Staff

Matt and his wife Janice have been married since 1999 and have four children: Drew, Nathan, Jake and Ella. Matt joined our staff as Lead Minister after planting and serving a church in Joliet, Illinois for 15 years. He leads our ministry staff and develops our strategic initiatives to connect as many people as possible to Jesus and to each other, helping them become fully devoted disciples of Christ. His hobbies and interests include reading, studying theology, running, fast cars, the Oklahoma Sooners and the San Francisco 49ers.

John has been married to Donna since 1985 and together they have two grown children. Zach is a Youth Pastor in Tallahassee and Jenna teaches at a middle school in Fort Myers. John has been on staff at FCC since 1982. He currently serves as Executive Minister and provides staff oversight for our missions team and for our preschool, Connection Point. John loves the Church and is passionate about helping people be successful in living out their faith. He also loves spending time with his family and the Tennessee VOLS!

Sean serves as the Executive Minister at FCC, where he has been on staff since 2018. He is passionate about leading with integrity, building strong teams, and helping people grow in their faith. Sean is married to his incredibly patient wife, Amy, and together they are raising two amazing kids who love music, art, and video games. Outside of ministry, Sean enjoys running, biking, spending time with friends, and, most of all, being with his family. His steady leadership and relational approach make him a trusted voice in both church and community life.

Alycia is married to her Husband, Daniel and together they have three kids Bailey, Marcus and Cooper. Alycia has been the children’s minister at FCC since 2020. Her desire is to support & encourage kids as they find and follow Jesus. In her free time, Alycia enjoys roller skating, cooking, and being with her family and friends.

Justin and Morgan have been married since August 2015. They have three kids, Macey, JB & Tate. They also have two dogs, Luna and Maya. Together they have been serving in full-time student ministry since 2015. Justin has a heart for building relationships and helping students become Kingdom workers!

Marcus loves Jesus! After coming on board in the summer of 2023 to serve in children’s ministry, he has transitioned to help lead the student ministry at FCC. Marcus has a burning heart for Gen-Z, believing that many of his generation will come to know, love, and follow Jesus Christ. He is passionate about people and you can almost always find him in the company of others. If you have any good book or song recommendations, he's the guy to take them!

Jimmy Akers is a dreamer and creative that follows Jesus, loves his family & shares hope. He is originally from Baltimore, Maryland but now lives in Southwest, Florida with his wife, their world changer and 2 pups. He has been in pastoral ministry since 2005 and serving globally in missions since 2017.

As the Worship Minister at FCC, Jimmy leads our Worship Minister while also serving on the preaching team, and providing pastoral care.

He also serves as a Missions Storyteller with Family Partners of New International, and travels as a speaker, worship leader and advocate on behalf of vulnerable children and families in Kenya.

His spare time is spent as the Hope Delivery Guy at DontDoLifeAlone.com. Jimmy enjoys writing books and songs, creating podcasts, workshops, courses, Lego masterpieces and other creative things.

A SWFL resident since the 1980s, Jessica initially joined the ministry staff of FCC in 2019 as Communications, but later transitioned to Associate Worship Minister. In this role, she leads our Production Ministry, while also helping our Worship Ministry, and provides direction and design of our digital, print & video media. Jess has experience across many diverse industries and ministries, but she is most passionate about using the arts to emphasize God as a loving Father and Creator. She is also devoted to causes such as Mental Health/Soul Care and Eating Disorder Recovery. When not at the office, Jess enjoys spending quality time with her family, friends, dogs, Martin guitar and Disney+ account. She is also an avid fan of all things New England and the Florida Gators.

Melissa joined the FCC staff in the summer of 2022 after living fifteen years serving in Bulgaria as a missionary with her husband, Gabe, and their four children. Melissa now serves as the Connections Minister and loves creating pathways for everyone who comes to FCC to connect to Jesus and each other so that they may grow as practicing followers of Jesus. She loves reading, dark chocolate, and time spent in authentic community.

