Pastors

Dr. J Drew Conley
Senior Pastor
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Dr. David Yearick
Pastor Emeritus
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Drew Conley accepted a call to be senior pastor of Hampton Park Baptist Church in 2002. Pastor Conley, who earned a Ph.D. in Theology from Bob Jones University, came to Hampton Park from the Columbia, South Carolina, metropolitan area where he planted the Kennerly Road Baptist Church in Irmo and served as pastor for nine years. He and his wife Mary Ellen have two sons. Under Pastor Conley’s leadership, Hampton Park continues as a church seeking to bring God glory by reaching others in our community and far beyond with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Chris Barney accepted a call to be the Assistant Pastor for Singles at Hampton Park in 2008. Chris grew up in Waterford, MI. where he trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior at the age of 11. Shortly after, Chris sensed the Lord’s leading in his life to pursue pastoral work. Chris came to South Carolina to attend Bob Jones University where he eventually earned a Ph.D. in New Testament and joined the faculty for several years before becoming the academic dean at Heart of America Theological Seminary in Kansas City. Throughout Pastor Barney’s ministry he has also filled various pastoral roles. Through his pastoral work, he has developed a burden for young people that they might grow in their love for God’s Word so that they might live out the gospel of Christ more effectively. The Lord led Chris back to Greenville allowing him to fulfill his ministry burden with the singles at Hampton Park. Pastor Barney’s positions as both professor and pastor result in his desire for God’s Word to be handled with meticulous precision and utmost devotion. He and his wife, Emily, have two sons, Christopher and Coleman.

Fred is a native of Charlestown, Indiana where he grew-up on a Quarter Horse farm and also participated in a variety of church, school, and community musical organizations. Fred trusted Christ as Lord and Savior on August 9, 1970, just before his senior year in high school. He earned degrees from Ball State University (BS in Mus. Ed., 1975) and Bob Jones University (MA in Sacred Music, 1977). He and his wife, Ruth (Nelson), met while serving as graduate teaching assistants at BJU. For twelve years they ministered together at churches in Muncie, Indiana, Bridgeport, Michigan, and Schaumburg, Illinois. In 1988, Fred became the Head of the Church Music Department at Bob Jones University; he conducted and co-produced seven SoundForth Singers recordings and wrote SoundForth Select. Simultaneously, he served as Assistant Pastor for Music and Worship at University Baptist Church in Clemson, SC. Eighteen years later, in July of 2006; he accepted the call to be the Assistant Pastor of Music and Worship at Hampton Park Baptist Church. Fred continues in his position at Bob Jones University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Pastoral Theology at Bob Jones Seminary. Fred and Ruth have two adult children, Miles Coleman and Kristin Campbell. Fred encourages Christians to sing “expositorally” as a result of what they read in the Word of God; testifying rather than performing.

Mike Cruice has served on the pastoral staff at Hampton Park since 1991 ministering primarily to the singles and seniors in the church. Mike and his wife Susan have four children. Mike graduated college in 1973 with a degree in psychology and married his sweetheart, Susan, three months later. The subsequent seven years found Mike using the world’s wisdom to attempt to solve man’s problems as he worked as a teacher/counselor in a state prison setting, facilitated life style adjustment for juvenile delinquents in their homes, and supervised child abuse and neglect investigations for a state office. Recognizing the world indeed had serious problems with no solution, Mike redirected his career path into the insurance field where he worked for six years as a salesman and a sales manager. During this transition, the Lord made himself known to Mike as the solution to man’s sin problem. At age 28, Mike thankfully and humbly accepted Christ as His Savior and devoted himself to the Lord’ s service and served in his local church in Sellersville , Pa. the following six years. In 1986, Mike moved his family to Greenville, S.C. where he completed a Master of Divinity Degree in 1990 and ultimately his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2001.

Pastor Deuink has been a member of the pastoral staff since June 2007. Previously he was employed by Bob Jones University where he served as registrar and dean of the School of Education. Jim earned a B.S. in Social Studies Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from the University of West Georgia, and the Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration from the University of Georgia. Jim previously served as the principal of Stone Mountain Christian School and pastor of Providence Bible Church, both in Georgia. He currently serves as administrative pastor.

The Lord directed John Lehman and his family to Hampton Park in 1994. This was during a time when the church had continued its growth and was looking for someone to assist the overall church administration and mission endeavors along with the counseling ministry. John was raised on the mission field of Taiwan and came to know the Lord at the age of six. When he was ten, he had the privilege of being baptized by his father in one of the national churches. During his high school years, the Lord directed him to consider the thought of helping people. That has been his motivation through the years, and it was that focus that the Lord continued in his life as he began and concluded his education. Following that burden was the opportunity of knowing that the Lord wanted him to serve in the church ministry. He has considered it a real joy to be a part of a ministry where children have been involved not only in the Christian school but also in a variety of areas within the church.

Jeremy McMorris accepted a call to be the youth pastor for Hampton Park in 2006. Jeremy hails from Mio, Michigan, and was brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by God-fearing parents. Around the sixth grade, he realized his insufficiency and neglect of Christ and through God’s working was born again. After his home school graduation and sensing a desire for the ministry, Jeremy enrolled in Bob Jones University as a Pastoral Studies major in 1995, and continued his education with a Masters of Science degree in Counseling. His years in college provided scores of opportunities for Jeremy to work with people in significantly spiritual ways. The Lord allowed him to minister at the Wilds Christian camp for seven summers, serving as operational staff, counselor, lead counselor, and program staff. He also served as a Residence Hall counselor and supervisor at Bob Jones University, followed by three years as Assistant to the President. Jeremy and his wife Angie were married in 2002 and have two children, Jay and Christiana.

Bruce Mizell came to Hampton Park in 1972 after graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from Bob Jones University. While teaching sixth grade for two years, he began course work for a Masters in Educational Administration. In 1974 Bruce assumed the position of Administrator of Hampton Park Christian School. Upon completion of his Masters in 1976, he has continued in ministry with church and school responsibilities. He was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters by his alma mater in 2005. Bruce and his wife have three children all married and serving the Lord. Bruce marvels at the privilege of being able to come to work each day and invest in the eternal lives of young people.

Joshua Pegram accepted the call to be Children's Pastor at Hampton Park in 2008 but has attended the church virtually his entire life. He was baptized and became a member of the congregation as a child. Joshua graduated from Hampton Park Christian School in 1999 and from Bob Jones University in 2003 with a B.A. in Church Music. He served as student body president at Bob Jones University during his senior year and was in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. In 2006 he received his Master of Arts Degree in Theology from Bob Jones Seminary. In 2004-2005 he served as assistant to the vice president of administration at Bob Jones University. Joshua and his wife, Liz, live in Taylors and praise God for the opportunity of serving Him at Hampton Park.

David Yearick became pastor of Hampton Park in January of 1964 when the church was located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, and was known then as Hampton Avenue Baptist Church. Relocating to a larger campus in the suburbs in 1970, the church changed its name to Hampton Park Baptist Church. Under Pastor Yearick's leadership, the church experienced progressive growth in its membership, missions program, Christian day school, and other ministries. In 2000 Pastor Yearick saw the need to begin the search for the man God would have eventually succeed him. On January 1, 2003, Pastor Yearick took the position of Pastor Emeritus and Drew Conley became the Senior Pastor.