Stephen Unthank
Steve is our senior pastor. He came to the church in 2015 with his wife Maricel and their son, Ambrose, and daughter, Lilou.
Stephen graduated from Frostburg State University majoring in Philosophy and later from Capital Bible Seminary with his Master’s in Divinity. “Growing up, my family lived all over the world due to my father’s job with the State Department. We lived in places like Cuba, Panama, Zambia, South Africa, and Venezuela. It was a real blessing to see the world and experience the diversity of peoples and cultures in each locale.”
Not growing up a Christian, it was just before entering University that he came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. But upon entrance into the Philosophy track he quickly discovered the need for a reasonable faith. “I was a brand new believer but was really impressed with the thoughtfulness and care my professors showed in why they didn’t believe in God or the gospel. As a result I gave myself to really understanding why I believed what I believed. Or as Augustine put it, ‘believe so that you may understand.’ As I did this, I came to fall in love more and more, not with God’s word, but with who God is in Jesus Christ. It was near the end of my time at school that I came to realize my joy and delight in explaining to others the great news contained in the Word about Jesus Christ.”
His call to ministry came in 2007 where he interned at Trinity Community Church in Bowie, MD which evolved into a pastoral associate role. Greenbelt Baptist Church called him to be a pastor in January of 2015. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to have seen the world growing up. What’s great about the city of Greenbelt is that the world in all its diversity has seemed to converge here. There are so many different kinds of people here. I pray that the Lord would be pleased to use me and Greenbelt Baptist Church to uphold and exalt the beauty of Christ for all the city to see and cherish.”
He blogs at A Place For Truth and enjoys reading history, dancing with his wife, and figuring where in the DC area you can find the best Ethiopian cuisine.
Keith Kauffman
Phillip Grove
