REV

        Rev. Dr. Wylie W. Johnson became the Pastor of Springfield Baptist Church in May of 1997. Ordained in 1982 at First Baptist Church, Metuchen, NJ where he also served more than five years as Assistant Pastor. In 1987 he followed God’s call into the active duty Army Chaplaincy where he served for the next ten years. Pastor’s education includes a Doctor of Ministry from Lutheran Seminary (http://www.ltsp.edu/) in Philadelphia, a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary (http://www.denverseminary.edu/), and a B.A. in Psychology from The King’s College (http://www.tkc.edu/). Rev. and Mrs. Johnson celebrate 35 years of marriage, and are blessed with four daughters, one son-in-law, and two grandsons.
        Pastor Wylie trusted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior one Sunday morning in January 1962. He was ten years old. In his High School years the Christian Service Brigade (http://csbministries.org/) was an important place where he learned Christian leadership, memorized Scripture, and developed outdoor skills. Wylie worked many summers as a counselor at the local Brigade Camp, Hickory Hill, NY. These were ministries where he learned to pray, lead others to Christ, and develop his gifts for ministry. Following God’s leading in preparation for ministry; he entered college, and then Seminary. Working as a Toll Collector, Toll Station Supervisor, Furniture Mover and Trucker during those years he earned a deep appreciation for the working man and his struggles. In full time ministry serving first as an Assistant Pastor, later as an Army Chaplain and now Pastor of Springfield Baptist, Rev. Johnson developed a wealth of knowledge and practical experience. After some 28 years of ministry around the entire globe, he is still excited about leading others into a personal relationship with Christ.
        Chaplain Johnson is the Springfield Township Police Chaplain, past President of the Springfield Ministerium (http://www.springfielddelco.org/Churches/churches.htm), a supporter of Veterans affairs, and a regular speaker at public events in the region. A resident of Springfield, he is involved with his community and its schools.
        Chaplain (Colonel) Johnson, US Army Reserve, currently serves as the Command Chaplain for the Military Intelligence Readiness Command (USAR) at Ft. Belvoir, VA. He is nearing completion of a two year course of study at the US Army War College in Carlisle, PA. which will result in a M.S. of Strategic Leadership. Chaplain Johnson was mobilized for a year (April 2003 – March 2004) of active duty with Special Operations Forces. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff Course, and has served in Honduras, Korea, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Haiti, Germany, Afghanistan, and Iraq as well as numerous locations in the continental United States. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

Mr. Robert Davalt II

Youth Pastor

            All my life I had been a Navy brat. My dad was a Navy career man and as a result we moved every couple of years. This also meant that I had to leave all of my friends behind and start all over again looking for new ones. When he finally retired in 1978 we settled in a little town of Turlock California where his family was from.
            We started attending Calvary Baptist church shortly after we had moved and I quickly met the youth pastor. The following summer I was asked if I would like to attend Hume Lake Christian camps for a week. This would be the week that I would never forget. It was during this week that I learned more about God and His “friendship” that would never leave. It was also the same weekend that God would bring into my life the one woman that would impact my life the greatest. I accepted Christ as my Savior that week.
            Over the course of my high school years I would try to live the life that I knew God wanted me to but, I had a very difficult time standing up against the world and all of its temptations. After graduation I made the decision to move up to Napa to be with that woman that I had met just a few years earlier. Four months later we would be married. Six months later I would find out that I would be a father at the age of 19.
            Three years later, and two more additions to the family, I felt a huge amount of demands from the responsibility of family life. The burden at age 22 was more then I had ever anticipated and I fell a long way away from God. My wife however continued to pray for me and stood by me during these trying times.
            In the summer of 1990 I met a good friend named Dale Nutting. Here was a guy that loved God with all of his heart and had such a wonderful out look on life no matter what he was doing. He played drums for a Christian band and had a love that I knew I needed once again. Later on that winter I would express this concern to him and ask for help in rededicating my life back to God. The two of us have been the closest of friends since then.

After Starting a business in 1992 we relocated our family to Michigan for what I thought were business reasons. Nothing could have been further from the truth. During the course of the next 8 years God would introduce me to some of the godliest men I have ever known. They played an intricate part in developing my spiritual growth. Through constant Biblical studies, times of prayer and outreach to teens in my local neighborhood, I learned that God's love was more important than any business deal I had ever had. As a result, teenagers from all over our little town would spend afternoons just "hanging out" in my backyard. As I spent time talking to them about school, friendships, parents, their hopes & dreams, and how God's purpose fit into all of it, I began to realize that God had a higher calling on my life.

My wife and I closed our business in the fall of 2003 as I returned to college, at age 39, to pursue a degree in youth ministry. During those next 4 years God would continue to confirm the fact that I was well within his will and purpose for our lives. After finishing my degree at Grace Bible College we entered the world of full time youth ministry. We eagerly look forward to serving our Lord and Savior for many more years as we share our life story, and the amazing grace that God has given us, with young adults in the state of Pennsylvania.

REV. DR. MANUEL AVILA

Pastor Emeritus

Manuel C. Avila, Jr. was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the son of a Portuguese Baptist minister. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Gordon College in 1947, the Bachelor of Divinity degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1950, and the Master of Sacred Theology degree from Temple University in 1950. In May, 1981 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
            In 1948, while he was a student at Eastern Seminary, Rev. Avila assumed his first pastorate at the historic Brandywine Baptist Church in Chadds Ford. He was ordained there June 1, 1950. In March, 1957 he became pastor of Springfield Baptist Church, which was five years old at the time.
            Throughout his years in the ministry he has served in many capacities in local, association, and regional levels. He was Secretary to the Delaware County Fundamental Ministerium, Chaplain of the Week at Taylor Hospital, Chairman of the Steering Committee for Jezreel Baptist in West Chester, Director of the Junior High Camp at Sunnybrook, President of the Portuguese Baptist Convention of New England, President of the Springfield Ministerium, Moderator of the Riverside Baptist Association. President of American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware and President of the Alumni Association of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
            In November 1991, after 34 years of service to Springfield Baptist Church, Dr. Manuel Avila retired. In 1992 he was honored by the congregation of Springfield Baptist when they named him, Pastor Emeritus.
            In June, 1947 Manuel C. Avila, Jr. marries Madelyn Rebello of Fall River, Massachusetts. Their children are Paul, who died in 1972; Dr. Ruben Avila, Mrs. Deborah Hamill and Mrs. Betti Sharpe.

PASTORAL INTERNS

Rev. Marcos Almonte, Senior Adult Ministry Intern

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