The Pastoral Staff
Rob Pitts, Senior Pastor
Pastor Rob Pitts began his pastoral ministry at Emmanuel on October 28, 2007; but he has been a faithful church member for over two years, serving as a teacher in the academy, in the seminary, and in Quest, EBC’s Sunday school class for young adults. He and his wife Megan met while attending college and now have two growing children: Micah and Noah. Both Pastor Rob and Megan are children of career Air Force veterans, which means that they have lived and traveled in many places throughout the world; but both claim their family roots are in New England, having relatives in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Pastor Rob was saved at eleven years of age and later submitted to the Lord’s call to the preaching/teaching ministry when he was a freshman in college, after which he transferred to Pensacola Christian College. Pastor Rob graduated from Pensacola Christian College in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and English. He expanded his education at Pensacola Theological Seminary (MDiv.), Pensacola Christian College (MS in Educational Administration), and Emmanuel Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM and ThD).
Megan was saved at an early age and received assurance of her salvation when she was a teenager. She followed the Lord’s will to become a Registered Nurse by completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pensacola Christian College.
Our pastor has served in several Baptist churches during his ministry-training in Bible college and seminary, assisting pastors with preaching, teaching, visitation, organizing events, and leading singing. After graduating from college and seminary, Pastor Rob and Megan moved to Hawaii to serve in the youth ministry and academy of Ko’olau Baptist Church. During the summer of 2005, the Lord directed Pastor Rob to take a step of faith and to move his family to Connecticut in order to receive more training at Emmanuel Baptist Theological Seminary, a ministry of this local church. The Pitts family has been here ever since, and it is our prayer that the Lord will give them a long a fruitful ministry here with us.
Tom Nichols, Outreach Pastor
Pastor Tom Nichols and his family joined the staff of Emmanuel Baptist Church as youth pastor under the leadership of Dr. Ralph Wingate on April 1, 1979; and with the exception of a period from 1993–1999, Pastor Nichols has continued on staff as the head of our outreach program.
Brother Nichols was saved at age twenty-three at Fellowship Baptist Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. He graduated from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Youth Ministries. After a five–year youth ministry at Fellowship Baptist Church in Marshalltown, the Lord brought his family to Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Pastor Nichols has four children: Jeff, Scott, Karen, and Troy. His first wife, Judi, went home to be with the Lord in 1999. His wife Joyce and he have seven children and thirteen grandchildren.
