Joyfully submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church, and bound by the authority of the Scriptures,
MERCY’S DOOR is
ELDER-LED.
DEACON-SERVED.
& MEMBER-INFORMED.
WHAT ARE ELDERS?
Mercy’s Door is led by Jesus, our Chief Shepherd, and by a plurality of God-ordained elders.
Two key questions: How many elders would God have for us? And, what should we call this office?
Throughout the New Testament, we see a consistent pattern: each local church is led by multiple elders. This plurality of leadership ensures shared oversight, accountability, and pastoral care. It is not merely a pragmatic structure—it is part of God’s design for the health and maturity of His church.
The Bible uses terms for this office, including presbyteros (presbyter, elder), episkopos (overseer, bishop), and poimēn (shepherd, pastor). While each word adds richness to our understanding, they all refer to one role carried out by a plurality of men called to serve the local church by laying down their lives in Christlike leadership.
Just as the risen Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep,” so elders are called to shepherd the flock through doctrine, teaching, care, protection, prayer, governance, discipline, and example. Their task is to watch over souls, not for personal gain, but with joy and faithful stewardship under the Chief Shepherd.
(John 10:11-15, I Timothy 5:17-20, Acts 20:28, I Timothy 3:1-2, Titus 1:5-7, Ephesians 4:11, James 5:14, Hebrews 13:17-20, Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5, and I Peter 5:1-4)
WHO ARE THE ELDERS OF MERCY’S DOOR?
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Brett and his wife Kat are the proud parents of three amazing kids: Kelty, Kallum, and Beck. Before joining Mercy’s Door, they spent time in Southeast Asia as missionaries and English teachers. Originally from the Metro East, Brett has served in full-time vocational ministry for many years. At Mercy’s Door, he teaches during Sunday gatherings and leads the church in worship as we respond to the good news of the Gospel.
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Dude and his wife Joy met in college in Southern California and have since built a life full of adventure, including a Navy career and raising four amazing kids: J.D., Matt, Moriah, and Beth. Their journey eventually brought them to Scott AFB and Mercy’s Door, where Dude served as a GC leader and now elder. He enjoys teaching and caring for others at every opportunity. Their family enjoys music, construction projects, and spending time with others.
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Brandon grew up in a military family and now works in acquisition/contracting at Scott AFB. At Mercy’s Door, he serves as an elder, co-leader of the Rooted Student GC, and part of the worship team. He and his wife, Rachel, have been happily married since 2017 and have a son, Hudson. They began attending Mercy’s Door in 2017, just after the church was planted, and have loved being part of the work that God is doing in Mascoutah and Scott AFB. As a family, the Katka’s enjoy concerts, exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, watching sports, and quality time with friends and family.
Pete Pannier
WHAT ARE DEACONS?
Deacons are Biblically-qualified, faithful servants of the body of Christ who are recognized by church members for their faithfulness and character and are appointed by elders to carry out ministry service in the church (1 Tim. 3:8-13).
Biblically, deacons are deployed to assist the pastors by protecting church unity, organizing practical service, and meeting tangible needs. In a general sense, every Christian is called to be a deacon (the New Testament word diakonos simply means “servant”). But the designation is not always generic; it is also used to describe a formal church office. Deacons are model servants who excel in being attentive and responsive to tangible needs in the life of a church.
On the broadest level, diaconal work can be summarized as encompassing three things in the life of a church: meeting tangible needs, protecting church unity, and supporting the ministry of the elders.
It is not accidental that Paul turns his attention to deacons (1 Tim 3:8-12) immediately after discussing elders (1 Tim 3:1-7). The structure suggests deacons are both paired with and subordinate to the elders they support. This relationship between the offices is also implied in the other passage where deacons (plural) are mentioned (Phil 1:1).
By enabling elders to remain focused on their teaching and prayer roles, deacons both guard and advance the ministry of the word. They help to execute practical demands of ministry to assist the elders in executing the ministry of the Word and to remain devoted to prayer.
WHO ARE THE DEACONS OF MERCY’S DOOR?
Catherine Underwood
Housekeeping Ministry
DAWN UNDERWOOD
Prayer Ministry & Missionary Liaison
KAT BARTON
Women’s Ministries
Matt Burton
Audio-Visual Production
““For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.””
WHAT IS A MEMBER?
In addition to elders and deacons, the church is made up of members. Church members are followers of Christ who take responsibility for the health, unity, and mission of the local church. They recognize that Jesus died not only for them but also for His church (Acts 20:28), and they willingly invest their lives in its flourishing.
Scripture teaches that church leaders are called to equip the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11–13). Every believer has a role to play as part of the body of Christ. With Jesus as our Head, each member uses their God-given gifts to serve, encourage, and build up the church. As every part does its work, the body grows in maturity, unity, and love (1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 4:16).
Church membership is more than simply attending services or calling Mercy's Door your church home. It is a joyful commitment to the gospel, the doctrine and mission of Mercy's Door, a willing submission to the church's biblical leadership, and an intentional participation in the life and mission of the body of Christ.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE I BECOME A CHURCH MEMBER?
The New Testament presents the Christian life as one lived in committed relationship with a local church. Believers are described as members of one body, children in one family, and fellow workers in Christ's mission (1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Timothy 3:15). Because of this, we believe every follower of Jesus should belong to and actively participate in a local church.
Church membership is a joyful commitment to Christ and His people. It means worshiping, growing, serving, giving, and living on mission alongside one another. It also includes willingly receiving the care, encouragement, accountability, and shepherding that God provides through the local church (Hebrews 13:17).
At Mercy's Door, we believe every member has been uniquely gifted by God for the building up of His church (Ephesians 4:11–16). Membership is not simply about what you receive—it is about using your gifts, time, and life to help others know Christ and make Him known. Together, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we labor for the good of the church and the advancement of the gospel.