Clay NeSmith is the Lead pastor of Barefoot Church. Clay is from Thomasville, Georgia and attended Columbia Biblical Seminary. He is married to Kim, who is a registered nurse and they have one son, Cole who is 13 years old.
An excerpt from Clay's Blog, helps to explain Clay's vision for Barefoot Church.
"I started this church with full confidence that God was going to do something big. Not because of who I am, because of who I believed Him to be. God has taken me through the good times and the tough times. He is building me as a leader and refining the vision He has for Barefoot Church. When we started I was thinking God was going to do something big by putting a church in a community that could change lives. God was bigger than my definition of Big. Then God showed me that He wanted to plant a church in a city that would change lives. God was bigger than my definition of Big. I continue to grow in my relationship with God and continue to learn that God does things bigger than I can ever think of. He does more than I can imagine. I just have to keep following and expanding as He directs."Clay has grown Barefoot Church from its initial location in the living room of their home to over one thousand attendees at the current location. The mission of Barefoot Church is "Changing Lives That Change the World."
Clay's leadership and clear vision helps us all to reach our full potential.
Jim Evans
Jim came to Christ in 1973. He graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 1978 and Palm Beach Atlantic University in 1992. He has planted two churches, led spiritual life and pro-life campaigns, directed a mission to Haiti and taught online and onsite leadership courses as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Jim married his wife, Joan in 1976. They are blessed with four grown children and two grandsons.
When asked how Barefoot Church has changed his life, He stated,
"Barefoot has refreshed me, and refocused my ministry at a very crucial time in my life. Joan and I have been in the ministry for over 30 years and Barefoot has restored the passion and zeal that we had 30 years ago. Colossians 4:3 is the heartbeat of our ministry. We thank God for the open doors of opportunity He is providing through the ministry at Barefoot."
Jim serves as Care Pastor at Barefoot Church and his wife, Joan volunteers full-time as his Administrative Assistant and church receptionist.
Steve Mullins
Originally from Canada, Steven and his family relocated to South Florida where they were involved in "cutting edge" church planting. Steven was ordained in 2005 and relocated to Calabash, NC in 2006. Steven and his wife Julie have two children, Hunter, age seventeen and Alex, age fourteen. All are actively involved at Barefoot.
Steven enjoys incorporating a variety of musical styles into worship at Barefoot and is always seeking new and creative ways to push the limits through artistic expression and with the use of technology.
"After praying about our next steps, we felt God leading us out of Florida. We began searching and fell in love with the Carolina Coast. After assisting several churches in our community with their worship programs, our kids locked into the Amp'd program at Barefoot Church. It didn't take long after that for us to feel as though we had found a perfect fit and a place for use to maximize our abilities for The Kingdom."
Steve has affirmed,
"Barefoot Church, through its people and more specifically through its leadership has shown us that God has a much bigger plan than we could ever understand. With a strong vision and passion for His Kingdom, It is evident to us more than ever that with God, absolutely nothing is impossible."
Mark Banister
Mark grew up in Clayton County, Georgia. He attended Clayton Jr. College and Troy State. He is married to Robin Lynn Jarrett. They have one son, Brian, daughter-in-law, Erica and the world's best grandson, Ethan.
Mark served in the lay ministry for eleven years. Mark and Robin moved to SC in February 2005 to help with the church plant. Clay handed Mark a computer and a camera and said, "You're doing video." This has evolved into a full time Worship Experience Ministry.
When asked how Barefoot Church has changed his life, Mark stated,
"The most amazing thing has been watching what God has done through Barefoot Church. Seeing the lives that have been changed, and seeing so many come to Christ has been an awesome experience. My faith has been strengthened, and my vision has become clearer. Allowing God to use me has stretched me and taught me more about His plan for me as I desire to become all He has created me to be."
