Leadership
Senior Pastor – Ian M. Dent
Pastor Ian accepted the church’s call to become its first pastor in August 2007. Born in Des Plaines, IL, Pastor Ian made his way south as quickly as he could. He moved to South Carolina with his family in 1978 and graduated from high school in 1981. While attending Winthrop College (now University), he made the decision to enlist in the United States Navy. After serving honorably for twenty-three years in the submarine community, he retired as a Master Chief Machinist’s Mate in September 2006.
While in the Navy, Pastor Ian completed the Nuclear Power training pipeline as well as numerous technical and leadership schools. Additionally, Ian has an associate’s degree in general studies, a B.A. and M.A in Pastoral Studies, a B.S. in Liberal Arts (emphasis in leadership, administration, and sociology), and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Leadership.
Pastor Ian met Kari while attending Winthrop. They were married on May 17, 1986 (Kari’s birthday) in Orangeburg, SC and have lived, courtesy of the Navy, in Washington, Alabama, and Connecticut before moving to Georgia in 1994 to be stationed in Kings Bay. Ian and Kari live in St. Marys with their son Seth, 18, a full time student at Coastal Georgia Community College and their daughter Amelia, 14, a home schooled eighth grader.
Administrator - Tom Reaves
Tom Reaves serves as our Church Administrator and handles the administrative and business aspects of the church as well as a variety of other duties. Born and raised in Columbia, SC, Tom earned a B.S. in Operational Management with a minor in Computer Science from Coker College in Hartsville, SC in 1996. His real life education came as a result of starting and running several businesses. In 2003, Tom decided to close these businesses and joined the United States Navy. Tom currently serves honorably in the Navy’s submarine force.
Tom met Sara Beth while attending a college bible study at the University of South Carolina and married in June of 2000. Tom and Sara Beth have two boys and are eagerly awaiting the birth of their third in mid-November. Jud is seven years old and is a home schooled second grade student at New Hope Christian Acadamy in St. Marys. Harry is four.
Pastor of Young Adults and Small Groups - Lucas Landreth
Pastor Lucas accepted the unanimous call to become the church’s Pastor of Young Adults and Small Groups in October, 2008. Lucas was born in Philadelphia, PA and has lived and traveled to many states as part of a Navy family which makes him a Navy brat. He came to Camden County courtesy of his father’s career in the Navy.
Lucas surrendered to the call to ministry when he was 18. Lucas graduated from Camden County High School in 2001 and from the West Lenoir Baptist School of Ministry with a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 2005. Lucas served as a Youth Pastor at churches in North Carolina and Florida before returning to Georgia. Lucas and Jessica also serve as the coordinators of the HeBrews Young Adult ministry of the Lighthouse FM 89.3.
Lucas and Jessica met while Lucas was serving as youth pastor in Central Florida where Jessica was raised. They were married in March 2008 and live in St. Marys.
Youth Pastor - Tim Jones
Tim accepted the unanimous call in June 2008 to become Camden Crossroads’ first Youth Pastor. Tim was born in Greenville, SC and grew up in St. Marys. He works with students to teach and influence spiritual growth in their daily lives. Shortly after graduating from Camden County High School, he began ministering as a volunteer with the Rock Youth Ministry, and on-site campus ministry of the Lighthouse FM 89.3. Recognizing God’s call to youth ministry, Tim later served as Lighthouse FM’s Youth and Young Adult Director for The Rock and HeBrews as well as duties for on-air ministry. Tim and Brittney met through friends at HeBrews and were married in July 2007 with Pastor Ian officiating. Tim and Brittney live in St. Marys with their dog Brody.
Director of Missions - Kari Dent
Kari serves as the Director of Missions at Camden Crossroads. She was born in Orangeburg, SC and graduated from Winthrop College in Rock Hill, SC, in 1986. A week after graduating from college, she married Ian and moved to Washington state, thus beginning their journey as a Navy family.
Kari was raised in a Christian home where church was a big part of her family’s life. Her hero was her pastor as well as the many missionaries with whom her family came into contact through the work of their church. Saved at the age of nine, she always felt God’s hand upon her life and became a serious student of the Word at the age of thirteen. Several years ago she began to read great Christian biographies, many of whom were missionaries – Brother Andrew, Darlene Diebler Rose, Gladys Aylward, Isobel Kuhn, Amy Carmichael. These had a tremendous impact on her perspective toward reaching the world for Christ.
After developing a missions program for children at a former church and seeing the children’s enthusiasm for world missions as well as doing mission work in Romania, Kari knew that God had placed a passion in her heart to teach and encourage all ages the importance of Christ’s command to His disciples in Acts 1:8 – “. . . and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” – and in Mark 16:15 – “. . . Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
It is Kari’s desire to see every disciple of Christ, first of all, to study God’s Word for himself, and, secondly, to go on a short-term mission trip.
