Our Leaders
Elders
Our church is led by a team of elders who share the responsibility of shepherding the congregation. They do this primarily through teaching, praying, equipping, counseling, and caring for the organizational leadership of the church. Although some of our elders are also full-time staff members, all elders share the same authority in their pastoral role.
Elder
Mikel has been a member of Kossuth since 2004 and an elder since 2015. He has previously served as a deacon and also currently serves as a Connections class teacher and Community Group leader. Mikel is a Partner at DelMar Software Development, LLC and Co-founder of MatchBOX Coworking Studio. As a lay elder, he enjoys when God presents opportunities in the marketplace to share and demonstrate the love of Christ. From early childhood until today, God has surrounded him with a loving family that has taught him much about Jesus. God continues to do that through his wife Jessica, son Gunnar, and daughter Clella.
Elder
Paul has been at KSBC since returning from Italy in 1997. He has been married to his best friend, Geri, since 1983. Paul and Geri have four children born in 1986, 1990, 1993 and 2000. Paul is a campus pastor serving the international student community at Purdue University through the student organization, Salt & Light Christian Fellowship. Paul likes to read, spend time outdoors working in the yard, and biking. At KSBC Paul teaches regularly in the International Connections class, seeks to mobilize God's people at KSBC in reaching the world coming to us at Purdue, oversees the Campus Ministry, works with the Membership process, and preaches on occasion. Seeing Gospel opportunities and training God's people to be involved in them so that the church can reflect brightly the glory of the One who loved her and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25) is one of the reasons Paul enjoys serving as an elder at KSBC.
Elder
Bill and Sarah have been married since 1988 after meeting on the campus of Purdue University. After living outside of Indiana most of that time, they moved “back home again” to Lafayette in 2006 and have been at KSBC ever since. Their four children span in ages from high school to married with their own children. Bill is a business and technology consultant to a handful of corporate and non-profit organizations. Bill came to faith in Christ in high school when God used a faithful witness to help Bill see both Jesus’ deity and authority alongside his reconciling role as savior in Colossians 1. Bill and Sarah are grateful for the gospel passion of KSBC and for God’s sovereign work in our lives in the church body. He is especially driven by a mission to see the saints equipped for the work of ministry, and to see marriages and families strengthened for the sake of the gospel.
Jon joined the team in November 2023. Jon grew up in Indiana and studied at Purdue University. After marrying Abby in 2014, Jon moved to Washington, DC where he worked as a Math Teacher, Health Care Policy Analyst, and Pastoral Assistant. While in Washington, Jon and Abby were members of Capitol Hill Baptist Church where Jon served as a deacon, staff member, and elder. Jon earned his MDiv in Christian Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2022. The Lord has blessed Jon and Abby with one daughter: Nora. Jon enjoys basketball, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Elder, Pastor of Worship and Connections
Gami (short for Gamaliel) has been at Kossuth since April 2019. He was born in Puerto Rico, where he grew up in the sunshine and Caribbean heat. After almost a decade of military service, God called him to full-time ministry. Gami earned an MDiv from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary with a concentration in Missional Studies. That led him and his wife to work for six years as missionaries in Haiti, where he equipped local church leaders for ministry. Gami and Cathi have been married since 2001, have 5 children, and 1 grandchild! They still love to date each other, enjoy the outdoors together, and connect with others.
gortiz@ksbc.net
Elder, Pastor of Family Ministry
Will joined the Kossuth team in July of 2015. His ministry training includes a BA in Pastoral Studies, MA in New Testament, and MDiv in Pastoral Studies from Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary. Will and his wife Kay have been married since 2006 and have four children: Drew, Caris, Tobia, and Judah. They have served together in youth and family ministry at churches in Missouri and Illinois and are excited to dive into life and relationships with other families at Kossuth. Will enjoys baseball, canoeing, paintball, theology books, and seeJesus seminars. But his favorite things are date nights with Kay and spending time with his kids.
Staff
Our staff team is responsible for carrying out the daily tasks and operations of the church's ministry. Each staff member has a focused area of service, but all work together to carry out the vision and mission of Kossuth.
jkeisling@ksbc.net
Pastor of Worship and Connections
Gami (short for Gamaliel) has been at Kossuth since April 2019. He was born in Puerto Rico, where he grew up in the sunshine and Caribbean heat. After almost a decade of military service, God called him to full-time ministry. Gami earned an MDiv from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary with a concentration in Missional Studies. That led him and his wife to work for six years as missionaries in Haiti, where he equipped local church leaders for ministry. Gami and Cathi have been married since 2001 and have 5 children: Miguel, Kayla, Sandra, Isaac, and Aya. They still love to date each other, enjoy the outdoors together, and connect with others.
gortiz@ksbc.net
Pastor of Family Ministry
Will joined the Kossuth team in July of 2015. His ministry training includes a BA in Pastoral Studies, MA in New Testament, and MDiv in Pastoral Studies from Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary. Will and his wife Kay have been married since 2006 and have four children: Drew, Caris, Tobia, and Judah. They have served together in youth and family ministry at churches in Missouri and Illinois and are excited to dive into life and relationships with other families at Kossuth. Will enjoys baseball, canoeing, paintball, theology books, and seeJesus seminars. But his favorite things are date nights with Kay and spending time with his kids.
Custodian
Ninoska has been at Kossuth since 2009. She was born in Venezuela, to a family of nine children. She graduated from New Tribe Bible Institute and moved to the U.S. in 1993. She met her husband, Dan, at Faith Church. They have been married for 26 years. They have two boys, Caleb and Andres. Nino’s favorite things are cooking, traveling to the ocean, spending time with her husband, her granddaughter, and her full-time ministry, Andres.
