Olive Baptist Church

Dr. Robert A. Gilliland

Associate Pastor
Great Commission Ministry

Phone:	850.475.1128
Email:	rgilliland@olivebaptist.org

My name is Robert Gilliland. I have been happily married to my bride, Faith, since November 1993. God has blessed us with two children, Zac and Katie. We have been members of Olive Baptist Church since 1993 and have been serving as a minister on staff since 2003. My testimony of faith in Christ Jesus can be found at www.whativaluemost.com.

Our mission is to see that every Olive member be a missionary, every home be an outpost of evangelism and fellowship, and every church be a missions-sending center.

As head of the Great Commission Ministry Team I have three major objectives:

• To supervise the education and mission teams (Great Commission Ministry). This consists of 18 full-time staff members, numerous part-time staff members, and hundreds of volunteers leading specific age group ministries within the church and the mission endeavors throughout the community and world.
• To implement church-wide educational/discipleship plans for small group Bible studies.
• To plan and implement Olive’s mission focus: locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Shea Riles

Director of Preschool

Phone:	850.473.4461
Email:	sriles@olivebaptist.org

A native of Pensacola, Shea has attended Olive since she was a member of the newborn nursery. Now, along with her husband Ron and their two children (Tyler and Kate), Shea continues to worship and fellowship with God’s family at OBC.

Serving for years as a volunteer with preschoolers and children, Shea joined the Olive staff in 2004 as Coordinator of the Preschool Ministry. Having been saved during her childhood, she is convinced that these early years are fertile ground for planting truths from God’s Word and preparing hearts for salvation. With a team of dedicated leaders, the Preschool Staff is committed to offering a safe, clean, and fun environment where God’s truth abounds and parents can feel comfortable bringing their little ones.

Dennis Dean

Minister of Children

Phone:	850.475.1108
Email:	ddean@olivebaptist.org

My name is Dennis Dean and I am the Minister to Children, grades K5-5th grade. It has been my pleasure to serve on staff here at Olive Baptist for over seven years. I am a graduate of Pensacola Junior College, University of South Alabama, and have a Masters of Divinity degree from New Orleans Seminary.

I am married to Becki who is heavily involved in ministry here at Olive. Becki sings with and leads the AWANA praise team on Wednesday nights. I have one little girl, named Bethany, who is a part of the children'sl department here at Olive.

Chris Reeser

Director of Middle School

Phone:	850.475.1127
Email:	creeser@olivebaptist.org

Hello, my name is Chris Reeser. I am the Director of Middle School Ministries here at Olive. I have been blessed to call Pensacola my home town. I graduated from Tate High School and then continued my education at Pensacola Junior College and the University of West Florida, majoring in Business Administration. I am now attending New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as a Christian Education Major. God called me into full-time Christian vocation when I was in high school. Soon after high school, I became a youth pastor at a local church where I began developing my call as a youth minister. Four years later, I began working at Olive as the Student Ministry Assistant and Team Sports Assistant. Then, after serving here for 1 year as the Team Sports Director, my wife and I decided to move to Argentina as she finished her education. We lived together in Argentina for six months before I moved back and began working at Olive again. She stayed another 3 months to finish her degree…

My wife, Kelly Butler Reeser, is also from Pensacola, FL. She is a graduate from Tate High school as well and would go on to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX to study Spanish. She is now working on her Master’s Degree through a joint program with Georgetown (DC) and UNSAM (Buenos Aires) as a Development Management and Public Policy Major.

We now live in Pensacola, which we love to call home!

Jeremy Lloyd

Minister of Youth

Phone:	850.475.1143
Email:	jeremyl@olivebaptist.org

Jeremy was born and raised in Panama City, Florida. He graduated from the University of West Florida in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Jeremy continues to pursue his Masters of Christian Education from New Orleans Theological Seminary.

In the summer of 2003, he led worship at the Lifeway student camp, Centrifuge, where he met his wife as they served together on staff. They were married the following summer in Atlanta and moved to Pensacola, Florida. Jeremy joined the staff at Olive in 2005 serving as the “Middle School Minister.” In the fall of 2008, he took on the position, “Minister to Students 6-12.” His wife, Whitney, teaches first grade in Pace and enjoys assisting Jeremy with all the various student ministry activities. Jeremy and Whitney desire to use their lives to invest in the new generation and lead them into becoming thriving Christian Disciples of Christ.

Eric Miracle

Minister to College
and Young Single Adults

Phone:	850.475.1157
Email:	emiracle@olivebaptist.org

Eric Miracle, was born in Lexington, Kentucky. As an only child, he was raised in a Christian home. Eric received the call to ministry while in Middle School, but did not accept it until later on.

