Leadership & Staff
At University church of Christ, we are blessed with wonderful elders, deacons, ministers, and staff members. We have 3 elders currently shepherding our congregation & 4 deacons to help carry out the responsibilities such as ministering to the needy, visiting the sick, caring for the church’s property, and assisting at worship.
Without evangelists, we are not able to spread the word of God for, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14. The term evangelist, which comes from the Greek word Euangelistes, is a derivation of the word Euangelion which is translated “gospel”. The gospel is the good news, which makes the evangelist the bringer of the good news.
ELDERS
One group of functional leaders which God placed within the church is described by three different terms in the New Testament. We usually call them “elders” (Titus 3:1), but two other terms used in the New Testament to refer to this group and the work they do are “overseer”(I Timothy 3:1) and “shepherd” (I Peter 5:1-2).
In part, we know the responsibilities of the elder/overseer/shepherd by how these terms were used in New Testament times. The title “elder” indicated someone who by reason of experience and wisdom were recognized as community leaders and examples. The word “overseer” (or “bishop”) suggested a manager or administrator. It carried the idea of someone who was a “steward”, that is, someone who was responsible for making sure that jobs get done and that the general welfare of the community is provided for. And finally, the word “shepherd” (or “pastor”) indicated a person who cared for the well-being of others. It suggested the idea of being responsible for protecting and providing for others.
Two clearly marked lists of qualifications of the elder/overseer/shepherd are found in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The purpose in both of these passages is to show us the kind of leaders God wants us to have. We are blessed to have 7 men like these shepherding our congregation. They are:
Richard Jay | Vince Formica | Clint Duncan
DEACONS
At University we are blessed to have a wonderful group of deacons. Like elders, deacons are a special class of functional leaders in the church. We know this because, like elders, the New Testament presents a list of qualifications which must be met before one can serve as a deacon (I Timothy 3:8-13).
The name “deacon” literally means a servant and suggests that they are assistants who serve under the supervision of the elders/overseers/shepherds. Their responsibilities are quite varied as they carry out many different types of service including, but certainly not limited to, ministering to the needy, visiting the sick, caring for the church’s property, and assisting at worship. Presently, we have been blessed with 6 very conscientious deacons at University.
Richard Halstead | Jason McCutcheon | Al Newbill | Randall Wright
Jeremy Sigle | Pulpit Minister
Jeremy and his family moved to Mobile in March, 2015 to serve as our pulpit minister. He received bachelor's and master's degrees in ministry and biblical studies from Sunset International Bible Institute. Before University he served 8 years as the preacher for the Tarzan Church of Christ in west Texas. Jeremy and his wife Brittani have 3 children, Rylee, Jackson and Layton. He has a great passion for preaching, teaching, and encouraging the body of Christ. Jeremy works hard to relate to people of all ages and backgrounds. He desires to help the body of Christ grow spiritually and in numbers! Jeremy has a love for being in God's creation hiking, camping and doing various outdoor activities. He also likes creating artwork in his free time. He enjoys his roots growing up in a small farm community in eastern Colorado where he showed pigs and steers at the county fair and even (unsuccessfully) attempted to ride bulls one summer in high school.
Shayne Riddle | Youth Minister
Shayne began his work with our family in September of 2024. He and his wife, Jena, are proud parents of 3 children- Andrea, Colt, and Mason. Before coming to University Shayne had spent several years in youth ministry working with congregations in AL and TN. Right before coming to University, he preached at the Center Hill congregation in Lexington, AL for 1.5 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Youth and Family Ministry from Freed-Hardeman University in 2019. He is currently pursuing a Master of Ministry degree from Heritage Christian University, where he will hopefully graduate from in December of 2024. Being a glutton for punishment, he plans to then pursue an MDiv in Youth Ministry and DMin in next Generation Ministry while continuing his work with the University Church of Christ. Shayne has had a passion for working with youth and young adults since his own teenage years. His hobbies are rooting for the Crimson Tide, passionately avoiding exercise, and drinking entirely too much coffee.
Judy Luse | Secretary
Judy became the church secretary on November 1, 1993. This year she will have been serving for 31 years. She loves her job and she is very grateful & honored to serve the congregation in this position. She teaches the cradle roll class, subs when needed in the elementary classes, helps with weddings and baby showers and opens her home for fellowships. She and her husband Bob have been married for forty-five years. They have served in this congregation for forty years. Bob is the coordinator for Wednesday evening meals. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren. Judy enjoys spending time with family, going to the beach, cooking, and traveling to see the grandchildren.