Highlands First Baptist Church announced this week the addition of a new Pastor of Family Ministries.
Pastor Scott O’Neill became the new Pastor of Family Ministries at the Highlands Church in January of this year, according to Pastor Mark Ford.
“The congregation approved Pastor O’Neill on Jan. 5,” Ford said. “Scott’s role at First Baptist Church as Pastor of Family Ministries is to develop a strong devotional life and discipleship for the congregation.”
Rather than compartmentalize O’Neill’s focus, the church will make it more far-reaching.
“His ministry will focus on strengthening the individual families and singles in their walk with the Lord,” Ford said. “But it will also emphasize the organic nature of the church as a family, building strong relationships from cradle to end of life and our mutual responsibility of care and encouragement within the body as a whole.”
O’Neill’s focus will place emphasis on the entire family.
“Unlike other traditional approaches of segmented ministry to generational groups within the church, his work will promote an organic understanding and intergenerational spirit of mutual support and ministry to each other as a family,” Ford said.
The first order of business is to get O’Neill and his family moved from Illinois to Highlands.
“Right now Scott is in transition, but he is officially on board at Highlands First Baptist Church.”
According to Ford, O’Neill was born and raised in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area in 1969, “In the first 30 years of his life he will tell you that he never heard the Gospel. Not until he moved to central Illinois did he first encounter the Truth of the Gospel,” Ford Said. “He would receive the gift of salvation in February of 2012.”
Until then, O’Neill worked with Caterpillar, Inc., in Peoria, Ill. in Project Management, training, and implementation of the CAT Global Minestar Mining Technology.
O’Neill pursued seminary studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with graduation this past fall with a M.A. in Theology.
O’Neill has been married to Christy, his wife of 15 years, and with three children: Finn is 12, Lottie, who the O’Neills adopted from China, is 10 and Sam, adopted from Arizona, is four. Christy O’Neill is a Sunday School teacher and passionate about building relationships founded in Christ. She is also a public accountant.
“The O’Neill’s share a common heart for adoption as they continue to serve the Lord,” Ford said.
O’Neill said he can’t wait to get his family settled in Highlands and call it home.
“We are really looking forward to settling in the Highlands area and becoming part of the community for a number of reasons,” he said. “I’m excited to get free of the frigid cold.”
As for his duties at Highlands First Baptist Church, he sees his Biblical message to minister to the family.
“Helping mom and dad, and the family as a singular entity will be my primary focus,” he said. “Discipling them all at the same time and will include a multi-generational Biblical message.”
For the congregation of Highlands First Baptist Church, the feeling is mutual, awaiting O’Neill’s arrival.
“The First Baptist Church in Highlands is excited about the O’Neill’s joining them in their labors for reaching out to our community and making a difference in people’s lives,” Ford said.