A pastor’s heart is a unique thing, on the inside we are walking with the Lord, while at the same time walking with His people. My heart’s cry is to do both well. I want to give Him my best, to be an instrument in His hand and at the same time, I am a lover of people. I keep being told that my greatest gift is that of a communicator. The thing that drives me is a desire to find fresh ways of presenting God’s Word. I want the message to be clear, to be relevant, and to be fresh. That word, “fresh,” is extremely important to me. One of the reasons is the length of time that I have been pastoring here at South Austin. We came in 1973--I had just finished my ministry preparation at Southern Nazarene University where I received my Bachelor’s degree and, later, my Master’s degree. Through the years we have had an ever-changing ministry set, including bus ministry, homeless ministry, a Christian school, and now ministry to the Spanish-speaking community of South Austin. Staying fresh means that I keep myself fit, I keep a balance in my life, and that I am always growing.

Sandra and I have two children, Deana and Dean, and three awesome grandchildren. It is a great blessing to have all actively involved in our church. Spending time with our grandkids is like getting to raise our children again, but only better. And by the way, it’s also neat to help raise the next generation of God’s people, and to lead them in following Him. Though the journey has been great so far, I truly believe that my best days are just ahead!

Jim and Karen, his wife Karen of 21 years, along with their three children– Amber, Brandon, and Joshua—have been a part of the South Austin family since June of 2008. They moved from a town just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, named Kannapolis (which you might know as the home of the great Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt) where Karen was born and raised and lived all of her life, and where Jim spent the previous 22 years of his. After attending the University of North Florida on a full Jazz Performance scholarship, Jim finished at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro in Music Education. It wasn’t until many years later, after being in the secular business world, that he finally listened to God and pursued His true calling to full time ministry.

Jim has enjoyed the amazing experience of walking in the center of God’s will and seeing Him move mountains. His heart’s passion and desire is to help people grow to a deeper knowledge and understanding of true worship. Jim believes that worship is so much more than a song or a Sunday morning service—worship is a lifestyle. That if you take a step back and look around—close your eyes and just listen—God’s majesty and awesomeness is everywhere. In the movie “The Count of Monte Cristo,” there is one line that sums up life. Edmond makes the statement, “God, can I never escape Him,” and Mercédès responds, “No, He is in everything!” Jim agrees that He truly is in everything, and that it is His desire that we worship Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Vanessa Willie has been the Church Administrator since 2003, when she was blessed to be offered the opportunity to use her gifts to support God’s church. Living in South Austin for over 25 years and being a proud graduate of Crockett High School, she loves South Austin and is passionate about being involved in the community. Vanessa enjoys serving in children’s ministry and has done so since she began attending the church in 1996. She and her husband, Kevin, are very active in scouting with their three children: Gunner, Keifer, and Kendall. They are privileged to serve the children and youth in the community through their leadership roles in Cub Scout Pack 21, Girl Scout Troop 699, and Boy Scout Troop 10.

Kevin and Deana Reed lead our youth and strive for a good blend of worship, learning the Word of God and hiding it in your heart, just plain having fun, and using your talents...all for His glory!

By day, Kevin works as an Oracle Database Administrator for a tech company in Austin, and by night he puts on his Youth Pastor hat. Deana just graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, with a Masters degree in Professional Counseling. They have been married since June of 1988 and have two children: Hunter, 20, and Sierra, 17.

Michael is a graduate of Texas State University and has lived in Austin his whole life. Michael has been married to his wife Sonja since 1991. They have two children: Aaron and Samantha. In addition to leading drama, Michael also teaches the middle school Sunday school class. His other interests include hiking, camping, kayaking, and fishing.