Deacons

Staff

Elders

Deacons

Gateway is committed to plurality leadership that includes both elders and deacons. What are deacons? They are a group of men in the church who are set apart to help meet the physical and material needs of the body. We believe that Acts 6 shows the first deacons serving to meet the needs that arose in the early church, while 1 Timothy 3 shows it to be a group of men who meet certain qualifications who are then set apart in the church to serve the Lord by serving the church family.

At the bottom of this page you will find a form you can use to contact any of Gateway's deacons.

ALEX HOOD

Deacon for Campus Security & Safety

Alex met Patsy in 2012 and has been married to her since 2016. They have one daughter, Helen, who was born in January 2022. Alex first started attending Gateway in 2010 after moving to Montgomery from Madison, Alabama, for college. He graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery with a bachelor’s in psychology and then went on to get his master’s degree in public administration. Alex is a Paramedic and currently is the Area Supervisor at Excelsior Ambulance, as well as the Owner/CEO of his own safety training company called “Emergency Solutions”. Alex and Patsy are both members of the Pike Road Fire Department and enjoy serving the community through EMS. Alex also enjoys teaching life-guarding classes, scuba diving, listening to audio books, and spending time with family. His favorite books are Joy at Work, Extreme Ownership, and New Morning Mercies.

ERIC BUTTERFIELD

Deacon for Church Management Software (CMS)

Eric married Trish in 2004, and four years later they welcomed their son Matthias. They first started attending Gateway in 2009 after moving to Montgomery. They moved out of state for five years, but returned to Gateway in 2016. Eric serves in Gateway's youth ministry and Helping Our Public Education System (HOPES) ministry. He has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA from St. Edward's University. Eric is President of Upspire Consulting, which provides information technology consulting and project management services. He is an avid ultimate frisbee player and enjoys traveling with his family to experience new cultures and cuisines.

JOHN GLASSCOCK

Deacon for Ordinances and Web Site Management

John is married to Lisa, and they have two daughters, Robin and Sara. They first started attending Gateway in 2017. John has a B.S. in History and Political Science from Troy University and a M.Ed. in Secondary History Education from AUM. He currently works as the Director of Institutional Effectiveness at AUM. John has done mission trips to Idaho, Wyoming, and Uganda, and is excited about ways to engage Gateway with missions. He enjoys college football, hockey, photography, drumming, reading military history, and spending time with his family.

KYLE WHATLEY

Deacon for Parent Care and Facility Management

Kyle and his wife Kayla were married in 2013 and have five children: Margaret, Weldon, Riggs, Winnie, and Ford. They have been part of Gateway since 2011. Kyle is the owner and operator of Target Lawn Care, which specializes in turf treatments for weed control and fertilization. He enjoys serving on the praise team, Chicago Cubs baseball, woodworking, and anything outdoors. Some of his favorite authors are Tim Keller, Paul David Tripp, and John Piper. He also enjoys listening to podcasts, sermons, and audiobooks. In addition, his wife, Kayla, serves as Gateway's preschool director

MIKE PRESLEY

Deacon for Sunday Morning Operations and Men's Ministry

Mike and his family have attended Gateway since 2018. He and his wife Amy were married in March 2006 and have two sons, Benjamin and Noah. Mike is the communications chief for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree in public relations and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Christian ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He loves traveling to new places with his family, listening to all kinds of music, playing drums, and leading hiking and backpacking trips to explore God's creation. He is passionate about helping others grow in their faith in Christ and developing Christian community within the church, especially among men. Some of his favorite books include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, John Muir essay collections, and The Reason for God by Tim Keller.

RON BURKE

Deacon for Facility Management

Ron and his wife DeRita have been married since 1978. They have three adult children (Joshua, Jennifer, and Benjamin) who are married, and seven grandchildren. They have been part of Gateway since 2017. Ron is a 1981 graduate of Auburn University, and currently works for Caddell Construction as a Senior Estimator and Estimating IT. In his free time he enjoys fishing, wood carving, bowling, coin collecting, and reading. Some of his favorite books include The Green Letters by Mile Stanford, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and anything by Andrew Murray.

SHIN JEONG

Deacon for Facility Management

Shin moved to the US from Korea in 2004. He and Alycia met at Baptist Collegiate Ministries at the University of Central Arkansas, where they both graduated from. They were married in 2010, moved to Montgomery, and have been part of Gateway ever since. Shin has worked as a realtor and property manager in the River Region since 2015. He enjoys spending time at home with his three sons, as well as traveling as a family to Korea and around the US.

Contact a Deacon

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