Mike DuBard
Lead Pastor
Bio
I was born in Baton Rouge, LA, was saved at a young age during a summer youth camp and grew up in the church. It wasn’t until later in life that I fully grasped the beauty of the gospel and all that it meant not only for my past and my future, but also my present.
Growing up I experienced all the ups and down of making promises to God I couldn’t keep only to finally realize that the beauty of the Gospel is not in making promises to God, but in believing the promises of God made and kept for us through Jesus Christ. It took me a long time to learn that following Jesus is not about living for an identity that I want to be true, but rather to live from an identity he says is already true about me in Him.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20
In 1996, my beautiful and wonderful wife Jaime and I met at Pensacola Christian College, got engaged, and were married. In 2000 we moved from Pensacola to Burlington, IA where Jaime is from and got plugged into the local church she grew up in.
In 2004 after working for Lowe’s we began attending a Harvest Bible Chapel in Davenport, IA where in 2007 I went on staff as a student ministry pastor and in 2010 we began the process of planting a church in Chattanooga, TN.
We have three children, Elyse (who is married to our wonderful son-in-law Jake), Harrison & Abigail. We have three grandkids (Vivian, Henry & Selah) and four cats (don’t ask me why).
I finished my undergrad receiving a B.S. in biblical studies and also have an MDIV both through Liberty University.
It has been a great privilege to lead this church from day one and we look forward to the many days ahead.
Favorites
Book of the Bible:
Romans
Books/Reading:
Favorite Book: Knowing God (J.I. Packer)
Favorite Writers: John Piper, Charles Spurgeon, Puritan Writers
Erik Larson (Isaac's Storm is my favorite), Tolkien (of course),
C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton
Movie/TV Shows:
Shawshank Redemption, Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, LOTR,
The Chosen (if you haven't seen this yet what are you waiting for?)
Sports Team(s):
LSU Tigers, (Geaux Tigers)
New Orleans Saints (Who Dat!)
Interests:
Reading / Golf / Piano
Reading books about books
McKays (Have you been yet?)
Antique Stores / Thrift Stores (or any other place where books can be found)
Food:
Meat in almost any form. (I'm a meatatarian.)
Cajun food
Candy:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
(but the original cups -- not the holiday stuff that completely messes up the ratio of chocolate to peanut butter)
*Also please check date on packaging to ensure proper freshness.
There is nothing worse than a dried out, chalky, old Reese's.
Please see my dissertation on
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: The Result of Ratios and the Harmony of Happiness
Music:
Jazz (too many artists to list)
Shane and Shane, Phil Wickham, Jon Guerra,
Harry Connick Jr, Needtobreathe,
Mike Farris, Ludovico Einaudi, and Rick Astley (of course)
I was born in Baton Rouge, LA, was saved at a young age during a summer youth camp and grew up in the church. It wasn’t until later in life that I fully grasped the beauty of the gospel and all that it meant not only for my past and my future, but also my present.
Growing up I experienced all the ups and down of making promises to God I couldn’t keep only to finally realize that the beauty of the Gospel is not in making promises to God, but in believing the promises of God made and kept for us through Jesus Christ. It took me a long time to learn that following Jesus is not about living for an identity that I want to be true, but rather to live from an identity he says is already true about me in Him.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20
In 1996, my beautiful and wonderful wife Jaime and I met at Pensacola Christian College, got engaged, and were married. In 2000 we moved from Pensacola to Burlington, IA where Jaime is from and got plugged into the local church she grew up in.
In 2004 after working for Lowe’s we began attending a Harvest Bible Chapel in Davenport, IA where in 2007 I went on staff as a student ministry pastor and in 2010 we began the process of planting a church in Chattanooga, TN.
We have three children, Elyse (who is married to our wonderful son-in-law Jake), Harrison & Abigail. We have three grandkids (Vivian, Henry & Selah) and four cats (don’t ask me why).
I finished my undergrad receiving a B.S. in biblical studies and also have an MDIV both through Liberty University.
It has been a great privilege to lead this church from day one and we look forward to the many days ahead.
Favorites
Book of the Bible:
Romans
Books/Reading:
Favorite Book: Knowing God (J.I. Packer)
Favorite Writers: John Piper, Charles Spurgeon, Puritan Writers
Erik Larson (Isaac's Storm is my favorite), Tolkien (of course),
C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton
Movie/TV Shows:
Shawshank Redemption, Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, LOTR,
The Chosen (if you haven't seen this yet what are you waiting for?)
Sports Team(s):
LSU Tigers, (Geaux Tigers)
New Orleans Saints (Who Dat!)
Interests:
Reading / Golf / Piano
Reading books about books
McKays (Have you been yet?)
Antique Stores / Thrift Stores (or any other place where books can be found)
Food:
Meat in almost any form. (I'm a meatatarian.)
Cajun food
Candy:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
(but the original cups -- not the holiday stuff that completely messes up the ratio of chocolate to peanut butter)
*Also please check date on packaging to ensure proper freshness.
There is nothing worse than a dried out, chalky, old Reese's.
Please see my dissertation on
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: The Result of Ratios and the Harmony of Happiness
Music:
Jazz (too many artists to list)
Shane and Shane, Phil Wickham, Jon Guerra,
Harry Connick Jr, Needtobreathe,
Mike Farris, Ludovico Einaudi, and Rick Astley (of course)