Mike Dillon is one of those multi-tasking volunteers at hopepark. He serves on the backstage and lighting team, has served as a greeter, and worked on the set-up team when the church was meeting at Bellevue Middle School. He also serves on the board of Preston Taylor Ministries and is co-chair of its building committee.
A native Nashvillian, he was raised in the Catholic Church, while his wife Patt grew up in the Presbyterian Church. Mike has known Jesus since his earliest memories. He strives to get closer to him and is constantly amazed and grateful for God's gift of grace. They attended many mostly traditional churches looking for a place to call home, until an ad at the Bellevue Cinema and a recommendation from a friend brought them to hopepark in August 1996. They left the 8:30 a.m. service energized and somewhat unsure of what they had just experienced. They came back the next weekend, and after realizing they had not looked at their watches for the first time while attending a church, they decided to call hopepark home.
Mike feels closest to God when experiencing the wonders of nature. He makes his living in the construction business.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3: 5-6
Mark Freeman is a native of Franklin, Tennessee. He grew up attending a United Methodist church but did not begin his personal relationship with Jesus Christ until after he came to hopepark in 1996. Mark and his wife Stacia have six children and over the years, each has volunteered in Little Campers and Kid's Park. Mark has participated in Men's Fraternity and small groups.
Mark had to overcome hardship at the early age of 13. He became paralyzed from the waist down after being hit by a truck on his way home from school. He now walks with a cane and sometimes two if he has to chase his kids around. Although he spent many nights questioning God's plan for him, he has come to understand that God had a future and a purpose for his life.
Now, he considers himself blessed beyond belief and thanks Jesus Christ for coming "...into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." - 1 Timothy 1:15-16
Mark attended college at Vanderbilt University and law school at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville; he has his own law practice.
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:11-12
Originally from England, Kevin Goins lived in several states across the nation with his military family before settling in Mississippi. A 1982 graduate of Hattiesburg High School, Kevin holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Mississippi State University. Since moving to Nashville in 1994, Kevin has devoted his architectural career to church design. He is a partner at Trinity Design Group in Murfreesboro.
Kevin and his wife Stacy have been married for twenty-two years. They are the parents of three teenage sons. Devin is the Creative Coordinator for Student Ministries at hopepark. Destin is a music theory and composition major at Middle Tennessee State University. Duncan is a high school junior and a member of hopepark's student ministry.
Kevin came to know Christ while attending the Christian musical JOY at age twelve. hopepark has been his church home ever since being invited by a friend to worship on Easter Sunday, 2002.
Kevin greatly enjoys the ministry opportunities offered at hopepark. He and his family participated in the 2008 mission trip to Rancho De Sus Ninos orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico, as well as the 2009 trip to assist hurricane victims in Bridge City, Texas. Kevin may be found most mornings in the Atrium, signing in children for Kids' Park.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
Tony Rich met Christ during a church service in the auditorium at Bellevue Middle School. He was 32 years old and says he was at "rock bottom" when his life changed forever.
"God had been on my mind and heart for some time, but the defining moment was when I woke up one day with such a feeling of despair that I just hung my head and cried," he recalls. "The music that had first drawn me to hopepark held such a message of hope, and the acceptance of 'coming as you are' let me know that there was a way back, although long."
Tony says he was largely "unchurched" when he began attending hopepark church in late 1992, after guests at his restaurant described the church as "fun" - a new concept for him. Now, Tony, wife Tammy, and their three children Riley, Anna Kate, and Megan, are fixtures at hopepark. Tony and Tammy teach various age groups in Kid's Park and participate in the Marriage Mentoring ministry.
Outside of church, Tony is a field human resource manager for Cracker Barrel restaurants, and serves on two youth activities boards for the Pegram Community.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11
Raised on an honest-to-goodness farm near Arcola, IL, Devon Weller found his way to Nashville in 1997 as a music producer for radio and television commercials. Now working from his Fairview home as a freelance web application developer, Devon is a committed family man; working from home allows him to spend as much time as possible with wife Janet and their two young boys, ages 6 and 2. "I am fortunate that I get to eat meals at home with my family almost every day," he said.
Devon met Christ as a young child while attending a small independent Christian church in his farming community, and was baptized at the age of 10. "I grew up learning Bible stories in Sunday school from people in the community who volunteered to teach with flannel boards and worksheets in a musty basement every Sunday," he recalls.
The Wellers began attending hopepark church at Bellevue Middle School in 2001 and became members shortly after the church moved to the current hopepark campus. Initially attracted by the teaching, Devon says he was soon "captivated with joining the mission of bringing hope to people in a way that was real."
Devon currently serves on the church's media team as a video director. He and wife Janet also lead a hopepark home group for Parents with Young Children.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9
When Billy Williams first started attending hopepark church in 1991, there were about 50 people in the congregation. He has seen the church through most of its ups and downs and as a longtime member, is committed to honoring the mission and vision of hopepark.
You may see him sitting behind the drums in weekend services; Billy also serves on the stage set-up team and with wife Brenda, mentors engaged and just-married couples through hopepark's Marriage Mentoring ministry. He has also served on Habitat for Humanity projects, and has led small groups. Married for 25 years, Billy and Brenda have a son, Aaron, 22, who is away at college.
He met Christ at the age of 16 while playing in the worship band at a church in Amarillo, TX. "That's the reason I even went to church - because someone invited me to play drums," Billy says. His passion for God and music later led to a move to Nashville, a 10-year career in Christian rock music and two hit albums.
These days, Billy is focusing his creative energy in a different direction as owner of B. Williams Design and co-owner of Artisan Custom Cabinetry; he is also pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Watkins College of Art & Design.
"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4