Staff

Dan Russell | Senior Pastor

pastor-dan-d.jpgPastor Dan Russell, a graduate of Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Trinity Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana has 28 years of pastoral experience, serving in five different churches from Missouri, Kansas, and here in Michigan. He has been the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Park since 1996.

Pastor Dan is known for is love of God and God’s Word, his pastoral care of the congregation, and his zeal to reach out to the lost. He oversees the ministry of the church by supervising the pastoral staff, managing the week to week ministries of the church, and following God’s leading as to the future ministry of the church.

Pastor Dan is also involved in the community by providing leadership for the Lincoln Park Ministers’ Association, and sitting on the YMCA Board of Directors, and teaching as an Adjunct Professor for Cornerstone University in the Metro Detroit Area.

Pastor Dan’s life verse Scripture is Philippians 1:20-21. “My earnest expectation and hope is that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death. For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Currently, Pastor Dan resides in the Downriver area with his wife JoLinda and three children, Ryan, Rebecca, and Rachel.

To contact Pastor Dan, you can send him an email through our contact page, or you can give him a call at (313) 382-1272.

Dan Gifford | Youth Pastor

dan-gifford-d.jpgDan Gifford recently became our Youth Pastor here at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Park back in July of 2007. Before coming to our church, Dan graduated from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio and was serving as a Church Intern with Willo-Hill Baptist Church in Willoughby, Ohio where his father is the Senior Pastor.

Although it has been quite the adjustment as he has had to get use to living on his own and being in a new area, Dan is confident that God has placed him at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Park for a reason. He loves the ministry that God has blessed him with here and is excited about the things that God is doing in the lives of our youth.

Dan enjoys serving in many different areas in the church from teaching youth, leading worship from his guitar, and any other areas that have needs to be filled. His desire is to see our youth strive toward becoming like Christ as they make decisions to obey God in every day situations.

One of Dan’s favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” It is a constant reminder to him that he does not have to live as a slave to sin because he is a new creation in Christ. His old life without Christ has passed away and he is now living a new life in Christ.

If you need to get in touch with Dan regarding any Youth Group related matters, you can send him an email through our contact page, or call the church office at (313) 382-1272.

Bonnie Pyle | Church Secretary

bonnie-pyle-d.jpgBonnie was born and raised in Mt. Clemens, Michigan until her sophomore year of high school, at which time her parents moved to Port Huron, Michigan. She has been married to her best friend and husband, Pete for 31 years and enjoys her four children and four grandchildren.

It was during her first year at St. Clair Community College that Bonnie was introduced to Christ as Savior. Desiring to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, she transferred to Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee where she spent a year studying in the Missions Program.

Though she has only had the opportunity to serve the Lord through missions (a short-term trip to Brazil), Bonnie has a great burden for reaching others with the Gospel and helping them to grow in their faith.

Over the years, she has served the Lord in many capacities including teaching, counseling, and serving through church boards and committees. Bonnie is presently studying to become certified as a licensed Christian counselor. Her hearts desire, now, is to be used by God to bring others to an understanding of who they are in Christ and to help them to trust Him to live through them.

Bonnie has been serving as secretary of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Park since 2003.

To contact Bonnie Pyle, you can send her an email through our contact page, or you can give her a call at (313) 382-1272.