Senior Pastor Butch Pursley Pastor Pursley draws upon his 35+ years of pastoral experience to lead and disciple the staff. He serves with the elders in providing vision and direction for Maranatha Bible Church. As the senior pastor from Maranatha’s beginning, he is passionate about the church remaining true to biblical principles. He is an effective communicator of God’s Word and is committed to an expository style of preaching. God has used Pastor Pursley to consult with and help other churches. He has travelled to help train pastors in South Africa, India, Nepal, Mexico, and Brazil.
He is a graduate of Baptist Bible College and Seminary. He also serves on the board of Summit Missions.
Pastor Pursley is very happily married to his best friend, Barb, an elementary teacher in Green Local Schools and a member of Maranatha’s worship team. Butch and Barb are the proud parents of Heather, a stay-at-home mom, and Brian, a pastor serving in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
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Steve Marshall
Associate Pastor Steve Marshall Steve has two great loves in his life: a love for family, and a love for the church. Steve worked with the youth for many years, but now greatly values working with adults, taking the church to the community in practical ways, seeing churches planted, and preaching and teaching God’s Word. Steve is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Liberty Theological Seminary.
Steve is happily married to Lee Anne who has been his encourager, partner and co-worker for 23 years. Lee Anne has gone back to school for her RN in Nursing and Steve is taking Spanish at Kent Stark campus. Three of the blessings that the Lord has given them are in their children: Sarah, Joshua and Philip. All three love the Lord and are uniquely designed. Sarah is married to John Tomsich and pursuing her license in cosmetology. Joshua is at Kent Stark College pursing a business degree. And Philip is in his senior at Lake High School but takes most of his classes at the Stark College campus in the post-secondary program. Philip plans to pursue a degree at Kent State in graphic design.
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Jon Barker
Pastor of Music Ministries Jon Barker Jon has been a pastor for eighteen years serving in churches in Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Virginia and now Ohio. He has a degree from Samford University in Music Theory and Composition and has rehearsed, worked and recorded with many choirs, bands, praise teams, and orchestras including The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The 1996 Canadian Olympic Orchestra, the 7:22 Group, and members of the Passion Band. While interning in college Jon began scoring music for television shows and commercials and throughout that experience has grown to love all kinds of music. Jon is fluent in all styles of music arranging, writing, and directing and was recently recognized as one of Top 15 Christian Music Authors in the nation by CCLI. His music is now being used throughout the US, Canada, Great Britain, and recently has spread to churches in Iraq in their growing Christian movement there.
Jon and his wife, Rachel have been married since 1997 and have three daughters, Nora, Mattie, and Lindsay. There latest addition to the family is Sam the dog. Rachel is a stay-at-home mom and a marketing director for Chick-Fil-A, she enjoys shopping, cooking, and music.
Jon and Rachel enjoy movies, theater, Auburn football, Braves baseball, and the Dallas Cowboys. They also love spending time with their incredible family.
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Rob Stopp
Pastor of Assimilation Ministries Rob Stopp Rob has been in ministry since 1991, 13 of those years working with junior high students. He is now serving as the Assimilation Pastor helping people connect with the rest of the Maranatha family. He enjoys helping people discover and use their spiritual gifts and God-given abilities to meet the needs of - and build up - the body of Christ. Rob teaches an ABF and oversees the deacon and benevolence ministries at the church. He is a graduate of Malone College.
Rob is married to Kristen who is an Ohio Virtual Academy high school math teacher and serves with Urban Connections, helping kids break generational poverty. They have three boys, Daniel, David, and Andrew who love to play sports.
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Craig Peters
Pastor of Young Adults and Men's Ministries Craig Peters Craig is a dynamic speaker and advocate for the family. He speaks passionately about the issues that impact individuals, families, and church leadership. His outgoing personality, knowledge of the Scripture, and wit enable him to relate to people of various ages, professions, and interests. Craig communicates the truth of God's Word in a way that is both challenging and encouraging. He is the author of three books: Navigating Toward Home, Carved In Stone, and Going The Distance. Craig has served in full-time ministry for over 20 years and holds a B.A. from Moody Bible Institute and an M.A. from Ashland Theological Seminary.
Craig's desire as a young adult Pastor is to meet many of these young couples and young professionals right where they're at. There are so many transitions for the young adult today. From relationship related, to work related to spiritually related. His desire is to shepherd, equip and empower them to not only know Christ in a personal way, but to weave Christ through every facet and area of their lives, so there is consistency and joy rather than confusion.
