Geoff Safford (teaching lead)

Geoff comes to New Heights Church with over 30 years of ministry experience under his belt, most recently serving as one of the planting pastors for Westwind Church in Waukee, IA. Previously, he worked at Fellowship Community Church in Norwalk, Crystal Evangelical Free Church in New Hope, Minn., and Emmanuel Baptist Church in Flint, Mich. With over 27 years of student ministry experience, he has led youth groups of all sizes and traveled around the world with students.  Geoff and his wife Deb are the proud parents of four: Geoff Jr, Hannah, Trent and Naomi. He has Bachelor of Arts degrees in education, Bible, history and missions from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, Minn. He also has his master’s of arts in education from the University of Minnesota in Mankato. Geoff is an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying hunting, fishing, a wide array of sports, reading and date nights with Deb.

 

Kevin Mayer (teaching co-lead)

Kevin’s path into ministry has been one of serving as a lay volunteer, moving into church leadership, and then being asked to join church staff. This pattern has been repeated at 4 different churches. At every church he’s attended, Kevin has found ways to use his gifts of teaching and mercy to minister to others. His career path has run the gamut of working in corporate America, for non-profits, and in ministry. His Bachelor of Arts degree is in Speech Communications and his Master of Arts is in Broadcasting and Film. Kevin and his wife Pat have been married for 27 years and have traveled together to Quebec, western Europe, and Haiti on ministry-related trips. Kevin enjoys movies, reading, learning, traveling, writing, barren wastelands, dogs, and of course spending time with Pat.

 

Ryan Hill (student life associate)

Ryan is joining the staff of New Heights Church to minister to and disciple college, senior high and junior high students. He has a passion for investing in the lives of students and helping them come to understand how the truth of God’s word can change their lives. Ryan graduated from Missouri Southern State University with an accounting degree, which he put to use for 4 ½ years as a CPA before responding to God’s call to go into ministry. He served as the Young Life Pastor at the Indianola Church of Christ prior to joining New Heights Church. Ryan and his wife Danielle are the parents of 3 children under 5 years of age: Lydia, Kinsley, and Braylon. Ryan enjoys playing all kinds of sports, reading, writing, daddy-daughter dates, and spending his Saturdays in the fall with his wife at football games in Ames. [Ryan is currently blogging through the book of Acts.]

 

Rachel Farley (family life associate)

Rachel, an Indianola native, is excited about her new role as Family Life Associate with New Heights because she wants to see families grow closer together while they draw closer to the Lord. Having worked with kids her whole life — in the child care industry, as a camp counselor, as a special education associate — Rachel wants to do all she can to help kids grow in their walks with Christ. If she gets to somehow use her photojournalism experience and skills in the process, that will just be icing on the cake. Rachel enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, movies, cooking, blogging, traveling, wakeboarding and being married to Brian.