OUR MISSION
Help people find and grow in a relationship with Christ.

OUR CORE VALUES
Humility – Others First
Integrity – Do What You Say
Authenticity – Don’t Wear a Mask
Growth – Closer Today Than Yesterday

OUR DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS
Growing in a relationship with Christ
Growing in a relationship with Each Other
Growing in a relationship with the World

Living To Serve Him

Mike Harrell | Lead Pastor
Hey, guys! I am Pastor Mike, and I am so blessed to be married to my beautiful wife Patti since 1997. Together we have three amazing children; Summer, Haleigh and Tye and they’re all great, individual kids. I served as a worship pastor for nearly 10 years before starting Fuel Church with three of my friends and pastors in 2011. The “partners” or members of Fuel are like family to me, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my family. I believe Jesus had a genuine interest and passion for people and my heart and the heart of Fuel is to “love people right where they are.” I enjoy hunting, fishing, playing golf, reading and spending time with my family.

Kyle Bridges

Kyle Bridges | Executive Pastor

kyle@fuel.church

Hey everybody! It is my great joy to serve the Fuel family as your Executive Pastor. My wife, Courtney, and I were married in 1996 and have 4 wonderful children! We’ve served in various roles in church ministry including: youth. young adult, executive pastor, and lead pastor. I have a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business and Professional Leadership from Southeastern University and a MBA from Florida International University. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, running, mountain biking, and reading (well listening to audio books but Courtney says it doesn’t count. Let me know if you agree).

Micah 6:8 : “He has told you, oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”.

Scott Davidson

Scott Davidson | Children’s Pastor

scott@fuel.church

My wife Nikki and I are the proud parents of our two girls, Macie and Morgan. I am a Lakeland native and graduated from Lake Gibson High School. GO BRAVES! Following my call to ministry, I earned a degree in Religion from Carson-Newman College in 1998. After college I served as a youth pastor, later making the transition to children’s ministry. I am a very outdoorsy guy, and some of my hobbies are softball, mountain biking, boating, and fishing.

Norman Walker

Norman Walker | Care Pastor

norm@fuel.church

Greetings everyone! My wife Ruth, and I, are thrilled to be a part of this great Fuel Staff and Church family. We moved here from Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2013. We have been blessed to be involved in various full time Church/Pastoral ministries for the past 40 years. We have 3 terrific sons, and daughter in-laws, and 10 precious grandchildren who we adore. It is our desire to help as many people as we possibly can, to find and grow in their relationship with Christ, and become fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. We love people, and we love caring for them. I personally love the outdoors, hiking, hunting, and camping, and I enjoy reading. Let us know how we can care for you! #FuelCares4U
Our life verses are Proverbs 3:5-6

Justin Thompson

Justin Thompson | Worship Leader

justin@fuel.church

Hey Fuel Family! I am super excited to be serving as your worship leader. I got married to my high school sweetheart Makayla in 2021. Some of my hobbies are playing guitar, studying theology, hunting, and hiking. I double majored with a B.A. in Worship Ministry and a B.S. in Church Music. I am passionate about what I do because the purpose of worship is to let the words of Christ dwell in us richly (Col 3:16) and through that move us to a greater love for God. Our knowledge of God is not and cannot be disconnected from our worship of Him.

Beau Kennedy

Beau Kennedy | Youth Pastor

beau@fuel.church

Hello! I’m Pastor Beau and I have the great honor of being your Student Pastor here at Fuel Church. I have been married to my wife, Alexa, since 2017. God has blessed us with two very happy boys, Billy and Wesley. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry Studies from The Baptist University of Florida. My hobbies include: reading, playing basketball, board games, grilling, and spending time with my family. It is my heart’s desire to lead students to a growing relationship with Jesus and help them see Him as the greatest joy and treasure of their hearts.

CORE BELIEFS
SCRIPTURE
We believe that all Scripture is God-breathed and good for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and is therefore inerrant and infallible. We believe that Scripture is how we know what is holy (right in God’s eyes) and what is evil (wrong in God’s eyes).
GOD
We believe there is only one true and living God, and He exists in three Persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three are equal and have always existed in unity and harmony.
The Father
We believe the Father is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. He was never created and will never cease to exist. We believe that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is perfectly loving, perfectly righteous, and perfectly just.
Jesus Christ
We believe He is the Son of God and equal with the Father. He took the form of man and lived a sinless life, perfectly fulfilling the law. He was betrayed, wrongly accused, and was crucified on a sinner’s cross. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. Three days later He rose from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Only by the shedding of His blood is there atonement for sin and entrance into communion with God.
The Holy Spirit
We believe He is the third Person of the Trinity. He guides us into all truth, exalts Christ, convicts us of sin, and empowers us to live righteously. He is the Comforter and the giver of gifts according to His will.
Human Condition
We believe that we are made in the image of God. However, because of sin, we have been separated from Him. From Adam and Eve on, we believe that every person is born into sin and that we are in need of a Savior. We believe that apart from God there is no joy, no peace, and no salvation. Without atonement, we will die in sin and be rightly sentenced to eternity in hell.
Salvation
We believe that there is one hope for humanity: Jesus. It is only by His sacfrice do we find forgiveness for sins and entrance into the kingdom of Heaven. We believe that salvation is by grace, through faith, alone. We believe that this is evidenced by genuine repentance.
The Church
We believe that the Church is not a building but a gathering of believers who are associated by their common faith and fellowship in Jesus Christ. We believe that the church is the Bride of Christ.
Evangelism
We believe that it is the duty of every Christian to share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is a command of Christ and we take it very seriously.
Second Coming
We believe that Jesus came once as a humble servant, but He will come again as a victorious King. We believe it should be the heart of every believer to long for the return of our King. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and that all believers will enjoy fellowship with God forever.

ORDINANCES
Baptism
We baptize by full immersion and believe it is the first act of obedience for any Christian. It is the outward expression of the inward work God is doing in our lives.
Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act where believers are called to remember the death of our Lord Jesus Christ and anticipate His return. The wine is symbolic of His blood being spilled for us, and the bread represents His body.

For a more full understanding our our beliefs, you may read the Baptist Faith and Message found here: