Staff
Chip Wheeler - Pastor
Blog: www.chipwheeler.com
Born: July 15, 1976 - Athens, GA.
Married: Sara Beth - March 4, 2000.
Children: Cade and Caroline.
Verse: Psalm 73:25 "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."
Loves: Hanging out with my family, kissing my wife, hugging my kids, reading, trout fishing, Georgia Football, hunting, outdoor stuff, watching Seinfeld re-runs.
Proudest Achievement: Sarah Beth said "I do".
School: Monroe Area High School, BFA Valdosta State University (Speech Comm.), Masters and pursing a doctorate from New Orleans Seminary.
Favorite Starbucks' Drink: Vanilla Latte - extra sweet.
Heroes: My wife, My parents, Martin Luther.
Movies: Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, Gladiator, John Wayne Movies.
Music: Caedmon's Call, REM, U2, Shane and Shane, Southern Rock, Bon Jovi, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, and many others.
Life Story: I grew up in Bold Springs, GA (I am as native to the area as it gets.) My spiritual journey really begins when I was 8 or 9 years old when I made a commitment to follow Christ. I didn't really understand what I was doing, but as St. Augustine says - I had a God shaped hole in my heart that needed to be filled - even at 9 I knew that something was missing. I was a typical kid - sports, school, girls - all that stuff, but I really struggled in my spiritual journey. It seemed that God offered so much more than just a check list and that my relationship with Him should have been more of a joy rather than obligation. As the story goes I had some tough times and really learned what it meant to be dependent on Christ, and what grace was all about. I was fortunate to have some great mentors in my life, like my parents and others, and after years of struggling - I decided to go into the ministry while in college. I also met my wife during that time - and after asking her out for 6 months she said yes (I only had to ask her to marry me once though). Now we are the proud parents of two great kids. We've had the opportunity to live in south GA, New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana. After starting a college ministry in New Orleans and a church in Louisiana - we felt that God was calling us home to start River Hills. I am honored to be the pastor of River Hills Church.
Vision for River Hills: I envision this church to be a body of people who care for each other, serve the world without prejudice, and are passionate about what it means to be in love with Christ.
Spencer Breedlove - Executive Pastor
Blog: www.spencerbreedlove.blog.com
Personal Testimony: My life before Christ was characterized by having fun with my friends, climbing trees, scaling walls, leaping from tall buildings (actually barns), riding go-carts, playing baseball, tormenting my brother, collecting animals, riding bikes, going fishing, pushing my parents to their limits, and getting into other mischief. Sounds like fun doesn’t it? Being a kid was fun. But even as a kid, I realized there was more to this life. Because of my parents’ spiritual influence in my life, I was nurtured to faith in God. My mom shared God’s love for me and how Jesus came so that I could be forgiven and have eternal life. I understood completely what she was saying, and I knew I wanted believe Jesus. Now…fast-forward about six years. I began to struggle spiritually when I hit middle school. I experienced some changes in my life that were not good. The friends I hung out with, my language, my attitude, and my life did not reflect God’s glory. I distorted His glory more than I reflected it because, I was living a life of hypocrisy. After three years of “going through the motions” as a Christian in middle school, I had an unbelievable life-changing experience. God broke through to my life in a way I will never forget. My heart was grieved when I realized that my lifestyle was breaking God’s heart. I was crushed when I realized that the sin in my life had caused a break in my relationship with God. I realized that the only way my relationship to God would ever be restored was to confess my sin to Him and be forgiven. God did just as He promised. He did forgive me. He did purify me. He did make me a new person; a new creation. My life has never been the same since that time. Because of Christ in me, I have everything I need for life and godliness. I live because of His power; and it is His righteousness that makes me pure. Without Him, I would be powerless. My life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 which says, “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.”
Bio:Spencer has served in several churches from Athens, GA, to Orlando, FL. He has been in student ministry since 1991 when he started as an intern at Beech Haven Baptist Church in Athens, GA. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and, he also received his Masters degree in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Spencer is married to Lisa and together they have three children: Tyler, Jared and Elisabeth. Spencer and Lisa have been married for 15 years. Favorite food: Anything Lisa prepares!
Hobbies: Coaching my kids, Fishing, Golfing, Mountain Biking, just about anything outdoors when I get the chance
Favorite Team(s): Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons
Favorite Vacation Spot: St. George Island
Countries Visited: Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, China, Germany, Hungary, and Romania
Cool Sites Seen: Great Wall of China, Corcovado, Sugarloaf, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
Favorite TV Shows: ESPN, Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters, American Chopper, The Weather Channel’s Storm Stories with Jim Cantore
Brandt Farmer - Worship Leader
Blog: www.brandtfarmer.blogspot.com
Born: March 25, 1985 - Athens, GA.
Verse: Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."
Married: Megan Farmer - May 30, 2009.
Hobbies: Spending time with Megan, watching movies, writing and recording music, photography, Bulldawg and Gamecock football, Strongbad, and video games.
School: Conway High School 2003, BA University of South Carolina (Media Arts w/ Art Studio Minor) 2007.
Favorite Drink: The one and only cool, refreshing, Coca~Cola.
Heroes: My Parents, Stan Smith, and Jon Dando.
Movies: I have too many to list, but to name a select few...Superman Returns, Superman I and II, Batman Begins, Batman: The Dark Knight, Narnia, pretty much any scary/slasher movie, School of Rock, Lord of the Rings, anything Adam Sandler, and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Music: Hillsong United, Elevation Worship, Edison Glass, The Fray, Lee McDerment, All Get Out, Jason Morant, Brevada, Mute Math, Nate Poole, Mike Mewbourne, Eric Skelton, David Crowder, Shane & Shane, Relient K, Flyleaf, Third Eye Blind, Hootie and the Blowfish, Switchfoot, Baumer, Three Dog Night, Under the Influence of Giants, The Working Title, and so on and so forth.
Life Story: I grew up in the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina. I found my salvation through Jesus Christ at the age of 7. It wasn't until my freshman year of high school that I truly found my calling through music by way of a six string. Growing up in youth group, I developed a small sense of leading worship. In college(USC), I was able to expound on that feeling and sense by serving as worship leader to Army recruits at Fort Jackson. I also began to get involved in the campus ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ. This allowed me to grow and deeply contemplate the meaning of true worship. I was also blessed to be able to serve, as a worship intern, at Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, SC.
Vision for River Hills: I pray that this church will be a tight community of believers who have a heart for worship and an even greater passion for God.
