Pastoral Staff
Ed Chambless, Associate Pastor
Pastor Ed and his wife, Dale, came to Mikado from the Lake Oconee area in February 2005 where he served as pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Eatonton, GA, for nearly six years. Pastor Ed and Dale have been married for over forty two years, and they have two children (Lisa and Matt) and seven grandchildren.
The Chambless’ daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Jeff Caupp, have three children (Acadia, Clayton and Jeffrey Paul). Jeff serves at Tri-City Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona, as Academic Dean with International Baptist College. The Chambless’ son, Matt, and his wife, Leah, live in Macon and have four children (Kea, Kaden, Kylei & Kameron). Matt is the Athletic Director at Covenant Academy, and they are both members of Mikado Baptist Church.
Pastor Ed received his education at Abraham Baldwin College, Valdosta State College, Faith Baptist College and Bethany Seminary. Having served in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, and then in the business world for many years, Ed finally accepted Christ as his personal Savior. Shortly thereafter, God called him into full time ministry. Since then, he has served as an associate pastor, senior pastor, evangelist, and school administrator in ministries in Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee.
Pastor Ed is committed to his Lord and his family. His family motto is “Jehovah-Jireh,” and his life verse is Philippians 3:14. He enjoys traveling on mission trips, studying history and visiting historical places of interest. In addition, he savors a good meal of seafood and steak. Dale enjoys leading a weekly ladies Bible study at Mikado, visiting, and hosting special tea parties.
Peter Grant, Student Pastor
Pastor Pete came to Mikado in February of 2002. Peter was born in Rockport, Maine, but grew up in sunny Lakeland, Florida. It was there under the ministry of Dr. Cham McMillen that the Lord began to turn Peter’s heart toward the ministry. During the summer of 1993 at the WILDS Christian Camp, Peter dedicated his life to full time Christian service and surrendered to preach. He has a B.A. in Youth Ministries from Bob Jones University. Peter has worked with teenagers in different settings since 1997. He served as a camp counselor at Ironwood Christian Camp in Barstow, California, a youth sponsor at Faith Baptist Church in Taylors, South Carolina, an intern youth pastor at First Baptist Church of Lady Lake, Florida, and is currently serving as student pastor at Mikado Baptist Church.
Natalie grew up in a pastor’s home learning from an early age what ministry was all about. She is a tremendous blessing to the youth ministry at Mikado as she dedicates her time, love and passion for “her teen girls.” Natalie has been a wonderful support to her husband and a great team player to the staff. Peter and Natalie’s passion is to see teenagers grow closer to the Lord and give their lives completely to Christ’s control.
Peter and Natalie have been married since June of 2002. They have a little girl named Bailee born in May of 2009. As a family they enjoy traveling, shopping and going on family walks. Peter spends some of his “free time” playing golf and basketball and shooting Glocks. Their desire is to always trust the Lord and give their lives for whatever, whenever, and wherever God requires. Peter’s life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6, and he is reminded daily to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Derrick Williams, Children’s Pastor
Derrick, and his wife, Darci, graduated from West Coast Baptist College, in Lancaster, CA in 2008. Since high school, Bro. Derrick has had the opportunity to work, teach, and lead children’s ministries at his home church in Lancaster, CA. Darci grew up in Wyoming where her dad pastored for 16 years before he was called to the mission field of Romania. Darci assisted her parents with the music and children’s ministries. Upon her return to the states she volunteered on a church bus ministry. Both her and Pastor Derrick have had much experience in working with children.
Shortly after getting married, the Williams’ were hired as two year interns at Eastland Baptist Church, in Tulsa, OK. While serving there, they led the youth ministries, bus ministry, and assisted with children’s events. After transitioning a new couple into the role of Youth Pastor, they were hired by Pastor Smith to join the team as the new Children’s Pastor of Mikado Baptist Church. The Williams are very excited about this new opportunity and look forward to making an impact in the KidzTrek Children’s Ministries. They just recently had their first child.
James Koerts, Worship Pastor
James and Beth met in Jacksonville, FL, where they served together at church and a Christian school. James led the music program, and Beth taught first grade. They were married in the summer of 2005, and the Lord led them to Mikado in the summer of 2007.
Originally from upstate New York, James attended Bob Jones University in South Carolina, where he studied church music. Through the years he has used various opportunities to minister as chances to develop his music writing and musicianship. James is a published composer and arranger, and some of his choir and piano songs have been professionally recorded.
Beth is from Minnesota, and she attended Maranatha Baptist College in Wisconsin. She is a homemaker, and enjoys serving in the children’s ministries of the church. Together, James and Beth lead the Newlyweds LifeLevels class of Mikado. They reside in Warner Robins, south of Macon, with their young children, Michael, Katelyn and Daniel.
Edlee Mixon, Administrator
Edlee received a B.A. from Pensacola Christian College in 1992. After traveling for PCC as a College Representative for 3 years, he returned home to Macon, GA and married his high school sweetheart, Tanya Stroud, in May of 1996. The Lord has blessed Edlee and Tanya with three precious children: Tyler (11), Lauren (8), and Katie Lanier (4). In addition to rearing three children, shuttling them back and forth to school, ball games, and Nana’s house, Tanya is a dental hygienist.
The Lord opened an opportunity for ministry at Mikado in 2006. Having served in church ministry and the chaplaincy over the past ten years, Edlee continues to find church finances and administration to be an exciting challenge. A parallel passion is his desire to study church models across America and implement biblically proven methods into the local church ministry at Mikado. In addition to finances, his responsibilities include: promotions, assimilation of membership, and Sunday School (LifeLevels).
Edlee and Tanya enjoy leading one of Mikado’s young couples classes called 4Better4Worse. In addition to teaching, Edlee enjoys spending time with his family, yard work and gardening, reading, and anything related to baseball (Go Braves!). His life verse is Philippians 3:13-14 in which the apostle Paul states, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”