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Garrett's Story

A calling to serve vulnerable children and families

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Garrett Oppel,

Executive Director

Over the past 10 years serving as a Children’s Pastor, the Lord has grown in me a deep burden not only to disciple children, but to care for vulnerable families in tangible, life-changing ways. That burden became personal when my wife and I welcomed two boys into our home in a kinship-style placement. Walking closely with them through their experiences gave me a firsthand look into the brokenness, trauma, and instability that so many children face—and it changed me.
Out of that experience, the Lord led me to start a foster care ministry at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, where we built support systems for foster families, provided wrap-around care, and partnered with a foster agency to help train and equip new foster parents. Through this work, I saw both the immense need and the incredible opportunity for the Church to step in with hope and healing.

My Heart

This role is not a departure from my calling to ministry—it is a continuation and expansion of it. The same passion for discipleship, care, and leadership that I have lived out in the church and the broader community now takes on a deeper and more focused expression in serving those navigating some of life’s hardest circumstances.

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I have seen the pain these children carry. I have also seen what happens when they encounter stability, love, and truth. It is my conviction that true hope and healing are found in Jesus Christ, and I believe God has called me to help create environments where that hope becomes a reality.

I step into this role with humility, dependence on the Lord, and confidence that He is the one who has called me. My desire is to lead faithfully, serve sacrificially, and steward this ministry in a way that brings lasting impact for His glory.

Qualifications

Education

  • Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling (Expected August 2026)
    Liberty University
    Emphasis in Childhood & Adolescent Development and Parenting

  • Master of Arts in Discipleship & Church Ministry
    Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

Certifications & Training

  • Trauma-Informed Care (ShowHope) – Specialized training in caring for children from hard places

  • PAIR Suicide Prevention – Training in crisis awareness and response

  • Prepare/Enrich Facilitator – Certified to guide couples and families in relationship growth

  • Ordination to Gospel Ministry – Affirmed calling and leadership in ministry

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