​Jon has served as Gospel Center’s lead pastor since 2014. He holds a B.A. from Bethel University and a M.Div from Wesley Biblical Seminary. Of all his life accomplishments, Jon considers marrying his wife, Bethann, the greatest. Together, they have four children: Anna, Noah, Micah, and Mia.
Growing up in Michigan, Jon once aspired to be an automobile designer, then an architect--until God redirected his path through a pivotal moment when his pastor encouraged him to build churches by preaching God's Word rather than by designing physical structures. Over the years, Jon has served in a variety of pastoral roles, including inner-city youth work, prison ministry, and guiding a rural church through a building campaign.
Jon is passionate about Scripture and its power to transform lives. Jon delights in studying the Word deeply and communicating its truths in ways that are both applicable and compelling. He also values personal connection—visiting the sick, praying with those in need, and engaging with people in their everyday environments. Being present with others is at the heart of his ministry.
Pastor Jon’s vision for GCMC is for the Holy Spirit to lead us to: esteem Scripture as God's authoritative Word, worship as an act of glorifying God, embrace salvation and sanctification as God's will for all people, and faithfully care for the hurts and needs of our neighbors, all while enjoying the fellowship and unity of our church family.
In his free time, Jon enjoys walking, watching his kids play sports, and spending quality time with them. He also has a lifelong love for cars.
Staff
​Jim began his career in education, earning both a B.S. and M.S. from IUSB and enjoyed a fulfilling teaching career. In his early 50’s, he sensed a call to ministry and returned to school, earning a B.A. and M.A. in Ministry from Bethel University. Before joining the staff at Gospel Center in 2016, Jim served other churches as a senior pastor.
At Gospel Center, Jim wears many hats—serving as the community pastor, building connections with the River Park neighborhood, leading the board of trustees, teaching Sunday School, and supervising church pickleball activities.
Jim did not grow up in a Christian home and came to faith at age 19 while engaged to his wife, Missy. A turning point came after attending two funerals in two days—one for a non-Christian and one for a Christian. The stark contrast between despair and hope left a deep impression. The next day, Jim heard the gospel for the first time and surrendered his life to Jesus. He reflects, “When I became a Christian, I knew nothing about the Christian life, the Bible, or much else that a Christian should know. I was in perfect condition for Jesus to come into my life and make a revolutionary change.”
He loves reading Scripture as a personal way of connecting with the Lord, his favorite books of the Bible being James, Psalms, and Romans. He finds joy in witnessing transformed lives—when people become more like Jesus and exchange old, destructive patterns for life-giving ones.
Jim has been married to Missy for 57 years. They have three adult sons—one of whom has been with the Lord since age 17. Jim enjoys flying stunt kites and playing pickleball.
Tara earned a B.S. in Social Work from IUSB in 2016 and stepped into her current role just one month later. Before that, Tara had worked as a preschool teacher, where her love for working with children first took root.
At age 17, Tara was told that she would never be able to have children; today she and her husband, Derek, are the parents of five: Austin, Hunter, Rowan, Elsie, and Aiden—a beautiful testimony to God’s faithfulness.
Tara is deeply passionate about helping children understand the beauty of the gospel. She firmly believes that children have the same access to God’s life-changing power as adults--and what greater gift, she says, than to spend as much of one’s life as possible walking with the Lord? Her mission is to ensure that every child at Gospel Center not only hears and understands the gospel, but can also articulate it, with confidence and clarity.
In her spare time, Tara enjoys audiobooks, jigsaw puzzles, and cooking spicy Thai food. Naturally shy, Tara pushes herself to step out and connect with others in meaningful ways.
Fun fact: Tara taught herself to beat box when her kids were babies as a fun (and surprisingly effective) way to calm them. She also briefly met the Jonas Brothers before they were famous.
Joy has been part of Gospel Center’s worship team since 2003 and has served as a key leader since 2007. In 2023, she officially joined the church staff as the Worship Leader. She and her husband, Andrew, have four children: Drew, Sophia, Makenna, and Tillie. Joy holds a B.A. in Vocal Performance from Bethel University.
