OUR LEADERSHIP

Aaron & Lauren Kennedy

Aaron Kennedy serves as the Lead Pastor of Opendoor Church. His parents, Greg and Deana Kennedy, founded Opendoor in 1986, and in 2015 transitioned the leadership of the church to Aaron and his wife, Lauren. 


Building on the legacy that came before, Pastor Aaron and Lauren lead our Church Staff, providing guidance and direction for our church as a whole. With a passion to see people know God and walk in freedom, they continue to lead Opendoor to be a church known for genuine teaching, authentic faith, and passionate worship.


Aaron and Lauren have two children and live in the Greenville/Winterville area, where Opendoor Church began.

WE ARE GUIDED BY CHURCH STAFF

This team oversees the day-to-day ministry and operations of the church. Our Church Staff serve the congregation and are responsible for the development of the spiritual life of the church.

Executive Church Staff

LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

  • Nikki Bailey     

    Executive Director of Education

    Nikki serves as the Executive Director of Opendoor Education, overseeing our weekday education programs. She leads our Child Development Center, Elementary School, and After School Programs. She has an incredible heart to see children discover their identity in Jesus Christ.

  • Michael Chandler     

    Executive Pastor of Communication

    Michael serves as an Executive Pastor and is responsible for all creative content, print and digital media, video production, and marketing. Pastor Michael also serves as part of our Weekend Services teaching team and has a heart to see people discover their God-given purpose.

  • Josh Harrison     

    Executive Director of Finance

    Josh serves on our Executive Team overseeing all finances and accounting with a strategic focus. Josh's attention to detail, wisdom, and heart to steward our resources well make him an incredible asset to the team and gift to the body of Christ.

  • Cori Thomas     

    Executive Assistant

    Cori serves as the Executive Assistant to Pastor Aaron and Lauren and brings such a servant's heart to many administrative needs in our church. She loves caring for the needs of others and has an incredible desire to see people experience the love of Jesus.

  • Miriam Wamer      

    Executive Pastor of Worship

    Miriam serves as an Executive Pastor overseeing all Worship services and elements, including Production and the Worship team. Pastor Miriam has an incredible heart for worship and believes that there is nothing more powerful and beautiful than the Church worshiping Jesus. 

Church Staff












  • Haley Baker      

    Guest Services Coordinator

    Haley serves in the area of Admin support and is often the first face you'll see if you come to the Opendoor Church Office. Haley's attention to detail ensures that each guest to Opendoor is connected and made to feel welcome.











  • Mary Beth Barefoot     

    Worship Staff

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  • Miranda Braden      

    Children's Staff

    Serving on the Opendoor Kids team and helping write curriculum for the kids program is a dream come true for Miranda, especially being able to love and teach children about Jesus. Her passion for the kids of Opendoor help her lead many Dream Teamers to impact every child we serve.










  • Tyler Braden      

    Associate Pastor

    Men, Youth & Young Adults

    Tyler oversees our Opendoor Youth ministry for 6-12 grade. Pastor Tyler's passion for the next generation drives him to lead incredible teams that create environments where students can know God and find freedom.











  • John Conway

    Associate Pastor

    John serves as an Associate Pastor and is part of our Weekend Services teaching team. Pastor John's incredible gifting at communication and his passion to see people come to know Jesus brings a vital piece of our teaching team.











  • Megan Holland      

    Communication Staff

    Megan cares deeply for every person who calls Opendoor home and her love to capture and share the stories of Opendoor make her a natural part of the Communication department. We love sharing what God is doing in our church and Megan helps make that happen!











  • Joy Kimbril      

    Accounting Staff

    Every day in Joy’s work of managing the church’s accounting involves new challenges to overcome. But her attention to detail and her care and concern for the people of Opendoor Church make her a great addition to our team in the area of Accounting.











  • Melissa Pearson      

    Pastoral Care Coordinator

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  • Rachael Pearson      

    Ministries Coordinator

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  • Seth Pierce      

    Production & IT Coordinator

    Seth’s role at Opendoor is two-fold: he leads all of the live production elements in our Weekend Services and oversees our IT department. Seth loves getting to find new and innovative ways to further the cause of Christ through technology and production.










