Pastor for Preaching and Vision
Tony Merida
Pastor, professor, and author, Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church. He has written two books — Orphanology and Faithful Preaching, as well as numerous articles. Tony has a Ph.D. in Preaching and a masters of theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelors degree in education from the University of the Cumberlands, where he played baseball. Tony and his wife, Kimberly, have five children.
Pastor for Disciple-Making
Nathan Akin
Nathan Akin is the Church Partnership Liaison at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Director of Baptist21. He previously served as the College Director at Open Door Baptist Church. Nathan has a masters of divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelors degree in political science from Murray State University, where he played basketball.
Pastor for Corporate Worship
Donnie Hollis
Donnie Hollis has served as a musician in many capacities, both in secular and Christian settings. Donnie has a bachelors degree in religious studies from William Carey University, where he played no sports and set the record for years it took to graduate. He is married to Meghan, and they have one child named Judah.
Pastor for Administration and Member Care
Matt Sigmon
A Carolina native, Matt graduated from Clemson University with a bachelors degree in chemical engineering. Matt and his wife Shauna were married in 1995; since then God has blessed them with four children: Gabrielle, Grace, Caleb and Abraham. Matt holds a masters of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and continues to work as a manager for an engineering company. He also served as a pastoral intern at Open Door Baptist Church.
Imago Dei Church is an elder led church. We view the role of elder and the role of pastor as one and the same. Therefore, those noted as a “Pastors” are “Elders.” In the future, we will be adding more elders/pastors, as potential elders work through the elder training program.
(For qualifications of elders see: 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9, 1 Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 14:19-23; 20:17-35; Phil. 1:1, I Tim. 5:17).