Our Elders
At New Life Community Church, we are led by elders. Elders are men, called by God, affirmed by the local church, to be pastors and pacesetters for the congregation.
Typically, we think of “pastors” as those in full-time vocational ministry. However, in scripture we see the words “pastor,” “overseer,” and “elder” used synonymously (Acts 20:17-18, 28; 1 Peter 5:1-2). Some elders may serve in full-time ministry, while other elders may serve as lay volunteers. We have both full-time elders and lay elders. Either way, an elder is simultaneously a pastor and overseer.
Elders are also pacesetters. Elders are not meant to be merely a voting or accountability board. Elders are grounded in the gospel and leaders of strength, wisdom, and integrity, whose lives and character are worthy of being imitated and reproduced in every Christian.
Elders are godly men. Though society, and the evangelical world, is progressively becoming egalitarian, we are unapologetically complementarian, as we believe God’s word instructs us to that end.
“God designed men and women to complement one another as his image-bearers (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:15-25), and his design includes differing roles for men and women in the home and in the church (1 Timothy 2:11-3:5). This frees men and women up so that they can enjoy the beautiful, God-glorifying harmony of a robust interdependence… Men and women are complementary in their God-given design and roles, with men bearing the responsibility for spiritual leadership in the home and church” (Gospel Eldership, Bob Thune, pg.4).
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Associate PastorJasper Jack
Jasper is a longtime resident of Magnolia. As a child, he regularly attended church and placed his faith in Christ as Savior when he was 14 years old. While in high school and college, he volunteered as a leader in his youth group. He met Sherry during radiologic technology school, and they were married in May 2008. In 2013, he began to aspire to pastoral ministry and served as volunteer youth pastor for two years. In 2015, he and Sherry joined NLCC where Jasper would eventually join the elder team. Jasper began serving as full-time associate pastor in 2018.
Hope for NLCC: "That we remain committed to gospel centrality in all that we do, that the Lord will use NLCC to advance the gospel in Columbia County and beyond, and that we continue to grow in our own sanctification as we fulfill our mission to glorify God by making disciples who grow in their faith in Jesus and their love toward one another."
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PastorAlan Garrett
Alan was born and raised here in Magnolia. He was saved around 9 years old and began actively following Jesus at age 19. After moving away for several years, Alan and his wife Shay moved back to Magnolia in 2016, where they now reside with their two children, Ellie and Ethan. Alan was drawn to NLCC by the people. He loves how the leadership team speaks the word of God plainly and pursues active community with each other.
Hope for NLCC: "My hope is that the Lord continues to use the people of NLCC to glorify Himself and make Himself known throughout our town of Magnolia and beyond. That we will be a people set apart from the world and that we genuinely love each other and the people of our community. I pray we can proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ boldly and by the hearing of God’s word, our community might come to trust and follow Jesus."
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PastorJames Jones
James was born and raised in the small town of Gurdon, Arkansas. He submitted his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ at 19 years old and preached his first sermon a few months later. James married the love of his life, Amanda, two years later. They have served God and raised five children and now have two amazing grandchildren. James has served in various leadership and pastoral roles. From the nursery to teaching teens and adults, he has strived to make Jesus known to all. James and his family have called Magnolia home for over twenty years and through God's leadership came to NLCC in 2018.
Hope for NLCC: "My hope for NLCC is that we will continue to embrace our call to be saints who are equipped to do the work of the ministry. Faithfully coming together as a unified and mature body of believers who work to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16). I want to see them grow in their faith in Jesus and their love for one another, making disciples here and beyond!"
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PastorSteve Atkinson
Steve was born in Marietta, Georgia. He grew up attending church every time the doors opened and was saved when he was 9 years old, though it was much later in life before he wholeheartedly began serving Christ. Steve met his wife, Sondra, after moving to Magnolia in 1997 and they have been married since April of 2000. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.
Hope for NLCC: "My hope is that the love for Christ and for each other exemplified by the members of NLCC will be spread throughout Magnolia, Columbia County and beyond. I pray this loving spirit will be extended especially to those who need Christ as their Savior, as well as, teaching and encouraging them to be disciples as we follow our mission to '…glorify God by making disciples who grow in their faith in Jesus and their love toward one another'."
Kyle Jones
Kyle was born and raised in the Magnolia metropolis. Kyle loves this city and is overjoyed that God called him to pastor NLCC in 2014. The Lord drew him to repentance and faith when he was eight years old, through Ephesians 2:8-9, other passages, and teaching learned through a local AWANA program. He is married to the girl he chased in college, Patricia, and God has graciously seen fit for them to raise four wonderful children (Welles, Bear, Winnie, and Haddon).
Hope for NLCC: "I hope NLCC embodies her mission statement, to be a local church that exists to glorify God by making disciples who grow in their faith in Jesus and their love for one another. On a more personal note, I hope God uses me to equip men and women to go where I cannot go and continue disciple-making there, the future beyond my life."