Our Pastors
Northridge Baptist Church was started in the late 1980's. We first began as several Bible neighborhood Bible studies. Pastor Bill Primrose and Earl Dannenberg (a former missionary to Africa, and a professor at Faith Baptist Bible College at the time) were instrumental in beginning this work.
Earl Dannenberg assumed the position of interim pastor when Pastor Primrose resigned. Pastor Dannenberg led the church for about 1-1/2 years, until Pastor Kevin Subra was called as pastor in April of 1996.
Pastor Kevin Subra served in a bi-vocational capacity from May of 1996 to April of 2005. He was assisted by several in those nine years, including Pastor Jamie Hart, Pastor Jack Taylor, and Dave Dobson. About 4 years into Kevin's ministry, Randy Smith transitioned from a deacon to the position as an associate pastor.
Around the time Kevin became the pastor of Northridge, God opened the door for us to assist an existing Hispanic ministry under Pastor Daniel Giron. Daniel ministered both in Des Moines and Perry for several years while working a full-time job besides. Eventually Daniel was asked to do more in Perry at the work there. A few weeks after his departure Daniel asked if Northridge would consider having another Spanish work under our umbrella. It is then Pastor Franciso Martinez brought his growing work there. He ministered for several years, until he thought it proper to return to Texas and minister there. Francisco led the Hispanic work to call Kent Spencer in December of 2004. Kent continues to pastor the Hispanic ministry.
In April of 2005, Sean Kelly, also a deacon, was elected to assume the lead pastor position at Northridge when Kevin went to assist a church that was struggling. Randy Smith continued on as an associate pastor.
During the transition of Kevin and Sean, another door was opened to house and help a deaf ministry. Pastor Tony Mendoza brought a small deaf ministry under the umbrella of Northridge in May of 2006. Tony had led a deaf ministry for years, and needed a "home" to grow the work.
In August of 2006, Kevin Subra was re-added to the pastoral team. Sean, Kevin, and Randy serve in bi-vocational capacities as the current pastoral team in our English ministry. Kent continues to lead the Hispanic work, and Tony pastors the ministry to the deaf. Praise God for His calling and equipping of men!
Our People
God has blessed our Northridge church family with the attendance, support, and service of many, many faithful people over the years.
Many men have given themselves in ministry as DEACONS to further God's work at Northridge. Men such as Gus Varela, Earl Dannenberg, Richard Krull, Dan Dirkx, Tim Elliott, Marvin Krieg, Dave Dobson, Lynn Hammel, Randy Smith, Adam Schumacher, Sean Kelly, LaVern Carpenter, Shane Black, Jim Long and Steve Imel come to mind as faithful, godly deacons who gave many, many hours of ministry to serve God and his people, and to help make the Northridge pastors that much more effective. Our current deacons who continues to serve in the same sacrificial way are Jim Long and Steve Imel.
Our Property
God blessed us with a large property with ample room to grow and to minister in a wide variety of ways. Through the years, Northridge has been able to renovate and update this property, and God has continued to supply everything needed to do so. The most recent renovations completed were the re-carpeting of the fellowship hall, and the re-carpeting of the auditorium, including the complete redesign of the stage.
** more history to come -- check back! **