STAFF

Pastor Todd Benkert
Todd Benkert is pastor and lead elder of Oak Creek. Pastor Todd and his wife Heidi grew up in Michiana—Todd in Dowagiac, Michigan, Heidi in South Bend. He has a heart for the people of Indiana where he has served in ministry for 20 years. He is passionate about building unity in the body of Christ, racial reconciliation, foster care and adoption, and ministry to those who have experienced significant childhood trauma. He is an advocate for North American church planting and for local church participation in global missions. Todd also teaches for Liberty Divinity School and Indiana Wesleyan University. He enjoys hiking, music, and going to the beach at Lake Michigan. Pastor Todd blogs at sbcvoices.com and behiswitnesses.com and can be followed on twitter at @toddbenkert

Youth Pastor Michael Jamison
Mike was raised in the Muncie, IN area for most of his childhood. Mike has a B.A. Degree in Christian Ministries and Biblical Studies from Trinity International University. Prior to working in his first full time ministry job at  Oak Creek, he had experience in Camp Ministry, Sports ministry, Worship, Preaching, Non-profit work with students ages K-12, and Youth Ministry. Mike is passionate about bringing about unity within the church and making sure every person (regardless of age, ethnicity, wealth, or background) feels uniquely loved and valued as a child of God. He also loves hanging out with students, studying the bible and other theological/ministry resources, community outreach, and both domestic and international mission trips. Mike also loves all sports, tasty food, movies of all kinds, going to concerts, and is an avid fan of Professional Wrestling.

Office Manager
​Jen Eggleston
Jen and her husband Deric have attended Oak Creek for 15 years.  They have two children.  Jen earned her BA. from Taylor University in Urban Ministry and her M.A. from Bethel College in counseling.   Jen enjoys opening her home to friends and family, whether for a few hours for dinner or small group or for a few months as exchange students. In her free time she also enjoy reading, camping, and cooking.

ELDERS & DEACONS

Dennis Brown
​Dennis has attended Oak Creek for many years and has been an elder for the past decade, serving as the recording secretary. He became a Christian through the Young Life ministry as a teenager in his hometown of Colorado Springs and has been actively involved in that organization, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and local churches for some 40 years. He and his wife, Debbie, moved to the South Bend area in 1991 after previously living and working in Phoenix and San Diego. Dennis worked in journalism for 15 years and now is the chief spokesman and assistant vice president for public information at Notre Dame. He and his wife have two adult sons.
Dale Nagel
​Dale is married to Susan and has two children.  He works in telecommunications and part-time in Real Estate.  His hobbies include playing golf.  He has been a member of Oak Creek for many years. He loves supporting a church that has a mission to win and build followers of Christ and maintains an environment that is comfortable for those seeking God.  Over the years Dale has done everything from mowing the lawn to preaching!   He has been involved in small group and men's ministry and has done construction projects at the church and in Haiti.  Most Sunday’s he can be found serving in the lobby with the greeting team.

Pete Cerling

Pete and his wife, Stephanie, have been members of Oak Creek since 2007. They have three children. Pete has been an ordained pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention since 2015 and has been involved in ministry, both professionally and voluntarily, for over twenty years. He has served in a variety of ways as a member of Oak Creek. Pete graduated from Bethel College with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Ministry and is in the midst of attaining a Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies from Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary. He enjoys baseball (specifically the Detroit Tigers), hiking, kayaking, and spending time with his wife.

Jon Joyner

Jon and his wife Robyn have been members at Oak Creek since 2009 and have twin boys.  Jon graduated from Bethel College in 2006 and served with Young Life ministry while in college.  He works as a Connection Coachs at Ivy Tech Community College South Bend. Jon leads the worship team at Oak Creek. In the past Jon co-taught the teen Sunday School for several years and has enjoyed helping with the greeting and drama  teams and serving as part of a recent Haiti missions trip. In his free time Jon enjoys reading, biking, hiking, camping, DIY home and auto repair, and goofing around outside with the boys. 
Our deacons seek to minister God’s grace to the people of Oak Creek.  They seek to serve the congregation by modeling godly behavior, by maintaining growing relationships with folks in the church, and by ministering God’s grace in practical ways wherever it is needed.  If you have a need, please feel free to contact a deacon to let them know how they may serve you.
​We are currently in the process of adding several new deacons to fill vacant spots.

Susan Nagel

Susan  and her husband, Dale, have raised their two kids at Oak Creek Community Church. She began playing violin as a young girl in LaPorte, IN, encouraged by her Mom to play in church. She teaches violin as a profession and also plays in the Oak Creek Worship Team.  Her youngest student has been age 2 and her oldest in his 70's! Susan has taught in various areas of children's ministry, and is part of the leadership of the Ladies Bible study.  She enjoys playing in the worship band and helping others in meals ministries, childcare and through the deaconess ministry. Biking, walking, cooking, reading and Bible study are some of her interests, along with music.

Paula Teegardin

Paula joined Oak Creek Community Church in 2009 After her first visit she knew God had led her there and that it was her new church home.    She is involved in the greeting ministry and became a deaconess in mid 2017 . Paula has lived in this area all of her life.  Paula's greatest joy is her family. She is married to Dave.  and they have three adult children and four grandchildren. Paula works in a local Jr. high school as an aide. In the summer she paints homes. Leisure time is spent with family and friends.  She loves food, pickle ball , snow skiing, swimming, gardening and traveling.

Kimberly Housand

Kimberly and her husband Ray began attending Oak Creek in 2008 after moving back to the Mishawaka Community. They both value the importance of a church that lives out the command to love your neighbor as yourself and are willing to bring his love alive to all who enter the church to make a lasting impact in their lives. Kimberly enjoys serving and living life out at Oak Creek through the greeting ministry, deaconess ministry, woman's small group bible studies, and through the meal ministry. Kimberly and Ray also enjoy hosting and attending small groups. Kimberly enjoys watching sports especially if it involves the Detroit Tigers. She also enjoys gardening, family and friends, taking a meal to a family from time to time, dates with her husband, reading and walking.

Debbie Brown

Debbie and her husband Dennis have been members for 20 years at Oak Creek. Debbie amd Dennis moved to Michiana in 1991 after previously living in Phoenix and San Diego, where Debbie was the head volleyball coach at Arizona State University and an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team. A member of the 1980 Olympic volleyball team, she was the head coach at Notre Dame for 24 years and was inducted in 2017 into the American Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame. She is now the athletic director at Saint Joseph High School in South Bend. She and Dennis have two adult sons. She has been actively involved with the Young Life ministry and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and has served in Oak Creek’s children’s ministry, hosted small groups, and attended the Women’s Bible Study. 
OUR PURPOSE at Oak Creek is to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commandment (Matt 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). OUR AIM is to be a diverse body of believers transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, living in true fellowship as one people of God,​ multiplying disciples in Michiana and around the world.