Our Leadership

Christ Jesus is the One who died – more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Romans 8:34-35           

PASTOR
Steve Marshall
 
Steve has been married for twenty-nine years to his wife, Stacey, who he met in Hampstead in 1988 two weeks before she graduated from Topsail High School. They both attended and graduated from North Carolina State University and pursued careers in environmental research and development. After several years of working in R&D the Lord clearly moved them into full-time ministry with youth and families in their local church. Ministry to youth and families became their heart and they served with delight in that area of ministry for twenty-two years, especially working with children and families in crisis.
 
Steve and Stacey have one daughter, Ashlyn, and a son-in-law, Ben. For the first twelve years Steve served as a youth and missions pastor in Rocky Mount, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. The Lord moved them from there to rural Illinois to help start a ranch for at-risk teenagers and start a ministry called Safe Families for Children out of Chicago which helps at-risk children and their parents. At Salem Ranch they lived with thirty boys, seventy horses, and nine dogs on one hundred acres of ranch land. The goal was to offer young men a place to escape the problems of home and get a new start in Christ while finishing their high school education and learning vocational skills.
 
Steve and Stacey returned to Hampstead in 2009 to begin the process of planting a Christ-centered, Bible-teaching church. From the day that GCT was planted in Hampstead in January of 2011, Steve has primarily been a bi-vocational pastor. While planting the church for the first five years, Steve owned his own auto-body shop specializing in paintless dent repair while also serving as the NC State Director for the establishment of Safe Families for Children in NC. His desire is that the Church would return to the forefront of caring for the most vulnerable people in our communities with the gospel that renews, recovers and regenerates those in crisis for lasting life change.
 
Steve has his undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and his Master of Divinity and Doctorate in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
ASSOCIATE PASTOR/WORSHIP PASTOR
Kyle Mills
 

Kyle and Joy were married in 2008, and currently have 3 children – Isaiah, Orrin, and Maya. After getting out from the Marine Corps in 2012, Kyle went to BJU in Greenville, SC to get his B.S. in Business Administration. In March of 2017, they relocated to Hampstead, NC where they joined GCT. During this time, Kyle was working in residential construction as a carpenter, and soon started his own carpentry business; in addition, both Kyle and Joy were active in various ministries at GCT, and Kyle led the worship ministry. In October 2020, the church body affirmed Kyle as a full-time Associate Pastor. Kyle and Joy both have a strong love for local church ministry and a passion to see Jesus exalted in believers’ lives through true Gospel community.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
ELDER OF ASSIMILIATION
Martin Graddon
 

Martin was born in England, but has lived in Wilmington for the past 28 years. He’s currently married to his wife, Denise, of 26 years, and they have 3 children, Bailey, Morgan, and Abby. He currently runs his own business refinishing gymnasium floors. Martin strongly believes that God brought him to the US to hear the Gospel, and has allowed Martin to serve Him for these last 28 years; He has a great passion to share the Gospel with those who haven’t heard, and to encourage and disciple those who have. At GCT, he has the privilege of serving as an elder in teaching roles with children, youth, and adults, and helping new guests and members get plugged in and connected with the church. The Graddon family has been at GCT from its inception nearly 12 years ago. It has been an absolute joy for them to clearly see God’s hand at work as GCT has grown and moved a couple of times, and grown some more; and they would say it has been amazing to watch God move in this local community and beyond as new people come in and join in serving the Lord here in Hampstead.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
ELDER OF MISSIONS
Warren Rich
 

Warren, with his wife Miriam, spent 25 years in Kenya as a missionary dentist with Africa Inland Mission. They have 6 children, 5 of which have started their careers and families. Their youngest Rebekah Hope is presently in 7th grade. They are also blessed to have Miriam’s mother Ellen living with them since settling in Hampstead in 2012. Warren previously practiced dentistry in his own practice in Hampstead but is now practicing part time in Wilmington.  Warren oversees the Missions ministry and teaches men’s Bible study. They have been active at GCT since joining in 2018. Their passion is to see people mature in their walk with Jesus.