Our Lead Pastor
BIO
John & Zorana Nguyen and son Ian
I currently serve as the Minister of Congregational Care at First Baptist Church in Covington, LA. I have the honor of ministering to a wonderful congregation. My primary areas of attention are senior adults and serving with our Celebrate Recovery ministry. With our seniors, I enjoy hearing how God has worked in their lives and how He is working currently. With Celebrate Recovery, I love seeing God’s redemptive work in motion as believers walk through recovery. Before this role, I served as pastor of FBCC’s Hope Church campus. There I greatly enjoyed serving and building community with our members. I have a passion for the study and teaching of scripture, theology and apologetics. I greatly enjoyed using these passions in composing expository sermons each week.
I trusted Christ as Lord and Savior on March 25, 2012. My wife and I call that my Re-birthday which I like. I grew up in a very nominally Christian home. We seldom attended church. Through friends however I became involved in a youth group as a “Wednesday night only” kid. Fast forward to my freshman year of college. Upon the invitation of a friend, who is now my wife, I visited a church plant in the area. During the Pastor’s sermon the Holy Spirit pressed on my heart. That I night I called Christ my king. Now, these 10 years later, God has been so good to me. I’m blessed with a family I didn’t have and a calling to ministry I never would have considered a decade ago.
Zorana and I have been married since 2013. We have a 4 year old son named Ian and a newborn baby girl, Audrey. Some of my personal interests include good coffee, cycling, apologetics, and things with motors. Educationally, I have enjoyed my studies and plan to pursue a Ph.D. in the future.
Ministry Objective:
My life’s aim is the pursuit of obedience to Lord Jesus. I believe all disciples of Jesus have a call to serve the Kingdom in one way or another. As one called to vocational ministry, I want to teach, love, serve, and lead the local church so that she may advance Christ’s Kingdom. I aim to see the church carry out Christ’s commands to love God, love people, and make disciples (Mt. 22:37-40; 28:18-20).
Personal Information:
Birth Date: June 24, 1992
Family: Zorana Nguyen, Ian (4 yr./old), and newborn Audrey
Ordination: June of 2014 at First Baptist Church, Collins, MS
Ministry Experience:
First Baptist Church; Covington, LA 2017-
Present
Minister of Congregational Care (January 2022- present)
• Primary Responsibilities – Minister to seniors, Leadership in Celebrate Recovery; Visitation of infirmed, homebound, and assisted living residents; Teach a Connect Group class; Lead worship through music and teaching at assisted living homes; Identify those with care needs for pastoral team and deacons; Evangelism.
• Growth and Effectiveness – Established 2 new worship services at care homes; Developed a strategy for congregational care across variety of needs; Further developed a strategy for tracking care needs for individual members.
Campus Pastor (2017-21)
• Primary Responsibilities – Lead and minister to the Hope Church Campus congregation; Visitation; Lead in discipleship, worship, administration, preaching and outreach.
• Growth and Effectiveness – Increase in consistent attendance post-lockdown; Growth of individual disciples; Increased general understanding of the call of disciples within the church; Growth in biblical study; Increased evangelistic witness in the Bush area.
First Baptist Church; Collins, MS 2014-16
Youth Pastor
• Primary Responsibilities – Lead in outreach and discipleship of students 7th -12th grade within the church body and the Collins community; Organize youth events, camp, Bible study, and worship.
• Growth and Effectiveness – Reached students in the community, some of whom trusted Christ; Students increased in their understanding of discipleship and evangelism; Students grew as a community, welcoming new students easily.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 2013
Co-Volunteer Youth Minister
• Primary Responsibilities – Serve with other volunteers and youth committee; Aid in planning and chaperoning mission trips and camp; Lead in bible study; Help with worship ministry.
• Growth and Effectiveness – Grew in relationship with students; Involved in practical counsel.
Baptist Student Union 2012
President and Intern
• Primary Responsibilities – Be a warm and welcoming presence at BSU building; Lead bible study; Serve on praise team; Aid BSU director in various ways.
• Growth and Effectiveness – Bible study funneled students to other BSU activities and outreach: Connected with students through outreach events.
Education:
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary 2016-21
M.Div. with Specialization in Christian Apologetics
William Carey University 2013-16
B.A. Biblical Studies
Pearl River Community College 2011-13
Secular Work Experience:
Shipt Delivery, Driver 2021
CC’s Coffee House, Barista 2019-21