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 as Lake Tyler Baptist’s Student Pastor for over a year now. Johnathan has a Masters Degree in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and believes that we should train in 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 his wife Lony have been ministering in the Tyler area for almost a decade. Matt has served in many churches and many capacities since surrendering to the ministry in 1994. Among these years, ministry has taken him from the Philippines, to Arkansas and now to Texas.
Matt has served for more than 15 years in combined worship/student pastor positions and lead worship for over 30 years.
Matt graduated from The Philippine Missionary Baptist Seminary Asian Institue of Theology with an associate’s degree in Worship Music Education and many classes towards his bachelors in Theology. In addition, he is a graduate of AMA University of Davao City, Philippines with an IT degree focused on desktop publishing, layout and design as well as website development.
The Knight family consist of Matt and Lony, children Keilah and her husband Ryan, Keziah and dog Jackie.
Matt and Lony joined the Lake Tyler Family in September of this year.
TINA KINNEY
Children’s Director
I have been blessed to be a part of Lake Tyler Baptist for 18 years. I have spent the last twelve as the Children’s Director.
I spent 23 years working for State Farm Insurance until the birth of my special needs son in 2008. Little did I know what a blessing he would be and little did I know that God had an even bigger plan for me. I had always had a desire in my heart to work with children but with my job it was almost impossible to help with VBS or teach a Sunday School class. A friend told me ,”You don’t find God’s will , God’s will finds you.” God’s will did find me and placed me in my current position.
I have had the opportunity to start several outreach programs for our children and have seen many blessings come from these programs. We currently have a Sunday morning Children’s Church and a Wednesday evening Mission Friends program.
I have seen many children come to know Jesus as well as some parents. What a blessing this has been!
I work with a remarkable children’s team and we are continually brainstorming for new and better ways to reach, teach, and attract children for God’s glory.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.