  • Gina Robinson      

    Associate Pastor

    Women, Marriage & Family

    Gina serves as an Associate Pastor, overseeing Small Groups, Opendoor Women, and Opendoor Young Adults. Pastor Gina thrives on seeing people in authentic community. She loves connecting with the people of Opendoor and seeing them find freedom in Small Groups.











  • Dusty Sims      

    Children's Pastor

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  • Emily Sims      

    Children's Staff

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  • Tray Stepney      

    Worship Staff

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  • Kara Worthington      

    Youth & Young Adult Coordinator

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WE ARE STRENGTHENED BY CHURCH ELDERS

Our Church Elders are a team whose lives reflect humility and holiness. Elders are selected by the Lead Pastor to provide care for the members of the church, provide wise counsel to church leadership, and assist church leadership in discipleship and equipping the church for ministry.












  • Dale Bailey

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  • Mark Barton

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  • Mike Benson

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  • Michael Chandler

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  • Dr. Randy Cobb

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  • John Conway

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  • Jeff Dill

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  • Ronnie Harrison

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  • Elliotte Pearson

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  • Jimmy Robinson

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  • Jared Wamer

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WE ARE COVERED BY APOSTOLIC ELDERS

The Apostolic Elders are a team of experienced ministers whose purpose is to help evaluate the overall health of the church and of the Lead Pastor. They advise the pastoral leadership regarding the purpose and vision of the church.

  • Jimmy Witcher | Lead Apostolic Elder

    Senior Pastor, Trinity Fellowship Church

    As the Senior Pastor of Trinity Fellowship Church, Pastor Jimmy leads a multi-campus church as well as Trinity Fellowship Association of Churches. Jimmy became the Senior Pastor of Trinity Fellowship Church in 2012 after having served as an Elder since 2000.


    Before entering full-time ministry, Jimmy spent over 25 years in business, where he gained extensive leadership experience while managing product development, international sales, and corporate marketing. 

  • Dr. Frank Harvey

    Founding Pastor, Covenant Life Ministries

    Dr. Frank Harvey is the founder of Covenant Life Ministries, an international Apostolic network of churches and ministries. He and his wife Shirley pioneered New Covenant Church, in Clyde, North Carolina, in 1977 and remained as Senior Pastor there until January 2004. 


    Prior to the founding of New Covenant Church, Dr. Harvey received a Bachelor of Ministry and a Master of Theology degree from Christian Life School of Theology in Georgia. In 1998, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Christian Life School of Theology.

  • John Hobbs

    Founding Pastor, Maranatha Ministries

    Pastor John is the founder and president of Maranatha Ministries, an evangelistic ministry bringing support and ministry to pastors and the body of Christ for nearly 40 years. 


    In addition to Pastor John’s evangelistic ministry, he has pastored three nondenominational churches and been instrumental in planting two others and holds a Masters of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary.


    Today, Pastor John continues to travel, preach in churches and host Conferences, Retreats, and Camps through Maranatha Ministries.

  • Greg & Deana Kennedy

    Founding Pastors, Opendoor Church

    Pastors Greg and Deana Kennedy have served Opendoor Church faithfully since it's beginning in 1986, establishing it as a refuge for people needing hope and a training ground for the next generation of leaders. This passion for raising the next generation was never more evident than in 2015 when they transitioned the leadership of Opendoor Church to their son, Aaron. 


    Pastor Greg holds a Masters of Theology as well as an honorary Doctorate of Letters, among other degrees. Pastor Deana, a gifted leader, holds a Masters of Divinity, a Bachelor of Theology, and a Certificate for Non-Profit Management. 


    Together, they now provide oversight and wise counsel to not only the leadership of Opendoor, but many other pastors and leaders in the area.

  • Clark Stallings

    Founder, Hope of Glory Ministries

    Clark is an accomplished businessman and an incredible leader, helping lead some of the most successful organizations in the area, but his heart for God and the Church are what truly define his life. 


    His passion to come alongside people from all walks of life to minister the life-changing power of Jesus Christ led to the creation of Hope of Glory Ministries in 2001. Hope of Glory serves the Pitt County area as a Christ-centered community outreach ministry committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through evangelism, discipleship, and the distribution of food, clothes, hygiene products and household items to those in need.