OUR STAFF
Staff are members who are employed to help with the general operation of the church, such as administration and member care. In addition, some elders are employed by the church so that they might be free to devote more time to teaching, equipping, prayer, care, and oversight.
Mike McKinley
Senior pastor
email: mike@sterlingparkbc.org
Phone: 703.430.2527
Mike McKinley was raised in suburban Philadelphia. He received a B.A. in Religion and Classics from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and an M.Div from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. In 2004, Mike was brought onto the pastoral staff at Capitol Hill Baptist Church as a church planter. In 2005, he brought a small group of people from CHBC to Guilford Baptist Church in order to help revitalize the church’s ministry. He served as Guilford’s pastor until 2013, when Guilford merged with Sterling Park Baptist Church, where he now serves as Senior Pastor. Mike has been married to Karen since 1997, and they have five beautiful children: Kendall, Knox, Phineas, Ebenezer, and Harper. In his free time, Mike loves to spend time with his family, reading all kinds of books, and daydreaming about the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Seth Wachtel
Associate Pastor
Email: seth@sterlingparkbc.org
Seth grew up in Wilmington, NC. He became a Christian at a young age through the steady witness of the church. He later attended North Carolina State University (B.S. Marketing) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M. Div). During his time in college and seminary, Seth joined Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, where he experienced great spiritual growth and confirmation in his call to pastoral ministry. After graduating from Southeastern, he spent nearly three years as a pastoral resident at Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, OK, where he served until he joined Sterling Park Baptist. Seth has been married to Jill since 2008, and they have four beautiful children: Airlie, Beau, Sadie, & Eliza. In their free time, the Wachtels enjoy getting outside, meeting new friends, eating good food and cheering on the NC State Wolfpack.
Mike Jones
Assistant Pastor
Email: mikej@sterlingparkbc.org
Mike is a genuine “scouser,” born and raised in Liverpool, England. After finishing school, he moved to Seattle to work with local churches, ministering to young people. Upon returning to England, Mike attended Capernwray Bible School, where he met his future wife, Heidi (who, believe it or not, is from Seattle!). Mike and Heidi have been married since 2009 and have two children, Ariella and Isaiah. Before joining SPBC, Mike served as the Ministry Intern at Aigburth Community Church in Liverpool. In 2014, he came on board as our Pastoral Assistant while pursuing his Master of Divinity (MDiv) at Reformed Theological Seminary. Today, Mike is our Assistant Pastor, dedicating his time to teaching God’s word, discipling men, and overseeing the youth and children’s ministries. Outside of church life, Mike is a Walt Disney World enthusiast, a passionate fan of Liverpool Football Club, and a lover of the great outdoors.
Brenda Pauken
Biblical Counselor
Email: brenda@sterlingparkbc.org
Brenda was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. It was there that she met her husband, Dave. She and her family moved to Northern Virginia in the mid 90s and began attending the church in 2006. Brenda holds a BS in Business Administration from Towson University and an MA in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary and has completed an internship at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF). Brenda is a Certified Christian Trauma Care Provider and enjoys reading, cooking, spending time with friends and creating order out of chaos.
Karen McKinley
Administrator & OUtreach Coordinator
email: admin@sterlingparkbc.org
Karen grew up high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She came to the DC area to attend The George Washington University and worked as a Physician Assistant after finishing her degree. A few years ago, when the church needed someone to take over administrative duties on short notice, Karen jumped in to help. It was such a good fit that she’s been at the helm ever since. She and Mike have been married since the late ‘90s and have five children.