| The Truth Bible Church Leadership Team (Elders and Deacons) |
 |
| Pastor Chad Laird |
|
| Chad Laird is the Pastor/Elder of Truth Bible church. He and his wife Marissa both grew up in Colorado and have known ministry from an early age as both their dad’s were church planters and are still in full time ministry today. Chad met Marissa after graduating from Colorado Christian University (B.A. Communications/Broadcasting) and while serving in the Army on active duty as an Infantry Officer (Airborne/Ranger). Marissa graduated from Toccoa Falls College (B.S. Teaching) and taught 3rd grade before dedicating herself full time to the discipleship of their five children.
Chad entered full time ministry as a youth pastor (2000-2003) and later served as a college pastor (2004-2006) while attending The Master’s Seminary (Masters of Divinity in 2007). Recently He served as an Associate Pastor (2007-2008) before planting Truth Bible Church. Chad and Marissa enjoy sports, the outdoors, and music. Chad loves golf, volleyball, scuba diving, and tennis while Marissa excels at singing, playing piano, and writing her own songs. Chad is a Biblicist who has a passion for preaching, evangelism, and discipleship. He invites you to join with him in praying for revival in America and for Bible preaching and obeying churches to be faithful in winning lost souls, discipling believers to maturity, and planting healthy churches worldwide.
|
 |
| Pastor Scott Carlson |
|
| Scott Carlson is the Associate Pastor/Elder of Truth Bible church. He grew up on the family dairy farm in Northeast Nebraska with his parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts uncles, and cousins, all of whom are followers of Jesus Christ. Christ was all important to his family and the godly influence that they provided was priceless. The importance of church, Bible reading, and prayer were instilled in Scott from an early age and theology was often the topic of discussion as his family worked together.
However, Scott was not personally saved until he trusted Christ as his Savior, at the age of 3 ½. As he was playing one day, he was thinking about a lesson that his Sunday School teacher had taught about how to get to heaven. He didn’t know much theology at 3 ½ , but he knew that Heaven was good and Hell was bad. He knew that his sin demanded he go to hell, but that he was able to get into heaven exclusively through the Lord Jesus. Trusting in that gospel, Scott rejected sin and received Jesus as his savior. Since that time Scott has seen God working in him and through him, making Scott into the likeness of Jesus as he daily repents of sin and strives for obedience to Christ. Scott was baptized at the age of eleven, thereby expressing his desire to live his life wholeheartedly for Christ, rejecting sin and obeying Him.
It was at that age that he first sensed the Lord was calling him to fulltime ministry. Scott is a graduate of Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska, and The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles. It is his great joy to make disciples of Jesus to the glory of God in southern Maryland. In addition to seeing new babies in Christ grow to maturity, He loves spending time with his family (wife, Kristin; children, Salem, Honey, Saul, Joab, and Ellen). Scott says, "There is nothing like a good cup of coffee enjoyed with a friend." He also likes football, volleyball, tennis, mountaineering, and being a couch potato.
|
 |
| Steve Clark |
|
| Stephen is a Deacon at Truth Bible church. He is married with 5 children. His wife, Roxanne, is a fulltime housewife who enjoys homeschooling their three youngest children. After graduating high school Stephen served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, upon retiring from the Army he moved back home to St. Mary’s County, MD where he grew up. He is now the caretaker of two farms and a bed and breakfast in Ridge, MD.
Stephen did not grow up in a home with Christian values and as a result he lived for “self”. In 2001 after a series of difficult circumstances he felt God drawing him. Finally when Stephen was at the end of his rope he confessed Jesus as Lord when he was 37 years old and was baptized by his Battalion Chaplain. He then began learning and following Jesus’ commands. Now instead of serving self he enjoys serving God and others.
|
 |
| Jason Pratt |
|
| Jason Pratt is a Teacher of Truth Bible Church. He and his wife Sherri grew up in Pennsylvania; Jason in Media and Sherri in Chambersburg. Both attended Penn State University where they met at the Mont Alto campus near Chambersburg. Sherri went on to earn her Doctorate in Chiropractic medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Jason joined Sherri in Atlanta to earn a Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. After a short time working for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Washington D.C., Jason enlisted in the U.S. Navy to attend Officer Candidate School. After earning his commission, Jason completed flight training and earned his Naval Flight Officer wings of gold. Jason flew F-14 Tomcats until transitioning to the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Now as an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO), Jason has completed Naval Test Pilot School and now performs flight testing on the F/A-18B,D, and F and the T-45 as a Test Naval Flight Officer.
Prior to entering Naval service, Jason was a self proclaimed and devout atheist who hated God and Christians in particular for their foolish beliefs. Jason decided to read the Bible in order to once and for all disprove its claims of a creator God and man-God Saviour. During this time the word of God which is "quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword," (Hebrews 4:12) Jason recognized the reality of his own sin, the truth of Scripture and the veracity of Jesus' atoning death. At the age of 26, Jason made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized a week later in obedience to the Lord's command. Jason is now thankful to God for saving one such as he and desires to serve and love those called by His Name.
While in the Navy Jason has attended numerous churches throughout the country and the world and has volunteered his time to serve and assist the chaplains in his commands. Jason is a member of Officer Christian Fellowship and was appointed the lay leader for Christian services while serving in Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2). Being reminded daily of the frailty of the human condition in sin, Jason recognizes the acute need of every human being for the grace of God that is received through repentance and faith in Christ. Please join us as we serve a risen Saviour and endeavor to "seek and save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10) God bless you as you endeavor to know God and serve Him.
|
|