Leadership

Matt Stahl

Matthew A. Stahl

ELDER (FULL-TIME PASTOR)

Matt Stahl is the pastor of Grace Covenant Baptist Church of Willis, Texas. He and his wife, Krystal, joined Grace Covenant in 2009. Matt was commissioned by Grace Covenant in 2015 to preach and teach. In the following years this provided him the opportunity to preach in more than twenty churches and in two countries outside of the United States. Before accepting the call to serve full-time at Grace Covenant, he worked in higher education for ten years. Matt is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary and has done additional study at IRBS Theological Seminary. Matt and his wife Krystal have four children. He enjoys spending time with his family, coaching little league baseball, playing ultimate Frisbee, and reading.

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Stephen Means

ELDER
Stephen Means is one of the founding elders of GCBC. He and his wife, Lynise, are originally from Oklahoma, where they attended Oklahoma Baptist University and were married their senior year. Upon graduating, in 1984, they moved to Texas where he completed additional hours, then attended the University of Houston College of Optometry. He has been in private practice in Huntsville since 1993. He and his wife have four grown children, two daughters-in-law, and one grandson. His hobbies include music, making sawdust, and kayak fishing.
 

 

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Jerry Frost

DEACON
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Craig Stahl

DEACON

Craig Stahl has served as a deacon at Grace Covenant since 2007. He retired as a Managing Partner at Total Energy Services, where he worked for over 20 years. His primary role with the company was business development and the marketing of consultants and engineers. Craig has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Lanae, since 1982. They have three children—Matthew, Andrew, and Elizabeth—and ten grandchildren, who they are thoroughly enjoying. 

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Michael Cochran

DEACON

Michael Cochran was converted from a life of atheism and despair in his late twenties to life in Christ. He attended a variety of churches thereafter, including serving as an elder in a conservative Presbyterian church. He joined Grace Covenant in 2008 and became a deacon in 2018. He is currently retired from careers in employee-benefits consulting, newspaper editing, managing in the medical and oil & gas fields, and is currently a part-time hay farmer. Michael is married to his darling Ricki, and they have two sons and seven grandchildren.

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Dewey Norvell

DEACON

Dewey Norvell was born in Mississippi, attended Mississippi College, and received a BA in Religious Education with a minor in History. He married his wife, Christie, in 1993. Dewey and Christie have six children and four grandchildren (so far!). They moved to Texas in 2008 and started attending Grace Covenant Baptist Church in 2009. Dewey has worked in the oil and gas industry since 1996. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves to hunt and fish. He was ordained as a deacon in 2023.

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David Dykstra

PASTOR EMERITUS (2009-2021)

David Dykstra was the pastor of Grace Covenant Baptist Church of Willis, Texas, for twelve years. Before accepting the call to serve in Texas, he served as pastor in New Jersey for over 30 years. He is the author of Yearning to Breathe Free: Thoughts on Immigration, Islam, & Freedom. Dave and his wife, Debbie, now live in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, near their four grown daughters and 16 grandchildren.