely decided to follow Jesus and submit my life to Him.
I didn’t know what it meant to follow Him though and had no one to disciple me. I was lukewarm at best for my college and early adult years. When Paige and I started having kids, I felt the weight of that and knew I needed to change some bad habits I had picked up along the way. Fortunately, I had a Pastor, and guys who became accountability brothers in my life, to disciple me. I can honestly say Jesus completely changed my life and I learned to truly submit to Him, which has given me hope.
Today, I truly love Jesus. He has give me a purpose to serve Him in my home, my church, and my community. I love to disciple younger guys, to help them as I know where they were at and what Jesus can do in their life.
About
From: Peachland, NC
Married to Paige Tyson; Daughters: Makenna, Kaela, and Amelia
NC State – BS in Statistics and Minor in Economics
I grew up in a Christian home with my mother who took me to church as often as we could go. I was proud to proclaim Jesus as my Savior and King when I was 13. After years of wrong choices in friendships, the Lord so graciously left the 99 to call me back every time I ran. I’m thankful for his conviction, and grace that is evident in my life.
Music was my passion and I ended up at Liberty University but didn’t know what I wanted to spend my life doing specifically, but I knew I wanted to honor the Lord with the gifts he had entrusted to me. Then I found the School of Worship where they train leaders to go into churches and lead worship full time. Instantly I felt God’s calling on my life.
Come find me Sunday morning and share your story with me!
About
From: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Married to Jessica Longino; Children: Elise, James, and Benjamin
Liberty University – B.S. in Worship Leadership and Music Studies
I was blessed to grow up in a home where God was put first and I was taught to love Jesus; but even more so I learned how much Jesus loved me. I was saved in elementary school at our church’s Vacation Bible School.
Throughout high school, college, and into my career, I struggled greatly with anxiety. I knew God loved me and would take care of me, but I was not living in close relationship with Him and struggled to feel His peace that I had grown up learning about. As I’ve worked to grow my relationship with Jesus, I can feel his overwhelming peace over me on a daily basis. I know without a doubt that God sent his son Jesus to take on my sin and shame and that he gives me undeserving grace and mercy over and over again. What an incredible God we serve!
After college, I worked as a special education teacher and then moved on to become an assistant principal at a local middle school. I enjoyed my time there and tried to use my workplace as a mission field as much as possible. After my husband and I were blessed with three sweet children, I began feeling the call to leave my career and seek a job that would allow me to be more available for my family. In February of 2023, I resigned from my career that I always dreamed about as a child, and began working for my in-laws business. At the time, I had such mixed feelings and struggled to leave even though I knew it was what was best for my family. Now, over a year later, I can look back joyfully and see that God was moving in my life and had bigger plans for me and my family. I am so excited to now be able to serve as the kids director at Provision! Our church is so blessed with many young ones and what an incredible honor it is to teach them the gospel and walk beside families as they disciple their children.
About
From: Monroe, NC
Married to Daniel Beaverson; Children: Clara, Addelyn, and Elijah
Bachelor’s degree in Special/Elementary Education and Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership
I was blessed to have a mom and grandmother who taught me to love Jesus Christ and to love God’s Word. When I was 5 years old, I asked Jesus to save me from my sins. I remember even at that young age, being afraid of death, but I knew Jesus could save me and I wanted to love and follow Him.
As I grew, I had doubts about my salvation because I was so young when I came to Christ. Every time I would mess up or not measure up to my standard of what I thought a Christian should be, I would think “You are not truly saved because if you truly meant what you said, you would not keeping making mistakes.” I never heard Christians talk about their struggles, so I thought something was wrong with me. Praise God that He helped me fully grasp what grace means and that salvation is not up to me. It is not saying all the words correctly or doing everything right, but it is confessing Jesus as Lord, believing He rose from the grave, and surrendering my life to Him.
I am humbled that despite my failures and pride, God would use me to help build His kingdom and share the Gospel. Part of building that kingdom are my roles as wife and helpmate to my husband Brian, and mom to our sons Will and Russ. I also enjoy meeting with other women and studying God’s Word together. I love watching God transform a life.
I am so grateful to serve at Provision and help make disciples who make disciples.
About
From: Fayetteville, WV
Married to Brian Stephenson; Sons: Will and Russ
Wingate University – Bachelor of Music Education
I grew up as an active member of a healthy church. My dad has always been a pastor, and I have been surrounded by the Gospel and ministry my whole life. I confessed my sin and turned in faith to Christ at a young age, I believe around eight years old. Through my years in high school, by going to a Christian school, being involved in missions, and being a part of discipleship groups, I began to really grow, especially in my senior year. I learned how to have a consistent quiet time, and how to develop a personal relationship with Christ.