Craig resides in Akron, Ohio with his wife and 3 children.
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Nathan Kurcsak
Assistant Minister of College-age Adults, Nathan Kurcsak Nathan has attended Maranatha since it began in 1995 and appreciates the support and training he has received here. He served in the Jr. High ministry before transitioning to the college-age ministry in 2008. He enjoys the college-age ministry (Thrive) because it is such an important time to walk with the Lord as you make life-directing choices, and he desires to help shepherd students through it.
Nathan is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and is currently working toward his master of ministry degree from Baptist Bible Seminary. He is married to Erica, who also enjoys helping in the college-age ministry. They live in Green and enjoy music, movies, and getting together with people. Nathan's favorite verse is Romans 6:23 where the Gospel is presented so clearly, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
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Bruce Rosa
Assistant Pastor of Sr. High Ministries Bruce Rosa Bruce graduated from Baptist Bible College in May 2003 receiving a B.S. Degree in Bible with a Major in Pastoral Ministry. He received his ordination on June 20, 2004 before a counsel at South New Milford Baptist Church (Northeast PA). Bruce then served as Youth Pastor at that church for 5 years.
Bruce has a wonderful marriage with Shoshanna and they have a daughter, Ella.
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Jen Srail
Director of Young Ladies' Discipleship Jen Srail After growing up in Medina, Ohio, Jen went to Baptist Bible College and received her B.S. in women's ministries. She began a three year internship at Maranatha in 2001, and obtained her M.A. in religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
In June, 2004, she joined the staff as Director of Young Ladies' Discipleship. Now ministering to Sr. High and College students, Jen loves investing in lives, developing leadership skills and working with a team of people who love others and honor God with their lives.
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Scott Johnson
Assistant Pastor of Junior High Ministries Scott Johnson Scott gave up a career in graphic arts and printing when he was called by the Lord into full-time ministry. He enrolled at Columbia International University and began his studies in September, 1998. During this time, he served as the youth pastor for a church in Camden, South Carolina. Scott graduated in 2001 and is currently working toward a master of arts in Christian education—advanced youth ministry.
Scott comes to us from a church in Newport, Tennessee, where his responsibilities included student and children’s ministry and their families.
Scott has been working with students for over ten years and cannot imagine doing anything else. His passion and desire is to see an army of students waging a war against mediocrity by living totally surrendered lives doing whatever the Lord desires them to do.
He is happily married to Chandra; they have two children, Joshua and Timothy.
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Jon Yarian
Assistant Pastor Jon Yarian Jon holds a bachelor of arts degree in theology from Appalachian Bible College, and a master of ministry degree from Baptist Bible Seminary. Jon has served in the ministry of Christian Education since 1996. In 2000 he was ordained at Forcey Memorial Church in Maryland. He has been an elementary teacher and school administrator at Odenton Christian School in Maryland, and the Pastor of Christian Education at Westchester Bible Church in Illinois. Since August, 2001 Jon has served at Maranatha overseeing the Children’s Ministries.
Jon was born in Akron, Ohio. He is married to Ruth. They have four children, Kayla, Jacob, Jephthah and Jolee.
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Don Rohrbacher
Pastor of Care Ministries (part-time) Don Rohrbacher Don earned a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Liberty Seminary, and began work towards Doctor of Ministries Degree at Baptist Bible College & Seminary.
He worked in the defense industry before taking an early retirement to work full time in ministry. Currently Don is responsible for the Care ministry, the Connection ministry (for those 50+), and teaches the SALT ABF. He also teaches for Moody Bible Institute. Don and his wife of 50 years, Corrinne, delight in ministering to people and consider the people in the SALT ABF a gift from God. They count it a privilege to be part of the Maranatha leadership team.
They have two daughters and five grandchildren whom they greatly love and enjoy.
Cathy Hogan
Director of Ladies Ministry (part-time) Cathy Hogan
Cathy works part-time as the Director of Women's Ministry and has worked in women's ministry for 9 years. She teaches the ladies ABF, an evening Bible study, and has responsibility for our women's programs including Bible studies, mentoring, craft nights and special events. She considers this opportunity to be a gift from God!
Cathy also works part-time at ACS Learning as a consultant. She graduated from The University of Akron and lives in Jackson Township. Cathy enjoys travel, theatre, shopping, and biking.
Her favorite verse is Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