Director of Campus Ministry
Chad was born and raised in Mississippi where he graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a BA in Journalism. During the past 15 years, Chad has served in various capacities such as church planter, campus ministry director, associate pastor, school administrator, and senior pastor. One of Chad’s passions is teaching Biblical Theology, helping others learn how to read, study, and learn the Bible in its context.
Chad and Whitney were married in 2009 and have 4 children that love being outside playing, hiking, and kayaking.
Administrative Assistant
Andrea was saved in 1997. She joined as a KSBC member in 2010. She and her husband Scott have two adult children and currently four grandchildren. She has two Boston Terriers and enjoys traveling with her husband.
Financial Secretary
Donna retired from Purdue University in July 2016 to join the Kossuth staff as the Administrative Assistant. Donna and her husband, Jim, have been members at Kossuth since 2002. Donna earned a degree in supervision and computer technology while employed by Purdue. Some of Donna's favorite things to do include reading, quilting, scrapbooking, spending time with family and friends, and going on road trips with Jim.
Deacons
Deacons are appointed to serve the church by assisting the elders in various areas of practical need. Our deacons are organized into ministry teams depending on how the unique skills and gifts of the individual align with the areas of need within the church. Our deacons serve the church generously and sacrificially on a volunteer basis.
Deacon (Senior Care)
Phil and his wife, Marian, have been members of KSBC since 2018 when they moved here to be with family. They have been married for 42 years and enjoy serving the Lord together in various activities. Phil taught mathematics for 36 years in Oklahoma and Texas. They retired and in 2004 moved to Colorado Springs. Phil and Marian enjoy traveling and seeing God’s beautiful creation. They have served in each church they have attended over the years. Sharing with our seniors continues to be their focus. We praise the Lord for His love and direction in our lives.
Deacon
Evan has been attending KSBC since 1997 when his parents returned home from the mission field in Italy. Growing up in Kossuth Evan heard the gospel proclaimed but did not fully understand the weight of his sin and his need for Jesus until high school, Evan spent a year away from Lafayette to attend Boyce College in Louisville, KY where he received a Certificate in Worldview Studies and was connected with Third Avenue Baptist Church during that time. After returning back to Lafayette, Evan became a member of Kossuth in 2013 and began serving in the youth ministry. Introduced by mutual friends, Evan met his amazing wife Becky and they were married in July of 2015. Together they have 4 kids Emersyn, EJ, Everett, and Emmrich. Currently Evan is the Director of Office Operations for Online Resources, Inc. a 3D data collection company in Lebanon.Evan loves networking, watching sports, especially Purdue basketball and football, the Colts, and the Baltimore Orioles and with a love of most anything related to history he is usually good for a random interesting fact or two. At KSBC Evan has been serving on the membership team since 2018 and is passionate about church membership and serving within the church. His desire is to see God's people connect to the local church and serve God and others.
Deacon (Building and Grounds)
bio coming soon.
Deacon (Benevolence)
Bob works in agricultural lending. He serves as deacon of Benevolence, where as a team of three, he and the team strive to come alongside and encourage those within our church and community who have tangible needs. He and his wife Joanne were married in 2016 and they both joined Kossuth in 2018.
Deacon (Senior Care)
Kirk has been a member of Kossuth since 1976 and formerly taught and coached at Kossuth’s school (Highland Christian). He has been married to Gina since 1989. Kirk is involved with the Seniors Ministry Team, and he and his wife enjoy visiting and working with our senior saints. Kirk has three children and Gina has five; together they have 11 grandchildren and one great-grand-daughter. Kirk works part-time at the Collicott Insurance Agency and part-time at Lafayette Limo. Kirk enjoys working out at the YMCA, working outside in the warm weather, and taking long walks with his wife.
Deacon
JR Rohrman, age 68, has been married to his wife Kathy for 43 years. They have four sons and 15 grand children. I first received Christ as my Savior in 1985. Kathy and I first attended KSBC from 1979-1999 then moved out of the area. When we moved back to Lafayette we re established our membership at KSBC in 2017. I have been in the automobile business most of my life other than from 2005-2011 when we were missionaries with Life Action Ministries out of Buchanan, Michigan. Our family verse is Colossians 3:16-17 and our spiritual goal is to lead others to Christ.
Deacon (Technology)
Chris serves as a deacon with primary responsibilities on the Tech Team. Chris first attended Kossuth as an undergraduate student after becoming a Christian through a student evangelism ministry in the mid 1990s. He and his family relocated to Lafayette from the Chicago region in 2011 and joined Kossuth the same year. Chris is a Product Development Manager for Optech International and a part time graduate student pursuing his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Purdue University. He and his wife Krista were married in August of 2000; they have three daughters, Grace, Hannah, and Emelia, and a son, Caleb. When not working or studying, Chris enjoys motorcycling, bicycling, or anything mechanical that gets you from A to B.
Deacon (Missions)
Dean has been a member of KSBC for 38 years and counting. He serves the church by overseeing missions efforts and global partnerships. He loves working with missionaries and their varied ministries to reach people for the glory of God, and more recently he has enjoyed working with people from the church who desire to get on the mission field. He’s personally been on many missions trips, including ones to South Africa and Brazil. He and his wife Chris have three grown children and five grandchildren. He works as a Wildlife Biologist with the Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife.