Our staff members are here to provide spiritual leadership, counsel, and support as we all grow in our relationship with Christ. From leading worship services to providing one-on-one guidance and prayer, we are here to serve you.
We invite you to reach out to our staff members with any questions, prayer requests, or just to say hello. They are here to serve you and to support you in your walk with Christ.
GARY VAUGHN
Lead Pastor
Gary Vaughn was called to LTBC as Senior Pastor in September 2020. He is passionate about seeing people transformed by the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. He believes that text-driven, expository messages from the Bible will help equip the congregation to become disciples of Jesus who want to share their faith and walk daily with the Savior. His ministry experience stretches nearly thirty years, having shared the Word of God as pastor in churches in Texas, prisons, nursing and retirement homes, and mission trips to Romania, the Philippines, and Israel. Gary is a Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary graduate in Henderson, Texas, with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English Bible. He is married to Debbie, a dad to sons Aaron and Jarod, and “Poppy” to two grandsons, Brooks and Beckham.
He loves the outdoors, smoking meat on the grill, and college football.
JOHNATHAN WATKINS
Student Pastor
Johnathan and his wife Dayna, along with their five kids, have been serving Lake Tyler Baptist Church as Student Pastor since 2023. Johnathan has a Masters Degree in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and believes that we should train children in what we believe and then show them how to live that out in their everyday life.
When you attend a student ministry event you will enjoy lots of food, fellowship, games, and prizes among a thriving community of young believers. More importantly, you will know how much God loves you and feel how much we love you as well. The student ministries events are designed to replicate an early church environment so that eating and playing together goes hand-in-hand with studying the Word and praying together. Come and join us to deepen your faith and find the community of believers you belong in.
MATT KNIGHT
Worship Pastor
Matt and wife Lony joined the Lake Tyler family in September of 2024. The Knight family have been ministering in the Tyler area for almost a decade now. Over the years, Matt has served in many churches and many capacities since surrendering to the ministry in 1994. Through these years, ministry has taken him from Arkansas to the Philippines, back to Arkansas and now to the great state of Texas.
Matt has served for more than 15 years in combined worship/student pastor positions and has lead worship for over 30 years.
Matt graduated from the Philippine Missionary Baptist Seminary Asian Institue of Theology of Davao City. In addition, he is a graduate of AMA University again of Davao City, Philippines with an IT degree focused on desktop publishing, layout/design as well as website development.
The Knight family (together with children) have lead worship across Texas for a number of years assisting many churches in various ministries. The Knight family consist of Matt, Lony, children Keilah and her husband Ryan, Keziah and dog Jackie.