I was raised in a Christian home and learned about and fell in love with Jesus at an early age. In high school I drifted away from following God and didn't return until age 28. Since that time I have daily read and meditated on God's word, seeking His presence with a desire to hold Him as my "First love". I want more than anything to be pleasing to Him, glorifying Him and loving Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. God is teaching me how to love my neighbor as myself and to genuinely have compassion. I am so thankful for Christ's sacrifice on the cross and the Father's saving grace and want to share the Gospel with others. God has made it very clear to me to preach all the truth of His word, never tickling peoples ears, but with a burning desire to reveal God's loving heart for people everywhere. I believe it is very important that once we truly come to know Christ as our Lord and Savior we obey and treat Him right. God has also impressed upon my heart the importance of striving to love children the way Jesus did.
God has blessed me with a wonderful wife whom I love very much and helps me more than I can ever put into words. I am also very thankful to God for our children and grandchildren who are very dear to us.
It is always a pleasure to worship our God with the wonderful people at Mt. Carmel. There is a special indwelling of God’s Spirit at Mt. Carmel, people often tell me they feel it the moment they arrive. I believe one of the ways we can love our God more richly is by treating each other with love and forgiveness. A primary focus in my leadership role is providing support and encouragement to the congregation. Please pray for me that I will always be a man after God's heart because my heart lacks what it takes, only His heart is pure and filled with love.
Pastor Charlie
Hello, my name is Shana Cora, and I am the Children’s Ministry Director at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. I came from a broken home, and while my single mother worked very hard at providing for my sister and me, I spent the majority of my time with my grandparents on their farm. If I didn’t have their influence in my life, I’m certain I would not be the person I am today. As I look back on what might have been, I can see that God had His protective hand around me.
I was raised in an old, small, backwoods country church. When I was 14, I got saved under a fire and brimstone preacher and was baptized in a local creek. However, Christians are not immune to the troubles or temptations of the world, unfortunately. It was by the grace of God and not wanting to bring shame to my family that I was able to endure although I did mess up here and there.
In 2003 I married the man God created just for me. My husband has been my support and my best friend. Within the next 5 years we were blessed with two absolutely amazing children. Words cannot describe just how wonderful and how much of a blessing these children have been.
We have homeschooled our children from the very beginning. Although I had no interest in homeschooling, God confirmed in me that His will was for our children to be home. One of the ways was through Deuteronomy 6:7. After a few months of homeschooling, I realized it’s more of a blessing than I ever thought possible. This way of life has opened up meaning by connecting us with God and His creation.
We moved to the area in 2017 from southeast Missouri. We began attending Mt. Carmel a year later. I didn’t know, until after accepting this position, just how God had been preparing me for this job in our old church. It’s amazing how He works all things together for His purpose. Romans 8:28. For the five years after 2012, God was teaching us patience and requesting that we be still and wait patiently on Him until He had everything ready Psalm 37:7. It was a long wait, but now that we’re on the other side, we see how He worked all things together for His glory. We made it through with Psalm 46:10. We found peace in staying still and knowing that He is God, He is in control, and He will be exalted.
I have enjoyed getting to know the people of Mt. Carmel. The adults that work with the children are the best. They sincerely love each child and seem to have an endless supply of patience. It has been a joy.
I now look forward to getting to know you and your family.
