Leadership

Elders

Jimmy Thoma

Jimmy Thoma

Lead Pastor

I came to faith in college at a large group bible study where I saw my sin and God’s grace in Christ for the first time. By God’s grace through faith I was forgiven of my sin and my identity was found in who Christ is and what He has done for me instead of what I had. Since that time he has done a mighty work in me heal me of sin and grow me in grace. I graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a Bachelors’s degree in business where I also played baseball. After receiving my bachelor’s degree, I attended Redeemer Seminary where I acquired a Master of Arts in Religion. My ministry experience includes time in youth ministry, missions, and church planting. Most recently, I was a pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AR. There I was a Discipleship Pastor with oversight of our care and recovery ministries.

Brian Shaffer

Brian Shaffer

Elder

God used a praying mom, a university campus ministry, and a myriad of people and circumstances to draw me to Himself. Some great iron-sharpening brothers in the faith and solid Bible teaching have been influential to help grow my faith and to begin to learn how to enjoy God. FBC has been my church home since shortly after my wife, Kathryn, and I arrived in Durango in 2002. We are blessed with children Aidan, Daniel, Taia, and Johanna. I’ve lived in several different places in the US, but Durango longer than anywhere else. I love the beauty and intentionality of how Christ’s body is comprised of very different parts working, suffering, and rejoicing together under God’s arrangement (1 Cor 12).

Robert Gerst

Robert Gerst

Elder

While I have not worked in ministry my whole life, ministry has always been a part of my life. Learning to serve at a young age showed me the importance of community and friends. When I became a Christ-follower serving in the little ways didn’t change, but my focus did. We have been attending and serving within First Baptist Church for over the past 7 years and continue to love and care for the Church body and the people of Durango. As Deacon first and now an Elder, I have had the opportunity to walk more intimately with our congregation and community. I know that God has called me to love Him, love others, and make disciples. I love serving at First Baptist Church and in our community here in Durango.

Alan Hensley

Alan Hensley

Associate Pastor / Youth Staff Leader

I grew up in a small town in the San Luis Valley called Alamosa. By the age of three, my parents got a divorce.  By the next year, my mom had gotten remarried to my step-dad. My step-dad starting to bring us to church on Sundays. On one of those Sundays, I remember the Gospel being proclaimed to me. I went home with my cousins and prayed for Jesus to come into my life at the age of 4. Unfortunately, my family and I soon fell away from the church. What gradually took its place were camping and lake trips on the weekends. By the grace of God, while all of this was taking place, I was a part of a summer youth camp in South Fork, Colorado. I loved it so much that I even became a camp counselor all the way up until my freshman year of college. During my freshman year, I was involved with the party scene. One fall night, I decided to walk home from a party. Long story short, I had a radical encounter with the Holy Spirit that night which set my life to obey and love Jesus.

Dave Johnson

Dave Johnson

Elder

My wife, Cathy, and I have attended First Baptist since 2010. We followed our grandchildren to Durango after 27 years in elementary education. God has greatly impacted my life through community and small groups. I look forward to seeing others “grow in Christ” as we participate in community together. We have three children and four grandchildren.

Staff

Jenna Brandon

Jenna Brandon

Communications Administrator / Youth Staff Leader

At age 19 I understood the Gospel for the first time. My entire life I had been told that Christ died for my sins but I was also taught that salvation was slippery, easy to lose, and had to be earned by works. Then, one night many years ago, a close friend of mine told me exactly what grace is – freely receiving from God what we don’t deserve and can never earn. Astonishingly, I had never been taught this before and that night I prayed to God and confessed that I was unable to follow all of the rules perfectly and that if abiding by the laws laid out in the Bible was what earned heaven, I could never do it. This was a terrifying moment, but it was the first time I truly trusted God to save me because I realized that I couldn’t do the saving myself. Now, fast forward a few years, I arrived at First Baptist Durango (FBD) with my husband and we got plugged in and began serving. We found ourselves drawn to our respective passions in ministry; my husband to worshipping with the band, and myself to working with young people and teaching them the Word of God. It wasn’t long after that I was hired as the communications administartor and Youth Staff Co-lead. It has been such a joy for us to serve in these respective areas and we hope to continue serving and loving our local church.