He graduated from Lexington Baptist College in May 1999, where he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Student Ministry. In May of that same year he married Andrea. They have two beautiful daughters. Eric was ordained in Murray, Kentucky on February 23, 2003. He graduated with a Master of Arts in Christian Education from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2008.

Eric and Andrea joined the Olive staff in October 2006. Prior to work at Olive, he has served as Student Minister with Churches in Georgetown, Lexington, and Murray, Kentucky.

Eric enjoys being involved in missions as well, having led and participated in multiple international endeavors to such places as Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Trinidad, and several domestic destinations.”

Robert Lloyd

Director of Single Adults

Phone:	850.475.1147

My name is Robert Lloyd and I came to Olive in 1983 because they had a Singles ministry. I have had the privilige of being involved with the Singles ministry of Olive in some form ever since. For 1 year, I was a department director, and then I taught a single adult class for 16 consecutive years.

In August of 2006, I became Director of Single Adult Ministries as a part time staff person. I met my wife Judy (who is administrative assistant to Dennis Dean in childrens ministry) in the singles ministry of Olive and together we have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. Judy and I were a part of the team that helped begin the Divorce Recovery program here at Olive and Judy now heads a program called Divorce Care for Kids. The Single Adult Ministry of Olive has been a major part of our lives for the entire 24 years of our marriage.

Mike Dimick

Minister to Married Adults & Military

Phone:	850.475.1147
Email:	mdimick@olivebaptist.org

I grew up in Venice Beach, California, where I met and married my wife, Maria. After high school, I entered the United States Air Force, where I proudly trained and served in several roles: Team Leader for an Air Force, Anti-Terrorist, Security Police Team, Crew Member for an Aerospace Medical Evacuation team (Medevac) and retired while serving 13 years with United States Air Force Recruiting Services. It was during my time in recruiting (Oct.1990) that a pastor from a local Baptist church just outside of Mather A.F.B., Sacramento, Cal., shared the Gospel with us, resulting in my whole family accepting Christ as our Savior.

I soon found myself becoming a “Timothy” to the mentoring of a strong, Bible teaching pastor, who focused on the importance of evangelism, spiritual leadership, family devotion time, and family discipleship. As I grew in the Lord, I served as a deacon, mission’s director, visitation director and military outreach coordinator. During this time, God was making it perfectly clear that He wanted me in full time service. With two daughters, (Wendy and Vanessa) already attending Pensacola Christian College, my wife and I and two remaining children (Cynthia and Michael) reconnected the family by moving to Pensacola upon retiring from the Air Force, to pursue my degree in Bible.

As the Minister to Married Adults and Olive’s Military Ministry, I hope to reach and teach our families and friends to develop a deeper, personal relationship with the Lord. My desire is to use the talents, education, and experiences that the Lord has given me, (and you) to make an impact for Christ in our daily walk, our family relationships, and in our professional conduct in the workplace.

“And whatsoever ye do in the word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17

Kim Waters

Director of Mature Adults Activities

Phone:	850.475.1123
Email:	kwaters@olivebaptist.org

Kim was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She comes from a military family and has called Pensacola home since January 1974. She married David, a Pensacola native, in August 1985.

Kim started her Olive career on December 14, 1988. She worked in the recreation ministry for 16 ½ years as the recreation assistant. During that time God told her to go back to school. She graduated magna cum laude from UWF in May 1998. Her Bachelor of Science degree is in Leisure Studies.

God moved Kim into the Mature Adult Ministry in August 2005 where she served as the administrative assistant. In January 2008 God, through Pastor Traylor, enlisted Kim to be the Interim Director of Mature Adult Ministry Activities. Her college degree and long-term experience at Olive give her a unique qualification to lead in this area. The “interim” was removed in July. Kim loves working with and alongside her folks as they touch the mature adult generation with the Good News.

Lonny Hughes

Director of Recreation

Phone:	850.474.3602
Email:	lhughes@olivebaptist.org

Lonny has been a member of Olive Baptist since 1994 and has served as a Sunday school teacher for both preschoolers and adults, as a coach for youth basketball and softball, and as a leader in Awanas, RAs, and VBS. Lonny answered God’s call to ministry, joining the Olive team in 2006. He has served as the Children’s Minister’s Assistant, Team Sports Coordinator, and Director of Recreation. Prior to joining the Olive staff, Lonny was a teacher. He taught third, fifth, and sixth grades in both Escambia and Baldwin counties. Lonny has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida.

Lonny married his beautiful wife, Stephanie, in May 1991, while serving in the United States Marine Corps. They have six wonderful children ranging from preschool to high school. Lonny enjoys family activities, camping, running, hiking, cycling, mountain biking, and boating. Some of his aspirations include visiting all of North America’s National Parks and hiking the Appalachian Trail.