Joseph Martin
Pastor-Teacher/Elder
Joseph is the husband of his high school sweetheart Melanie and together they have four wonderful boys: Azariah (9), Abram (8), Nehemiah (6), and Malachi (3). Being from a military family Joseph was exposed to many places, but Tucson, AZ remains his hometown as both his physical and spiritual births took place there.
In 2010 Joseph came to saving faith but it wasn’t until 2015 that he came to feel the call towards pastoral ministry. Under the prayerful guidance of those at his home church, Christ's Church of Tucson, Joseph pursued seminary training to better equip himself for the responsibility of shepherding the people of God. By God’s grace Joseph was accepted to The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles, CA where he graduated with his Master of Divinity (MDiv.)in May 2020. While in Los Angeles Joseph also pursued a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling (MABC) from The Master’s University which he also received in May 2020. In addition to these degrees, Joseph is a certified biblical counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).
In May 2020, not only did Joseph complete his MDiv. and MABC degrees, but he completed a two year internship with New Life Church in Woodland Hills, CA. Through this internship Joseph was able to combine his seminary/counseling studies with firsthand pastoral practice and church planting training. All of this training then culminated with New Life Church sending Joseph out to Jackson, MS to help plant a disciple-making church.
In his spare time, Joseph enjoys reading a good biography and learning more about history. He also enjoys spending time outside hiking, practicing his woodworking skills, playing sports, card/board games, and playing video games with his family.
Jeff Barber
Pastor-Teacher/Elder
Jeff Barber was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and became a Christian when he was nine years old. Years later, while in college, Jeff was discipled by a gifted Bible teacher who taught him doctrine and church history. This Bible teacher also started Jeff in his studies of New Testament Greek and identified him as a future pastor/teacher. After graduating from college, Jeff attended Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama, where he regularly taught the Bible to a group of fellow Christian law students.
Upon graduating from law school in 1987, Jeff moved to Jackson, Mississippi, and began practicing law. Several years later, Jeff met the love of his life—Lisa—and they have enjoyed a blissful marriage since 1991. Jeff and Lisa have five children—Elisabeth, Emily, Mandy, Ryan, and Eric.
In 2000, Jeff joined the Board of the Mississippi Home Educators Association. He has served as the organization’s Vice President, President, Legislative Liaison, and has been a speaker on various topics at MHEA’s annual conference.
Although a practicing attorney, Jeff’s heart since his college days has been in pastoral ministry. He completed three years of New Testament Greek from Moody Bible Institute and participated in a class at Reformed Theological Seminary. He was a member of a Bible church in the Jackson metropolitan area for 15 years, and during that time, he served as a deacon for one year, was ordained as an elder a year later, and for approximately four years he left the full-time practice of law and served in the role of full-time associate pastor. In that capacity, he taught classes, periodically preached from the pulpit, and discipled many young men. He also led a weekly College and Career Bible study in his home.
In 2005, Jeff and his family moved to another Bible church in the community, and in 2006 he was ordained as an elder. He served in that role for 12 years, where he periodically preached and for a time led in congregational singing.
Jeff is now part of the church plant team at Christ’s Church. He is excited about how God may choose to glorify Himself through this new work.
Jeff enjoys studying and teaching Scripture, traveling with Lisa, spending time with their kids and their various interests, target practicing, and reading by the fireplace as he shares a chair with the family’s pet Colli-Wawa (part Border Collie, part Chihuahua).
Theo J. Davis
Pastor-Teacher/Elder
Theo grew up around the church and understood nominal and cultural Christianity well, but was not truly converted until later in life. Consistent with the testimony of most African Americans, Theo grew up in a single parent household primarily raised by his mother and aunt. His grandfather, Willie Wilson, was an old country pastor in Port Gibson, MS who also helped to make up the difference by teaching him many life skills. However, it was God who truly remained faithful to His promise of being a father to the fatherless.
Theo was not truly saved until his junior year of college at Mississippi State University at 21 years of age. Also while attending college in Starkville, Theo met his wife, Jessica Davis, who is a native of Starkville. They met at the skating rink, Skate Odyssey-where she was assistant manager. They married in 2013. They have 2 sons (Theo Abel, and Elijah Levi).
In 2016, Theo moved to Los Angeles for 2 years and trained at the Master’s Seminary. He is currently enrolled at the Master's University pursuing an M.A. in Bibical Studies with an emphasis in Biblical Languages. Theo is now back in Jackson, MS planting Christ's Church. He has a desire to see healthy churches all across Jackson, MS and surrounding areas, for that reason, he views his title more as a domestic/inner city missionary.
Theo is certified as a Fundamentals of the Faith teacher, usher, and was nominated as a deacon by the elders at Grace Church LA where John MacArthur is pastor. He was trained in expository teaching by his professors, John MacArthur and Steve Lawson, and in Old Testament and Biblical Theology by one of his most impactful professors, Abner Chou.
Theo works bi-vocationally as a real estate entrepreneur/investor. He loves spending time with his family, studying all things surrounding the subjects of biblical counseling, marriage and family, biblical leadership and strategy, church planting, evangelism, and biblical meditation/memorization. He also loves enjoying God’s creation while meditating, engaging in authentic community, going to the gun range, fishing, and following elite athlete’s careers (1 Cor 9).