Becky is a widow who has three grown children: Whitney, Rachelle, and Holly; 11 grandchildren (6 originals and five bonus); and three bonus great grandchildren. At FCC, Becky is responsible for interacting with the older generations of our church body and helping them remain connected. She also directs our Club 90 Ministry.

Adam joined our staff as our Facilities Manager during the summer of 2023. In February of 2024 he married Amy who he met at FCC. He is part of the worship team as a drummer and as a soundboard tech. His family is very musically inclined, with his father being a drummer, his mother playing the keyboard, one brother plays guitar and the other brother plays bass. Adam’s passion is to figure out and fix things, but when he isn’t working, he loves playing basketball, attending national air-soft events, and drag strip racing in Bradenton, FL.

Laura has been married to Nate for 22 years and they have one son Cooper, who is a student at Florida State University. She has been the preschool director at Connection Point since its inception in 2017 and has been in education for 37 years. Laura and her staff strive to create relevant experiences that equip children and their families to achieve their full potential socially, spiritually, and educationally. She loves to read and cook, lift weights, spend time with her family and friends, and is passionate about all things Seminoles.

Karen first came to FCC after moving to Florida in 2019 and immediately felt at home, falling in love with both the staff and the congregation. In addition to being our Administrative Assistant she also serves on the Production Team and leads the Communion Team. Karen is passionate about serving others and pointing them to Jesus. She also leads as the Director of Ends Equestrians—a branch of Ends Adventures—that uses Christ-centered adventure activities to share the hope of the Gospel with youth around the world. In her free time, Karen enjoys cycling, running, horseback riding, and spending time with her son, Mitchell, and her golden retriever, Gus.

Michael is passionate for people to experience renewal, growth, and depth in their relationship with Christ and others. He loves the church, building the Kingdom, and making disciples who make disciples. After 20+ years in Anchorage, Alaska working as a teacher and a pastor, he currently serves as a state-side missionary with New International and Ends of the Earth Cycling. Michael is married to Tara and they have four children: Nolan, Wyatt, Eden, and Jack.

Tallulah loves Jesus, coffee, music, and just about anything involving good food! She has been part of FCC since her sophomore year of high school and now serves in our Student Ministry as a small group leader while also helping lead in our Young Adult Ministry. Tallulah married her high school sweetheart, John, and loves spending time with him and their friends. When she’s not serving at church, you’ll probably find her reading, listening to music and having a full-on concert in her car, or trying a new food. She’s also an avid fisherman and is always on the lookout for a great fishing spot—so if you know one, be sure to send it her way!

Noah has been part of FCC since 2023 and joined our Residency Program in the summer of 2026. As the oldest of three siblings, with a younger brother and sister, Noah has always enjoyed being around people. He’s a true people person and loves showing the love of Jesus by spending time with others, building relationships, and getting to know just about anyone and everyone. When Noah isn’t serving at FCC, you’ll likely find him playing basketball, pickleball, or volleyball, enjoying a day at the beach, or grabbing lunch with friends. He also enjoys watching anime, thrifting for clothes, listening to music, and working out. Wherever people are, there’s a good chance you’ll find Noah there too!

Garrett serves as a Resident at First Christian Church with a shepherd’s heart and a passion for sharing the Gospel that changed his life. Called to youth ministry in 2025, Garrett loves creating opportunities to help students know Jesus, grow in their faith, and experience the love of Christ. Whether he’s teaching a Sunday morning class or making a quick sorbet run to Publix with students, Garrett wouldn’t want to spend his time any other way. Garrett is one of six kids and the younger middle child in his family. He also shares life with his two dogs, Molly and Finley. Outside of church, Garrett loves spending time with friends, playing volleyball, and going out to eat. His other hobbies include pickleball, working out, building LEGO sets, archery, video games, anime, and sketching. And if you really want to get Garrett talking, just ask him about The Legend of Zelda!