Church Staff
Dr. Richard Mason
Senior Pastor
Dr. Richard Mason has served as the Church’s Senior Pastor since January 1985. His passion for service is in the pulpit ministry and in pastoral care. Under his tenure of leadership, Brainerd Hills Baptist Church continues to grow steadily, seeing the completion of major building projects, property purchases, and growth in many areas of ministry to the congregation and community.
He has been married to Dianne Livingston Mason for 38 years. Dianne is also actively involved in the ministry of BHBC. They have two adult sons and one grandson.
Included in the Pastor’s personal interests are any sports pertaining to the University of Alabama and history of the American Civil War as of special interest.
Dr. Mason’s heart is for people and advancing the Kingdom of God to a world needing care and hope.
Dr. John Barber
Senior Associate Pastor / Administration
John has been a part of the Church staff since June of 1990 and has served the church in a number of different roles. Since 2004, he has served as the Senior Associate Pastor. John’s primary responsibilities include administration and pastoral ministry.
John graduated from Covenant College in 1993 and from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1997 (MDIV) and 2004 (DMIN).
John and his wife Beth live in the Hixson area where they grew up and have two children, Lauren and Andrew. He enjoys playing golf and is an avid reader of Presidential biographies and World War II history.
Jeff Clark
Minister of Music
Jeff joined the staff of Brainerd Hills in January of 1993 after graduating from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Masters in Church Music. He originally served as Minister of Music & Youth, but as the church expanded, was moved to music ministry exclusively. His passion is to see the church engaged in heartfelt, biblical worship. Jeff and his wife, Kris, reside in the East Brainerd community and have three children.
Mike Lofton
Associate Pastor / Education
Mike Lofton joined the pastoral staff of Brainerd Hills in 1998 after serving as Associate Pastor and Minister of Education at First Baptist Church of Ridgeland, Mississippi. Mike oversees the educational ministry of the church which encompasses the Sunday School Ministry, Discipleship/Equipping Ministry, and Outreach Ministry. Mike graduated from Mississippi State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and resides in Chattanooga with his wife Deborah and his two children, Meagan and Adam.
Matthew Vandegriff
Minister of Students
Matthew began serving as full-time minister of students in August 2010 after a combined ten years in local law enforcement. During that time, he was a part of the Brainerd Hills Student Ministry in roles of increasing responsibility as a youth worker, group leader and twice as interim minister of students. Matthew graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1999. He is now in the process of earning a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Matthew also serves on the Hamilton County Juvenile Court Commission. Matthew and his wife, Erica, were married in 2002 and have two children.
Michael Steffey
Minister of Preschool and Children
Michael serves as Minister of Preschool and Children. Before coming to Brainerd Hills in 2007, he served as Pastor of Students and Children at First Baptist Church, Bells, TN from 2003 to 2006, and as Minister of Music and Youth at Fairview Baptist Church, Paris TN from 2001 to 2003. Michael holds a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Murray State University in Murray KY. Michael and his wife, Chrissy have 3 children, Abby, Nathan, and Sarah Beth.
