Staff & Leadership

I have been around the ministry my entire life, as I was born into a pastor’s family. My father, uncle and grandfather are all ordained ministers in the Church of God (Anderson.) Before he passed away, my great uncle was also. As such, I have personally experienced many of the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the victories and setbacks that go along with serving in God’s Church. When I was six years old, God saved me. The Gospel was so simple and so true to me that I surrendered my life to Jesus on a Sunday night in Prestonsburg, Kentucky as my dad preached about salvation. I accepted Christ as my Savior right in my pew, and when my family got home that night, I told my mom and dad that I had become a Christian. They were surprised, and dad tried to lead me in a “sinner’s prayer.” When he got to the part where I was supposed to say, “God, I confess that I’m a sinner,” I stopped him and said, “No, Dad! I told you, I already got saved!” My parents never pressured me to pursue ministry, but I felt God’s Call on my life to do just that at the age of seven. It was definite, clear moment of my life that I will never forget. I have never felt God’s presence in a place in such a real way as I felt Him that night as I lay in bed praying. I could barely move or breathe and I felt the “kavod” of the Lord all around me. I wrestled for several minutes that seemed like hours until I finally relented and said, “Okay. I will, God. I’ll be a preacher.” As soon as I prayed those words, the weight that had been pressing me down was gone, and I felt a warm peace wash over me. Since that night, I have always known in my heart that my place is in God’s Church and my purpose in life is to pastor God’s people. I began in professional ministry in 2004 at Capitol Hill Church of God as a Youth Pastor, serving as the Senior Pastor at Millville Avenue church of God in Hamilton, OH, Senior Pastor at LifePoint Church in Renton, WA, and now Senior Pastor at Kingsport Community Church. I have a Master of Divinity from Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University. My wife Mandy and I excited to be in Kingsport, sharing God's love and fellowship with KCC!

Mark Stayton is our minister of worship and leads a blended worship experience drawing on the rich traditions of the past while valuing the body of work God is inspiring today. Our choir shares special music and cantatas throughout the year. Mark has served three other churches in the Midwest before coming to our church in 1978. He holds a B.A. degree from Bethel College. Mark and his wife Jenny have three children and four beautiful grandchildren.

Rev. Bob Rothman brings rich experiences to our church as a minister. After graduating from Vanderbilt School of Theology he served in the USAF as a career chaplain. He rose to the position of full Colonel before retiring. He and his wife Rowena, who plays organ in the church, own a farm in Hancock County. He sings in the choir and teaches a Sunday School class and often fills the pulpit.

Associate Pastor Chris Ricketts and his wife Carie are proud to call Kingsport home. Chris attended Berea College where he graduated with a BS in Business Administration. He also holds an MBA from East Tennessee State University. Chris is ordained by the Church of God Ministries of Anderson, Indiana and serves as an associate pastor here at Kingsport Community Church. He is committed to outreach and missions work in Kingsport and Eastern Tennessee. He believes in the saving power of the message of Jesus Christ. He is often quoted in saying, “We live by faith not by sight.”

Associate Pastor, Brian Ricketts and his wife Rebekah with their three sons love being a part of the Kingsport Community Church. Brian attended Berea College where he graduated with a B.S. in Biology. Brian is ordained by the Church of God Ministries of Anderson, Indiana and serves as an associate pastor here at Kingsport Community Church. He believes in the saving power of the message of Jesus Christ and the ability to live out what we learn through biblical teaching.

Michael Smith is our Student Ministry Director and Online Media Coordinator. He is passionate about leading our Student Ministry with his wife, Chelsey and helping students from grades 6 to young adults grow in their faith. Michael also leads our Vision/Dream Team and works to coordinate our online media communications including the church website and social media channels. He is a Web Developer at Mark III Employee Benefits and owns his own digital marketing agency located here in Kingsport.

Teresa Anderson has led our Children’s Ministry program since 2007. She has been a member of this church for several years and teaches Sunday School. Teresa finds great joy in spending time with our kids as they share God’s love and experience the wonderful stories of the Bible together. Teresa holds an A.A.S. in Accounting from Northeast State Technical Community College. She lives in Kingsport with her husband, Chris and two daughters.