Hi, I'm Dave Stauffer and I'm the Senior Minister here at Gateway Church. In addition to serving as an elder along with our current leadership to oversee the direction and vision of the church, I am primarily responsible for the leadership of the ministry staff and for the preaching on Sundays. I also work with our staff and ministry leaders to help the folks of our church be all that God created them to be.

BASIC STUFF:

My wife Jennifer and I moved here in July 1996 to take the reins from Gene White, my predecessor in the pulpit. We were married in 1989 and have lived in Virginia, North Carolina, southern West Virginia and now in the Teays Valley town of Scott Depot. We met when we were kids going to sister churches and got reacquainted when a couple from my church asked her to come play piano for an upcoming revival. It was pretty much a sealed deal once I saw her sitting at that piano at Goodwyn’s Chapel. Since then, God has given us three beautiful daughters, Jordan, Taylor, and Cortney.

My love for West Virginia has always been strong. I believe West Virginians are some of the best and brightest people in the world, and some of the friendliest. I believe this state is ripe for cutting-edge style churches while maintaining a conservative and old-fashioned root system.

BIRTHDAYS:

Mine - November 4, 1965. Jennifer – February 16, 1964, Jordan – January 28, 1992, Taylor – June 23, 1993, Cortney – June 8, 1998.

ANNIVERSARY: June 17, 1989

EDUCATION:

I spent one year at the University of Florida, then received a B.A. in Bible with an emphasis in Preaching from Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, TN, an M.A from Johnson in New Testament and Greek Research, then finally a Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) from Emmanuel School of Religion, a graduate theological seminary in Johnson City, TN. I have also been to numerous courses offered through the U.S. Army and National Guard training centers. I spent a year in Iraq as the chaplain of the 1/150th Armor Battalion. I currently hold the rank of Major

Interests and Favorites:

  • Places: Willowton, WV – where I grew up and will always call home. Old cemeteries anywhere, especially in remote, unkept locations.

  • What's on your iPod: I don’t have an iPod yet, but I like to listen to contemporary Christian “K-Love”, old soft rock, good country, and any kind of Bluegrass.

  • Books: Any thing on Leadership, Business Management, and the old Dune series.

  • What do you TiVo: Prison Break, Heroes, and Andy Griffith reruns.

  • Sport Teams: Let’s Go Mountaineers! And I pull for the Thundering Herd too. #24 is my driver . . . . go fast and turn left!

  • Movies: Anything with Mel Gibson; but the movies I can watch again and again are "The Shawshank Redemption," "Dances with Wolves" and the "Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

  • Hobbies: yard work, a little golf, epitaphs, some traveling.

  • Dislikes: Slow drivers in the fast lane . . . well, just slow drivers anywhere.

  • Odd Facts: In high school as a junior, I rushed for over 1,000 yards in football.

  • Life Scripture: Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.”

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