As we await the arrival of our new,  Lead Pastor, we gratefully acknowledge the Lord knows whom He has called here next, and we prayerfully await his arrival, knowing we are in The Good Shepherd's Capable Hands. 

Dr. D.M. "Woody" Woodward

Woody Woodward was born December 9, 1952, on Lackland Air Force base & grew up in Houston, TX. He believed in Jesus for eternal life in Vacation Bible School at age 11 in a Southern Baptist Church. After graduating pre-med from UT Austin, he joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ where he met his wife, Tracie, a corn-fed farmer's daughter from northwest Iowa. Tracie is descended from Swedish immigrants and grew up in Meriden Evangelical Free Church. Woody and Tracie traveled the West Coast as vocalists in a Campus Crusade for Christ music group called The Great Commission Company. Woody left Crusade staff in 1980 for Dallas Theological Seminary where he earned the Master of Theology (ThM) in Pastoral Ministries. After seminary, Woody pastored churches in Iowa, Texas, California, and New Jersey (two of these churches were in the EFCA). He earned his doctorate in preaching under the legendary teacher of preachers, Haddon Robinson at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Woody enjoys teaching, preaching to pastors in Romania, Finland, Sweden, and the U.S.  Tracie and he cherish their three adult children and two granddaughters.  In 2017, Woody joined the staff of Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM), a ministry that began within the EFCA but has now served churches and denominations in all 50 states and several foreign countries.  His great joy is to help churches solve problems and find Pastor Next.  He enjoys golf, guitar, lifting weights, and might very well try mountain biking.

Jennifer is awesome & she has a bio to share ... it's coming soon....

In the church & stage world, AVL stands for "Audio/Visual/Lighting", and Jonas learned from the best during his college days at John Brown University.  

Jonas first served as an intern for 1 year as a volunteer position before coming onto staff in the Spring of 2023.  

Jonas's main role is to serve the worship team & senior pastor & elders in assisting in the organization and preparation of worship services for VBC, both on site in our building, and off-site in other venues, such as Bella Vista's beautiful Mildred B. Cooper Chapel, where VBC regularly invites the community to join in worship for Easter, Christmas, and various other sacred events like our prayer vigil in January to pray against human trafficking.  

Jonas trains, equips, schedules & leads the AVL Team of volunteers (he's always recruiting!) & improving the online presence of our services along with our in person venue, we call the sanctuary or worship center.  

VBC is blessed to have Jonas's skillset & family with us, the son of a pastor/global partner, Jonas has that special, sixth ministry sense that only pastors' kids & mission kids seem to inherit.  Jonas is the grandson of long-time members, Alyce Ely & her late husband, Fred (who helped on the building committee of VBC's current building), and his parents teach English as a global partner with VBC in an island nation near the continent of Asia.  

Hi, I’m Walt Rogers. My family’s roots are deep in the soil of rural north Louisiana. My father was an avid outdoorsman; thus, we hunted, fished, and camped all over Louisiana. I am a graduate of Cedar Creek school in Ruston, Louisiana, and received my undergraduate degree in business from Louisiana Tech University.

At Louisiana Tech, I came to know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. His infectious joy and grace radically changed my life, precipitating a most unexpected change. I planned on becoming an attorney and practicing law in Louisiana; God, however, “wrestled” with my soul, compelling me into vocational ministry. Life is full of surprises. God’s road map led to Colorado where I earned my Master of Divinity (MDiv) at Denver Seminary. (I have also done graduate studies at Reformed Theological Seminary, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and New Geneva Seminary.)

While in Denver I met my wife Connie, a native Coloradoan and my “wonder woman.” We were married on November 19, 1988, and spent the next twenty-six years in Colorado where I planted and pastored churches. Our tenure included living in the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado’s western slopes as well as planting a church on the outskirts of fast-paced Denver. Yes, some must suffer for Jesus in the Rocky Mountains.

Providentially, God brought Jerry Bridges, author and former vice-president of the Navigators, an international disciple-making ministry into my life. Jerry served as my mentor for fifteen years, helping me reproduce disciple makers who went globally to the nations.

In 1995, we planted Harvest Bible Church in Elizabeth, Colorado. God filled our cup to overflowing the next nineteen years. We raised three awesome children: Zachary, Remington, and Savannah (I unashamedly brag on my kids) on 43 acres of property – redneck heaven. Savannah is giving us a late Christmas gift in March – our first granddaughter, Olivia Grace.

Connie and I moved to Bella Vista in 2016 to begin life’s fourth quarter. Yes, the mirror does not lie; we are now senior adults. We joined the church staff in 2022 to help implement VBC’s vision of becoming a multigenerational, disciple-making church.

I also work as an independent insurance broker, helping people enhance their quality of life and protect their most treasured people and possessions.

Blessings,

Walt

Hi I'm Connie & I love getting to serve Jesus & His kids through VBC's Children's Ministry, "Village Kids!".  You know, Psalm 139:16 says “Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began." and this is a wonderful promise from God that causes me to believe God’s plan for my life as it has beautifully unfolded can be summed up as Connie Rogers: Christ follower, wife, mother, and passionate about children's' ministry.

God drew me to Himself at an early age. I first heard about Jesus from our Avon lady. She sold perfume, lotions, and makeup principally through door-to-door visits in our neighborhood. She was so excited about how God had changed her life. More importantly, she exuded Jesus. Her joy and passion were contagious, convincing me I also wanted to know this Jesus. My mother who had no church background began carrying us to church. Through the loving concern of my Sunday school teacher who taught me the Bible – especially the gospel, I believed in Christ and became a Christ follower.

At the risk of oversimplification, God’s plan and purposes for my life encompass a series of mile markers, including:

· An A.A. degree through Rockmont College (now Colorado Christian University).

· A professional career which included working at the Federal Center in Denver, and seven years with Ecology & Environment, an environmental consulting and cleanup company.

· Bachelor of Science degree, Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado.

Walt & I met through our active involvement in Bear Valley Church and married in 1988. God blessed us with three children: Zachary, Remington, and Savannah. Now adults, all three continue to passionately pursue Christ with their spouses and actively serve Him in their respective churches.

God’s calling for my life has largely revolved around children, first my own as a home-schooling mother, then with the children of our church and community. My ministry to children has included:

· Nursery Director, Harvest Bible Church (19 years)

· Vacation Bible School worker (19 years) and director (1 year).

· Awana (17 years)

What a delight to serve our Savior in my ministry to kids. They have been the passion and calling of my life. Walt and I believe God is presently writing the next chapter of our lives at VBC. I feel blessed to be here and delight in investing in our children, watching them grow in their understanding of Christ. Trusting God’s promises, I look forward to what God will do as he brings young families to our church.

Connie Rogers