Who We Are
Our Heart
We understand that visiting a church for the first time can be intimidating. But we also know many are looking for a healthy, purposeful life full of community; and so we’re very thankful God has built this church! People are meeting God and finding hope and direction. With God’s help people are finding new life through Jesus and a community of warmth and love. We invite you to visit us soon! Come be a part of God’s work at Mikado!
At Mikado, we strive to keep everything we do Christ-centered and Bible based, and our sincere desire is to show the love of Christ to everyone who walks through our doors. Our purpose statement is simple…Declare. Disciple. Do. We desire to declare the Gospel, disciple believers so that they can grow, and do the work of church ministry; both internally at Mikado and externally in our community.
Mission
At Mikado Baptist Church, our mission is simple. We want to reach people with the Gospel by declaring God’s message of salvation, we want to enable Christians to grow by discipling them with Biblical truths, and we want to involve the whole church in carrying out the mission.
Opportunities
Mikado offers opportunities for every person who walks through our doors. The first opportunity is for you to hear Biblical messages delivered in a powerful way. Next, we want those messages to change your life as you allow them to influence you. Then, Mikado offers an opportunity for everyone of likeminded beliefs to join our church and use their talents in its work.
Beliefs
Mikado is a conservative, Bible believing, independent Baptist church. Each of those words is very important to us. Absolutely ANYONE from ANY belief is welcome to attend Mikado’s services, but we cherish any opportunity to explain what our beliefs are, why we believe them, and what makes them so special to us.
Our Leadership
Rusty Smith
Rusty Smith is the Senior Pastor of Mikado Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia. Pastor Smith and his family began their ministry at Mikado in September of 2001 and have enjoyed the incredible blessings of God both numerically and spiritually during these years.
Pastor and his wife Lisa have been married and have served in ministry together since 1987. They have two children, Scott and Joy. Previously, Rusty and Lisa served the Lord for over 14 years in the area of youth work, where they were used of God as they invested their lives in the lives of teenagers.
Rusty Smith is the Senior Pastor of Mikado Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia. Pastor Smith and his family began their ministry at Mikado in September of 2001 and have enjoyed the incredible blessings of God both numerically and spiritually during these years.
Pastor and his wife Lisa have been married and have served in ministry together since 1987. They have two children, Scott and Joy. Previously, Rusty and Lisa served the Lord for over 14 years in the area of youth work, where they were used of God as they invested their lives in the lives of teenagers.
Pastor Smith graduated from Tennessee Temple University in 1987 and majored in Pastoral studies. During his college years, he was a summer evangelist with Neighborhood Bible Time, worked at the Wilds camp as a counselor, and served as student body chaplain. He also has a Master of Arts in Ministry degree from Piedmont International University and an Honorary Doctorate from Pensacola Christian College. Pastor Smith has a private pilot’s license and enjoys golfing, and hunting.
Leadership Team
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, Lauren, and Katie Lanier. In addition to rearing three children, shuttling them back and forth to school, ball games, and Nana’s house, Tanya is a dental hygienist.
Having joined Mikado’s Leadership Team in 2006, Edlee is responsible for providing leadership and oversight in the areas of: finances, Life Groups (SS), Facilities Team, Grounds Team, and the Usher & Greeter Teams. A parallel passion is his desire to study church models across America and implement Biblically proven methods into the local church ministry at Mikado.
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.”
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 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 and his wife have been married for over 50 years. They have two children and seven grandchildren. Pastor Ed is committed to his Lord and his family. His family motto is “Jehovah-Jireh,” and his life verse is Ephesians 3:20. 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.
Kenny and Sara were married in June 2018. Before coming to Mikado, Kenny taught at Harvest Christian Academy in Guam as a music teacher for five years. He was also heavily involved in the music ministry at Harvest Baptist Church.
Kenny graduated from Bob Jones University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He has also received his Master’s in Music Education from BJU.
Kenny and Sara have always had a passion for music ministry and investing in others, and their desire is to use the gifts and abilities that God has given them to serve here at Mikado.
TBD
Paul grew up in northern Indiana, and later attended Pensacola Christian College where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Ministry. Paul and Brooke met in college, and they were married in May 2015. Since then, they have been involved in summer camp ministries, travelling ministry groups, and youth/children’s work in their local church. In their free time, they enjoy fishing, watching football, and playing board games.
Paul and Brooke enjoy working with children, and their desire is to reach the next generation with the Gospel. They are excited about investing in young people and helping them grow in a personal relationship with Jesus.
David grew up in Greeneville, Tennessee and later attended West Coast Baptist College where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Church Ministries. David and Kayla met in youth group while they were in high school, dated in college, and were married in February of 2017.
David and Kayla have a heart to see teenagers reached with the Gospel and to see them growing and established in their faith. They desire to see the next generation transformed by God’s Word, and they love getting to be a part of the local church!
Morris Gleiser was born and raised in a Christian home. He received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at the age of six through the influence of his godly father and mother. He surrendered his life to the Lord at the age of eight, and at the age of 18 he heard the call of God to the ministry. He entered Bible College in the fall of 1972, and later met his wife there at school.
Upon graduation, Morris and Lynn began their ministry at Providence Baptist Church in Riverview, Florida, where he was the church’s youth pastor. He served as Youth and Associate pastor for fourteen years. In that ministry, many young people dedicated their lives to full time Christian service through his ministry and are serving in local churches and in various ministries to this day.
In the winter of 1987, Morris felt the definite call of God to revival work and evangelism, yet he continued to carry a burden for young people. In May of 1989, after much prayer, Morris became the director of WEST BRANCH, a new camp ministry of the Bill Rice Ranch in Flagstaff, Arizona. In 1994 he joined the Pastoral staff of the Tri-City Baptist Church in the Kansas City, Missouri area where he served as the Youth Pastor.
Morris continued to feel the leading of the Lord for the cause of Revival throughout our Country. In 2000, Morris entered full time Evangelism/Revival work. His desire is to continue to minister to young and old alike through evangelism and a strong pulpit ministry.
Learn more at Morris Gleiser – Evangelist Ministries
Follow Morris on @MorrisGleiser
TBD
TBD
Support Team
