We believe that there is one God, manifested in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:26 Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14

We believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, was born of a virgin, is wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose from the grave and ascended into heaven.
John 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21

We believe in the literal, bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth.
Revelation 19

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God without any error, the sole authority for life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21

We believe that man is a special creation of God, made in His image.
Genesis 1:26-27

We believe that mankind fell through the sin of the first man, Adam, and that all men are sinners in need of salvation.
Genesis 3:15; Romans 5:12-15

We believe that salvation is a gift of grace from God, received through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12

We believe that every person who truly is saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 10:28-30; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews :25; 10:10, 14

We believe that those persons who die without faith in Jesus Christ spend eternity in hell and those persons who die with their sins forgiven, through faith in Christ, spend eternity in heaven.
Revelation 20:14; John 3:16

We believe that water baptism is in obedience to the command of Christ and is by immersion after salvation.
Romans 6:3-10

We believe that the local church is the local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the head.
Ephesians 1:22-23

We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible, God’s Word.
1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 10:19-26

Pastor Mark and his family joined the Ardella family in May 2016. His wife Kim is the CFO for One More Child. Together they have two children, a son, Christian, and a daughter, Shelby.

Pastor Mark surrendered to the ministry in 1993 and began serving in student ministry in Texas, Mississippi, and Florida. He completed his Master's degree and Doctorate at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to Ardella Baptist Church, Pastor Mark served as Discipleship Pastor, Missions Pastor, Campus Pastor, and was the interim National Director for Faith Riders Motorcycle Ministry. Ardella Baptist is his first Senior Pastor position, and he loves every minute of it.

Pastor Mark loves golfing and spending time with his family and church family. You can meet him and his wife, Kim, when you visit Ardella Baptist Church. They both serve as greeters at the front door.

Marge joined the Ardella Baptist Church family in April 2017 and has served as Ministry Assistant since October 2018. Originally from New York and New Jersey, she moved to Florida with her husband, Michael, in 2005 and began working at Ardella after his passing, following 43 years of marriage. Marge is blessed with five children and 13 grandchildren and has served in churches since 1990. At Ardella, she volunteers with elementary-age Sunday school and nursery, coordinates the Embrace Widow Ministry, and encourages widowed and single women to know Christ and use their gifts for His glory. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, reading, gardening, writing, and walking.

Chris Sallstrom has served in Youth and Children’s Ministry alongside her husband, Todd, since 1992. Together, they have found great joy in helping children grow in their love for God and for one another. Chris treasures her family deeply, and she and Todd consider their two children to be among God’s greatest blessings. Their family has continued to grow with the addition of six grandchildren, who bring them much joy and gratitude.

Maria McClintock serves as Nursery Director at Ardella Baptist Church and has a heart for creating a safe, loving, and Christ-centered environment where the church’s youngest children can grow and thrive. She is passionate about helping babies and toddlers experience God’s love through nurturing care, engaging activities, and meaningful relationships. Maria enjoys partnering with parents to provide a welcoming nursery ministry that allows families to worship with confidence, knowing their little ones are cared for with kindness and compassion. She is also committed to equipping and encouraging nursery volunteers as they serve in this important ministry. Outside of church, Maria enjoys spending time with her family and is grateful for the opportunity to serve the next generation and their families.

Heather and her family joined Ardella Baptist Church in October 2019. She and her husband, Charlie, have been married since 1996 and have two grown children. Heather has sung in choirs and ensembles for most of her life and has served on worship teams since 2003. She joined Ardella’s worship team in 2021 and became a member of the Ardella staff in February 2026 as the worship leader for the sanctuary service.

Heather enjoys acting in musicals and skits, participating in a book club, and reading mysteries. A Florida native, she also loves spending time at the beach.

Eva Kroon Pike and her family joined Ardella Baptist Church in February 2024. She and her husband, Jonny, have been married since 2005 and have five children: four boys and one girl. Eva is excited and blessed to serve as the worship leader for Ardella’s Chapel Service. Adopted at 10 weeks old into a loving family who had prayed for a baby girl for six years, Eva grew into the singer, songwriter, and worship leader she is today. Before coming to Ardella, she served in several local churches and shared her music through concerts, radio, two albums, and two singles. Through music, Eva wants to point people to Jesus. She enjoys Bible journaling, crafting, photography, time with family, beach vacations, boating, and fishing.

Kellie Gilkeson serves as the Social Media Director at Ardella Baptist Church, where she oversees the church’s Instagram, Facebook, and photography. She brings 22 years of professional photography experience to her role and enjoys using creativity and storytelling to capture and share the life of the church community. Kellie has served in this role since 2025 and is passionate about helping people stay connected and informed through engaging visual content and social media. She and her husband, Ray, have three children: Piper, Hailey, and R.J.

We'd love to hear from you!