Linda Griffin

Linda Griffin

Finance Administrator

Alan Griffin & I have been married since 1979 and moved to Durango in 1987. We have two daughters and three teenage grandsons. I have been a member of the church since 1990 and the Secretary since July 2004. Missions are my passion and I was blessed to help lead youth on their first mission trips for many years. I have also been able to go on adult mission trips to Nicaragua three times. I love the ability I have to serve the staff and congregation.

Devona Moore

Devona Moore

Children's Ministry Director

Devona Moore serves as the Children’s Ministry Director. Raised in Durango within a Christian family, she attended First Baptist from age 5 until marrying Douglas Moore at 18. At 33, God’s love and grace transformed her life. Devona’s passion is for children to know the Lord and grow as disciples. Besides her ministry, she enjoys paddle-boarding, water fights, time with grandchildren, and sharing Christ’s love. Devona, married for years, is a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 4. Her life reflects a commitment to family, faith, and spreading the love of Christ to those around her.

Women’s Ministry Team

Allison Claassen

Allison Claassen

At a young age, God drew me to Himself. The Lord continually shows me His goodness and grace through His son and the Spirit.  My family began attending First Baptist Durango in 2014 and I have served as the Women’s BIble Coordinator since 2018.  My passion is to study the Bible, teach God’s truths, and help others grow in their love for God’s word. 

Karen Hwang

Karen Hwang

I grew up in Oklahoma, accepting Christ when I was 9 years old. However, I spent most of my life trying to gain approval from others and God. The Christian life eventually became a burden. I was seeking satisfaction in what others thought of me and not in God alone. It wasn’t until I was 42 years old that Romans 3:23-24 showed me that I was already approved. My real life was hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3). This was my identity- holy and blameless. (Colossians 1:22) This set me free to love others and truly enjoy serving God. The truth will set you free!

Janie Wall

Janie Wall

Janie has a heart for God and a heart for people. From Kansas City originally, she says God has always opened doors jobwise every 5 years. Working as a counselor, parent educator, and at the Durango Pregnancy Center, she says “I’m so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to work in many areas: with families, people with special needs, teen moms, college students, and others. I’ve had to pray, to trust, to be open to what God wants me to do, even when I’m uncomfortable and God’s opening doors out of my comfort zone.”) Here at First B, God has pulled her out of her comfort zone and opened doors as she’s led women’s Bible studies, gone on Nicaragua missions trips, served on the Hospitality team, and volunteered with Christian Challenge college ministry.

Melissa Powell

Melissa Powell

I was not raised in a Christian home, but my mother faithfully took us to church growing up. The Lord used difficult life circumstances of having an alcoholic father and other challenges as a way to draw me to Him. During middle school, I began to desire to know the Lord on a personal level.  I starting seeing my own sin, depravity, and attempts to find all my fulfillment in the world and what others thought of me. It was during that season that I could see the change God made in my heart, and I no longer needed to live under the power of sin. I am humbled the Lord chose me. When I was 18, the Lord carried me through the death of my father and showed me that He truly does work all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).  I know the Lord is faithful to use the painful things in my life for His glory. He has given me a heart for those who are hurting. That is what led me to be a social worker for a season before staying home with my kids. I also have a passion for discipleship: being in discipleship relationships as well as encouraging other women to lock arms with others around them and do life together.

Kristin Hensley

Kristin Hensley

I grew up in a Christian home and knew Jesus from a young age. When I think through my life, I can see different times and ways the Lord has grown my faith. In high school, my Dad got diagnosed with melanoma and it was the first time I had to put my faith into action. I counseled for a summer camp in college where my love for the Word grew immensely. Oh, I also met Alan there. Since coming to Durango and becoming a mom, the Lord has grown my theology, leadership, love for the local church, and my prayer life. I’m so thankful for all of the experiences He uses to bring me closer to Himself! 

Jodie Klumpenhower

Jodie Klumpenhower

Jodie is a Georgia/North Carolina transplant to Colorado. She’s spent most of her life in church but turned her life over to Jesus as a junior in high school and is thankful that God has continued to pursue her in the years since then when she forgets that it’s not about her doing but about the One who loves her. She and her husband Jack are empty nest parents of two twenty-something children, two cats and a Sheepadoodle. Jodie has been involved in meal ministry, women’s Bible studies, helping to organize retreats, teaching Spanish, and is currently working to become a fully licensed professional counselor. When not working, she loves hanging out with women, doing art, reading, and spending time outdoors.

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Location

332 East 11th Street
Durango, CO 81301