Austin began serving as lead pastor at Highland Park in February of 2023. Austin is originally from Suwanee, GA and met his wife Emily while attending college at Valdosta State University in South GA. Austin and Emily were married in June of 2009 and have four children: Annie Ruth, Everett, Elias, and Lydia. Austin graduated with his MDiv. from Southern Seminary in 2012 and has pastored two churches (Piney Grove Baptist in Lake View, SC and Westside Baptist in Valdosta, GA). Austin was saved by God’s marvelous grace as a teenager and is constantly amazed at God’s goodness in His life. Austin loves sharing with others new insights he finds in God’s Word, proclaiming the Gospel in and out of the pulpit, and discipling new believers to a deeper walk with Christ. His passion in ministry is summed up in Ephesians 4:12-13, “…to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Austin and Emily love drinking coffee with friends, meeting new people, hiking/camping, reading good books, eating at local restaurants, and exercise. If you have a counseling need, Austin is typically available in the office Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 2-4pm. Please contact the church office and schedule a day/time.