She loves ministering to the worship team and helping them lead the congregation into the presence of Christ, uniting as the family of God in praise. One of her joys has been witnessing team members grow in creativity and step into leadership roles within the ministry.
Since childhood, Joy’s favorite book of the Bible has been Esther, and she strives to reflect Esther’s love, courage, and faith. She considers it a deep privilege to be invited to sing at funerals, offering comfort through music to those who grieve.
Joy has been singing to Jesus since she was two years old and chose to follow Him at a young age. Encouraged by her parents to use her gifts for the Lord, her faith was strengthened through a missions trip as a teenager and by her time at Prairie Camp. A consistent thread throughout her spiritual journey has been the influence of godly, Christ-centered leaders whose examples have shaped her walk with God.
During her college years at Bethel University, Joy faced the near-loss of her father—twice—and learned to lean on Jesus as her rock. In the early years of her marriage, Joy endured several miscarriages and felt isolated in her deep grief. Yet, God remained her strength, and she anticipates the day she’ll meet their children in Heaven. These difficult seasons have equipped her to comfort others in their own sorrow.
Joy says her favorite moments with God often happen when she’s worshiping alone in the car—no matter what the drivers next to her may think! She and Andrew find that raising their kids to follow Jesus is both their greatest challenge and their highest calling. Applying for the Worship Leader position was a step of faith and obedience for Joy, and she’s grateful for the opportunity to continue using her gifts for God’s glory.
Joy loves a good mystery and listens to several crime podcasts. She also does wedding coordination as a side hustle.
Fun fact: Joy is actually her middle name.
​Adam earned a B.S. in Youth Ministry from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2003. From a young age, he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player—even earning an invitation to try out for the Detroit Tigers after college. However, his life took a different turn during his teenage years, following his parents’ separation. In that difficult season, Adam was profoundly impacted by his youth pastor, who poured into his life, invested in him and challenged him to live for Christ. It was during his junior year of high school that Adam embraced a call to youth ministry.
Before joining the staff at Gospel Center in 2023, Adam served in a variety of youth ministry roles--churches, camps, and Christian schools—and is passionate about creating spaces where students are known, loved, and encouraged to live in response to the gospel. He loves watching students take ownership of their faith and grow into mature disciples. His vision is to cultivate a ministry rooted in Scripture, where relationships are authentic, and students are equipped to live as disciples in their schools, homes, and communities. One of his greatest joys is seeing students whom he’s mentored step into leadership and begin discipling others.
Outside of ministry, Adam is fascinated by Australia and hopes to visit one day (and see a kangaroo). He enjoys archery, deer hunting, mountain biking, cheering for University of Michigan sports, and quiet moments with God in nature.
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He is married to Becca and is dad to Landon, Tate, and Heath.​
Becca has faithfully served at Gospel Center since 2019, ensuring the office runs smoothly while providing vital support to the pastor and staff. She approaches even the most routine tasks with excellence, seeking to glorify God in all she does. In addition to her role at Gospel Center, Becca also ministers part-time at Hannah’s House, a residential maternity home for disadvantaged women.
Originally an art major at Indiana Wesleyan, Becca completed a B.A. in Biblical Literature out of a desire to know God's Word more intimately and to be better equipped to serve Him. She las led a women’s Bible study in her home for many years.
Becca finds great joy in witnessing lives transformed by Jesus and considers Him her anchor through every season. Her favorite book of the Bible is Psalms, as it gives voice to prayer—especially when words are hard to find. She has encountered God’s faithfulness and presence in profound ways, particularly during seasons of loss and change, marked by His unexplainable peace and renewed purpose.
One of Becca’s dreams is to visit the Holy Land and walk the places where Scripture unfolded. She enjoys long walks, time in nature, and the thrill of finding great deals at garage sales and thrift stores. Deeply relational, Becca treasures meaningful connections with other women—perhaps especially because she grew up with three brothers and is now raising three sons, with no sisters or daughters to balance things out.
Becca is married to Adam and is the proud mom of Landon, Tate, and Heath.
