Our Pastors
Pastor Wayne & Donna Hart
Pastor Hart’s testimony:
For the first 11 years of my life I did not know the Lord in a personal way. When I was in the 5th grade our family moved to a small island near Seattle. It was there at Bainbridge First Baptist Church, after hearing the Word of God preached for several months, that I became convicted of my sin and need for a Savior. I realized that Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again that I might have eternal life. By faith I believed and was saved in December of 1967. I was baptized shortly after.
By the time I entered high school four years later, I knew that God was calling me to be a pastor. In order to prepare for His service, I entered Faith Baptist Bible College. While there I met my wife and we were married after our junior year. We both graduated from Faith and then I continued my education at Denver Baptist Theological Seminary. God has blessed our marriage with three wonderful boys who are each now married and serving the Lord faithfully.
After seminary graduation in 1984, I became the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Xenia, Ohio, ministering there for twenty-two years. In November of 2006 I accepted the call to become the pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church. My desire is to help people find life and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
Pastor Paul & Alne Hartog
Pastor Paul Hartog grew up in Iowa, Texas, Indiana, Montana, and Missouri. He received his ministry education from Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary (as well as non-ministry degrees from universities). He has held previous youth pastor positions in Slater, Iowa, and Romeoville, Illinois.
In 2001, he moved from Illinois back to Iowa (his fourth time to reside in the Hawkeye state). He became youth director at Maranatha Baptist Church in February of 2004 and assistant pastor in May of 2005. He considers his greatest asset in youth ministry to be his wife/sweetheart Alne. Their young family includes three children.
Pastor Mark & Janice Stupka
Personal Testimony & Ministry of Pastor Mark Stupka
MY CONVERSION…
I was blessed with Christian parents and grandparents who taught me about Jesus and took me to church from the time I was born. When I was seven years of age, my mother took me to some special evangelistic meetings at our church. That night the evangelist used charts and visuals to capture my attention and help me to see my need of a Savior. At that time I realized that I was a sinner in need of God’s saving grace. I prayed with our pastor that night and asked God to forgive my sins and save me. I was baptized soon afterwards. I thank the Lord for Christian parents and the positive influence they have had on my life.
MY CALL TO THE MINISTRY…
The Lord worked in my heart in a special way when I was a teenager attending Sr. High Camp at Clear Lake. A missionary speaker gave a challenge one day, and I realized that I needed to dedicate my life to Christ. That day I told the Lord that I would do whatever He wanted me to do. God didn’t immediately direct me into full-time Christian service, but I continued to grow in my walk with the Lord during those teen years. I was active in my youth group, and I helped with VBS each summer. When I attended the Youth Conference at Faith Baptist Bible College during my senior year of high school, I felt the Lord leading me to attend Faith. I didn’t expect to attend Faith for more than a year, but God had other plans. While at college I became involved in athletics and musical ministries, and I felt that the Lord was leading me toward some type of full-time ministry. While working in VBS after my freshman year of college, I realized that God was leading me to become a teacher. I enrolled in the Christian School Program at Faith and received my Bachelor’s Degree in Bible and Christian School Education in 1984. I have been teaching ever since, and I’ve realized that God can use my teaching abilities in many different settings. He has opened many doors for me as a teacher, coach, Christian school administrator, interim Bible camp director, professor, and now…an assistant pastor!
MY PREVIOUS MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES…
After graduating from college, God led my wife and me to a ministry at Grace Baptist Church in Owatonna, Minnesota. We served there for eight years. I taught sixth grade for six years and second grade for two years. I was also involved with coaching basketball and soccer. I was a deacon in the church for several years, and Janice and I were in charge of the children’s church ministry. Our two older children, Bethany and Andrew, were born during our time in Owatonna.
God then led our young family to Grandview Park Baptist Church and School in Des Moines. I served as the elementary principal in the school, and Janice and I were actively involved in the children’s ministries of the church. Our daughter, Tiffany, was born while we were members at Grandview Park. During my third year there, I was contacted by a small Christian school in my hometown. They asked me to consider becoming the principal of the Kanawha Christian School. After much prayer, I accepted the position. I served at KCS as the school principal and the junior high teacher and coach for four years. At that time our family attended my home church, Holmes Baptist Church, near Clarion, Iowa. While there, I served as a deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, and teacher.
During my final year at KCS I was contacted by Faith Baptist Bible College and asked to serve there as a part-time professor. I taught a couple of classes and enjoyed it very much. God then opened the door in the fall of 1999 for me to begin teaching full-time at Faith. I’m now in my eleventh year of teaching in the Christian School Department of the college. Our youngest child, Nathan, was born ten years ago just days after the rest of the family became members here at Maranatha Baptist Church. I have served as a deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, VBS director, and choir member during my years here. My family and I are excited to see how God will use us in this new role at Maranatha!
