PASTORS
In 2005, while still a student at the seminary in Louisville and while still serving at First Baptist Church Fairdale, Josh married his Ecuadorian wife Valeria, whom he had met at North Greenville College in SC and who was also studying at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Together, they continued serving and loving the youth of Fairdale. In 2006, Josh obtained his Master of Divinity in Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Later that same year, Josh and Valeria decided to move from Louisville to Fairdale to be more involved in the community. They now have three sons, Joshua Carl, Jr., “JJ”, Eli, and Noah and daughters Carolina and Liliana. They love being a part of the community and enjoy taking family walks around Fairdale in the evenings.
Josh and Valeria both have passionate hearts for ministry. Together they have now been discipling teens and adults in Fairdale for ten plus years, and they have formed many meaningful relationships over the years. Also, they are both strongly interested in international ministry. Josh has been on several short-term mission trips to various countries and Valeria has either lived or served in many parts of the world. They desire to see FBC Fairdale become more and more of a missions-minded church.
Josh and Valeria’s whole lives are committed to following Jesus Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through them in order to show Jesus Christ as an all-satisfying treasure to others, that they too may embrace and follow Him.
Jake joined the military directly out of high school and served as a Seabee in the United States Navy for 5 years. While in the military he was displaced to south Mississippi where the influence of Godly friends encouraged him to join a local church. From the teaching he received there and the circumstances that God brought into his life Jake began really grow in his understanding of scripture and love for God.
Around the age of 23 Jake felt a call to vocational ministry and decided to pursue a theological education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Through his time in South Mississippi Jake met his now-wife, Samantha. They married in the spring of 2011 and moved to Louisville to pursue Southern Seminary together. In the spring of 2014 they both graduated from the undergraduate program, Boyce College. Jake is now bi-vocational, working at Humana and FBCF and Samantha stays at home with their children, Graham, Charlie Joy, Jack, and Crew. They are both excited that God has brought them to Fairdale and look forward to all that He will accomplish in and throughout the community.
After graduating high school in 1999, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and Biblical Languages from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee graduating in 2003. He served a local church near the university as their youth pastor from 2000 until the winter of 2004. In 2004, he became a member of Cornerstone Community Church (SBC) in Jackson, TN and served there in a pastoral ministry internship program regularly teaching, preaching, and being mentored by the church’s seasoned pastors. As part of this internship, he was also able to serve other churches in the Jackson, TN area and Trinity Baptist Church in Sikeston, MO filling preaching responsibilities when their pastors were absent.
At the end of 2005, Josh moved to Louisville, Kentucky to attend The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. After a few months, he became a member of First Baptist Church Fairdale. His love for the people FBCF and the community of Fairdale grew so quickly that in 2006 he moved from the St. Matthews area to Fairdale and has loved living in this community ever since.
In 2008, Josh graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in Theology and Biblical Languages. After graduation, because of his love for the people of Fairdale and how God was using him at the church, Josh decided to remain in this area.
Since then, has held several jobs working at furniture stores, teaching, organizing chapel, and leading missions at Christian Academy of Indiana, and providing counseling and supervision at a residential group home for boys in Mt. Washington. At the same time, he was busy serving the church and people of Fairdale in many capacities. At one time or another, he has served the church as Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Director, children’s teacher, fill-in preacher, member and chairman of the church’s Deacons, church custodian, church moderator, and as a member and chairman of the church’s Personnel, Nominations, and Constitution and By-Laws Revision Committees. He has also represented the church as a board member of the Fairdale Area Community Ministries.
In 2015, the church ordained Josh to the Gospel ministry affirming his calling and qualification as a pastor. After serving a church in Oklahoma City briefly, he was excited to return to FBCF and begin serving as the church’s Associate Pastor for Teaching in 2017. In this role, Josh is excited about seeing the members of FBCF growing in grace and maturity in Christ as the Holy Spirit is at work in them.
It is Josh’s conviction that the Word of God is a sure foundation that is powerful and able to change people’s lives. He stands on it as the final authority along with the members of FBCF.
After graduating high school he attended college at Eastern Kentucky University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. While attending EKU he met and married his wife Elizabeth in 2000. After graduation, they returned to the Louisville area and got involved with leading in a local church youth group. It was during this time that Matt felt a call to the Gospel Ministry. He began attending The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and working on a Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling. Since that time he has served in various rolls including Youth Pastor, Interim Worship Leader, and Children’s Ministry Director.
Matt and Liz are foster/adoptive parents and have 6 children; Caitlyn, Caleb, Carter, Cooper, Damien and Daniel. They often joke that having so many kids is almost like having a children’s ministry department right at home. They believe that adoption is a beautiful thing and that it is a picture of the Gospel. Reflecting the adoption that believers experience when they become part of God’s family.
In their spare time, Matt works as a Telecommunication’s Engineer and Liz serves the community as an Elementary School teacher.
STAFF
Andrew attended college at the University of Central Florida, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. During his time at UCF, he met and began dating his wife, Jessica. After graduating in 2017, he moved to Louisville to attend Southern Seminary and pursue his call to vocational ministry.
Andrew and Jessica joined First Baptist Church of Fairdale in 2019, where Andrew currently leads the music ministry and college ministry. After completing his Masters in Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2021, Andrew continues to work as the Director of Life Change Recovery Program at Re:Center Ministries – a local non-profit that serves the homeless in downtown Louisville. Andrew and Jessica have a daughter, Eloise, born in September of 2021.
After graduation, she worked part-time at Mother’s Day Out at Highview Baptist church and served in the preschool ministry as a member. Following the birth of their first daughter, Maylie Grace, in 2011, Mary Catherine began life as a stay at home mom while continuing to offer childcare for other families. In 2014, the Andersons moved to south Louisville and welcomed their second child, Laney Rose. Around this time, they began to look for a church close to their new home and soon became members at FBC Fairdale. In her free time, Mary Catherine loves reading, playing games with her family, and cheering for the Green Bay Packers. She is passionate about pointing children to Jesus and equipping families to disciple their children.
Chris attended college at Western Kentucky University, where he earned a degree in International Business. During his years at college, God gave Chris the desire for international ministry, and He provided Chris opportunities to serve through ministry to international students and overseas trips. He met his wife, Elizabeth, while serving together in campus ministry and in their local church, and they married in March 2020.
Chris and Elizabeth have a love for international ministry both here and abroad, and they plan to one day soon move overseas. They love their church at FBC Fairdale, and they’re excited to see how God will use it, in Fairdale and also across the world.
Chris currently works for Expeditors, a global logistics company. He loves hiking, board games, and playing pretty much any sport.
After high school, Garth felt the call to study the Bible and so he attended North Greenville University where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Christian Studies. While at North Greenville, Garth met his wife Emily. After graduating in April of 2015. Garth and Emily got married and moved to Louisville, Kentucky for Garth to pursue a Masters of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Garth and Emily became members of FBCF in December of 2015 where they became regular volunteers in the student ministry. In the summer of 2021 after serving as a volunteer, Garth became the Student Minister. Garth is now bi-vocational, working at both Chick-fil-A and FBCF and Emily is a stay at home mom to their sons Liam and Layton. They love working with and serving the students at FBCF and are excited to see how God will change the lives of students in Fairdale in the coming years.
DEACONS
Left to Right: Mike Stivers, Doug Williams, Cedrick Jones, Gary Johnson, Marshall Anderson, Brad Overstreet, Dan Pomeroy, Andy Huff, Curtis McBroom.
