Monterey :: Ministry Staff

Barry Stephens
Senior Minister
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Barry has served as Senior Minister at Monterey since April 2000. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Preaching and Ministry at Lubbock Christian University. He and Debbie have been married since 1974, and have three children and three grandchildren. They have also served churches in Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Debbie taught elementary school for a number of years, and taught in the Sugar N Spice Pre-School at Monterey for seven years. Barry holds both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Harding Graduate School of Religion.

Ben Pickett
Associate Minister
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Ben has served as the Associate Minister for Monterey since August 2005. His primary areas of responsibility and support include Monterey's Spiritual Formation ministries and Community Outreach efforts. He and his wife Kerry have been married since 1991, and have two sons: Brady and Eli. They moved to Lubbock after three years of ministry in East Texas. Ben holds a Master of Arts degree from Abilene Christian University and a Bachelor's degree from Texas A&M. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Bible for Lubbock Christian University.

Brian Offutt
Congregational Life Minister
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Brian has served as Congregational Life Minister at Monterey since June 2008. His responsibilities include Family Ministry, Involvement Ministry and Pastoral Counseling. He has a passion for helping couples and families grow in relationships with God and one another. He and Melanie have been married since 1992, and have three children: Nathan, Noah, and Hannah. They have also served churches in Abilene, San Antonio, and Atlanta, GA. Brian has an undergraduate degree in Bible and a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University.

Eric Opton
Youth Minister
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Eric has served in Youth Ministry since 1991, and all of those years have been at Monterey. He and Laura were married in 1991 right before they moved to Lubbock to go into Youth Ministry. They have two boys, Ryan and Masen, to keep them on their toes. Laura also serves as the Second Degree Program Director for the Texas Tech School of Nursing. They love being part of a team that loves God and loves teenagers. Eric holds a degree in Psychology from University of Texas-Arlington.

Stacy Poteet
Special Needs Minister
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Stacy has served as minister to special needs since February 2008. She and Russ have been married since 1994, and have two sons: Jackson and Tad. Jackson has autism, and he is just one of the reasons Stacy is drawn to serve individuals with special needs and their families. Stacy has a B.A. in Communication from Harding University and is now working on a Master’s in Special Education from Texas Tech University.