Sam Maxwell
Executive Pastor
[email protected]
703.361.2146 x248
Rev Sam Maxwell and his wife Yuris are excited to be back in Northern Virginia. Prior to MBC, Sam served at the First Baptist Church of Huntsville (AL), and Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, VA. Sam earning two business degrees and a minor, before moving to Northern Virginia where he began his career in advertising. He earned his seminary degree from Baylor University in Waco, TX.
Becky Verner
Director of Traditional Music, Traditional Service Worship Leader, Coordinator for Senior Adult Ministry
[email protected]
703.361.2146 x291
As Director of Traditional Music, I work with over 30 voices in our Sanctuary Choir and with 13 handbell ringers in Evensong Bells and serve as a keyboard musician for our worship times. As a worship leader for our 9:00 am Traditional service, I spend time weekly planning those experiences. We use a variety of musical styles and a number of talented singers and instrumentalists in our worship times.
I serve as the coordinator for our Senior Adult ministry and plan (with a committee) monthly events for our members who are 60 years old and better. I also coordinate our Condolence committees. The women and men on these 3 committees prepare a delicious meal for families who have experienced a loss, which allow these families and their friends a time of sharing and fellowship.
I love the Manassas community and serve as the Artistic Director of the Manassas Chorale and the older group of the Greater Manassas Children’s Choir. In addition to participating in community events throughout the year, I’ve served on a City of Manassas committee and am a member of the American Choral Directors Association. I hold a BME degree from East Carolina University and have done graduate work in Church Music from Shenandoah University. In my free time, I enjoy traveling (3 musical tours of Europe, 3 performances in New York City), shopping and relaxing at home. My family includes Dan, a retired English teacher and current author, two married daughters, Amy and Alyssa, and an undisiplined cat named Nacho.
Kris Callaway
Director of Students and IT
[email protected]
703-36-2146 x228
Kris joined Manassas Baptist with his Parents when they moved to the area a little over 30 years ago. He has been involved in multiple ministries at MBC throughout the years. Kris graduated from James Madison University with a degree in Media Arts and has worked in IT and Media related fields. He has always had a passion working with students. When his son joined Wired, Kris jumped in as a leader teaching small groups and has remained involved. He also serves as a Deacon and provides oversight of IT services for the church. Much to his wife’s chagrin, Kris has more hobbies than time but enjoys emulating a foodie and generally geeking out about tabletop and video games, science fiction, and other flights of fancy.
Kristian Baxter
Director of Finance
[email protected]
703.361.2146 x226
Kristian Baxter comes to Manassas Baptist Church with a great deal of financial experience. She worked at a church in Fort Washington, MD, for over 10 years, holding different positions in the accounting department, and has also worked at a law firm as a client account billing specialist and for other nonprofits in the Washington, DC area. She is a mentor for competitive basketball organization in Manassas, VA. She is a mother to an amazing seven-year-old athletic son, and most of her time is spent in a gym near you. Kristian is excited and ready for the role of finance officer at Manassas Baptist Church.
Teresa Howe
Human Resources Generalist & Facilities Scheduling
Teresa Howe and her husband, Jon, moved to Northern Virginia in 2013. They, along with their 5 daughters, currently reside in Manassas and began attending Manassas Baptist Church in 2019. Teresa received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cumberland University and joined the MBC team with 9 years of experience working in Human Resources. In addition to her role at MBC, she also homeschools her daughters, teaches English online to students around the world, and volunteers her time as a Unit Leader with American Heritage Girls. With any free time she has left, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending quality time with her family.
Esther Ung
Director of Contemporary Worship
As Director of Contemporary Worship, Esther works with 3 gifted teams, which consists of Audio/Visual/Lighting, Broadcast, and Vocals/Instrumentalists. Esther creates and organizes programs within the church, disciples team members, and coordinates worship services with advanced technology. As a worship leader for our 11:15 AM Contemporary Service, Esther spends time in prayer, preparing worship sets, and facilitating training sessions for new recruits. She studied Music Education at Florida International University. Since then, she has been involved in Elementary, Youth, and Worship Ministry. In her free time, she loves to explore and learn various types of instruments, play sports (especially Ping-Pong), work out, travel, and, most of all, enjoy different types of cuisines.
Jeff Lee
Director of Contemporary Worship Audio-Visual
As the Audio-Visual Director of Contemporary worship, Jeff works alongside Esther to raise a group of passionate worshipers expressing themselves through music and technology. He believes that a unified worship that is birthed out of prayer and intimacy with God will create an atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to bring awakening and transformation to this community and beyond. Jeff received his undergraduate degree from UTEP in 1999 and his masters from Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, CA, in 2004. Since then, he has been involved in youth, pastoral, and worship ministry. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking through national parks, listening to music, playing the guitar, eating lobster rolls, and spending time with his niece and nephew.
Pat Mackey
Front Office Coordinator
I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. I later relocated to the Chicago area and worked for several years as an Assistant Vice President of Construction Escrow and a Mortgage Broker for a title company. I later transitioned into Church Administration where I oversaw church operations at Calvary Baptist Church in Glenwood, Illinois. After many years in Chicago, I relocated to Manassas, Virginia in 2005. I became the Senior Executive Assistant to the Pastor for 18 years at Antioch Baptist Church in Fairfax Station.
I have 2 children and 4 grandchildren. I enjoy reading, exercising, traveling, planting beautiful flowers, and spending time with family and friends. My favorite scripture is Psalm 103:1 “Bless the Lord oh my Soul and all That is within me.” This scripture is the essence, and epitome of how I live my life.
Mrs. Vernetta Brown
Manassas Baptist Preschool Director
Vernetta Brown, the Director of Manassas Baptist Preschool, is excited to introduce a Christ- based early childhood program to our young children of Manassas, Virginia. The majority of her vocational experience has been in leadership positions establishing and overseeing 18 licensed child care centers, all at the same time, in Southeast Queens, New York, licensed for over 700 children. This experience prompted her to have over 120 employees at any one time. As being a mother of six and a grandmother of two her life’s work has not only been in early childhood education but also in the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Vernetta serves as a pastor and a founder of an online prayer ministry. Overall, Vernetta believes that an individual must be introduced to Biblical foundational truths as children, and what better way but to have them incorporated in a daily early childhood curriculum. Her mantra is that little ones must learn to love God, love themselves, love each other; and then love to learn!!! Learning new concepts is exciting, thrilling and motivating, however, only when presented in an engaging, intriguing manner. This is the atmosphere that will be provided , undergirded with a foundation of love, patience and prayerful guidance at Manassas Baptist Preschool.
Vernetta says ” Come, trust your child in our care! We will treat your child like our own.!! They will quickly learn the academic basics which will launch them into a lifetime of excellence, a sound sense of self-worth and noteworthy accomplishments!! God bless you and we hope to see you soon!! I pray that our school is an answer to your prayers!!”
Karina Chan
Manassas Baptist Preschool Assistant
Karina and her husband, Wayne, along with their 2 sons, Kurtis and Kody, have been attending Manassas Baptist Church since 2013. She has been a teacher for the Middle School Girls small group since then. In January of 2022, she started teaching the kindergarteners/first graders on Sundays. At her previous church, she was a Sunday school teacher to Elementary grade children for 9 years. Karina also had homeschooled her children from kindergarten to high school. Every summer, the Chan family leads two teams from MBC on mission trips to New York to share the gospel with Chinese children in the Brooklyn area.