Pastor Jeremy: A Heart Like an Armor Bearer

At Freedom Center, we believe that God calls leaders not just to stand on a platform, but to carry the weight of His people with faith, humility, and love. Pastor Jeremy is a living picture of that kind of leadership. He doesn’t just serve as a pastor- he serves as an armor bearer. For him, that calling has always been about protecting, supporting, and standing beside the people God has entrusted to him. His life and ministry reflect the heart of an armor bearer- one who faithfully carries, supports, and protects both his family and his church.

A Heart for People

If you spend any amount of time with Jeremy, you will quickly realize he genuinely loves people. Whether it’s on the football field, at church, or just in everyday life, relationships are at the center of everything he does. “People get saved through relationships,” he says, and it’s clear he lives by that truth.

For Jeremy, it’s never been about possessions or status. What matters most is time. He treasures experiences over things- family trips to the beach, getaways in the mountains, or even simple moments around the table mean more to him than anything material could. He never misses an opportunity to make memories with his family.  

Called to Ministry

Jeremy didn’t always imagine himself as a pastor. In fact, he was a rebellious teenager who wasn’t sure what direction life would take. But God had already placed a spark in his heart, and others saw it before he did.


His first sermon was on Hebrews 11, and it marked the beginning of something bigger than he could have understood at the time. Around the same time, he picked up a guitar and began stepping in and leading worship when needed, eventually forming a band for the church youth.


But it was a moment during an altar call that shifted everything. A pastor spoke over Jeremy, telling him he would one day serve under a man of God as an armor bearer, carrying on a mantle that would be passed down. That word took root shortly after. When Pastor Phil became lead pastor, Jeremy was asked to step into a staff position. It was a leap of faith, but one he knew God was calling him to.



For Jeremy, being an armor bearer has never been just a title. It has been a way of life. He has always felt it was his responsibility to protect his father, Pastor Phil, to help him succeed, and to ensure the church could flourish. That devotion became especially clear when Pastor Phil underwent heart surgery last year. Jeremy stepped up during his dad’s recovery, carrying the weight of leadership on his shoulders. But rather than shrinking under pressure, Jeremy grew stronger. He learned firsthand that God is never caught off guard- that even in difficult seasons, God had already prepared the way forward.

More Than Ministry

Jeremy isn’t just a pastor; he’s also a football coach. Leadership on the field often teaches him lessons he also brings into the church. “Even when it doesn’t make sense, be obedient,” he says, believing God uses every role to shape him for the bigger picture. It’s hard sometimes but you have to be careful, the enemy will attack you with discouragement.


Music, too, continues to be a big part of his life. He loves all styles- old hymns, new worship songs, even story-telling songs. But one song has become his anthem: “Goodness of God.”

Lessons from Family

Jeremy grew up watching his parents, Phil and Teresa, serve faithfully in multiple ministries- they were just always there willing to help. He remembers one Sunday morning when they were running late to church but stopped anyway to help a woman with a flat tire. “I could see that my dad struggled for a minute on whether to stop,” Jeremy recalls. “But he did.” Later when he asked his dad about it, Pastor Phil said, ‘What good would it have been to rush to church and not stop when someone needed our help?’”


His mom, Teresa, also left a lasting impression. Jeremy has fond memories of the sound of her practicing worship songs on her old piano. Both of his parents taught him consistency- who they were on stage was exactly who they were at home. That legacy shaped the way he leads today.

Anchored in Scripture

For Pastor Jeremy, two passages of Scripture have carried him through nearly every season of life. The first is his life verse, Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”


It feels personal- not just because Jeremy’s name is derived from Jeremiah, but because this verse has been a steady reminder that God’s plans are always greater than his own.

The second is found in Matthew 6, where Jesus says: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”


Jeremy has those words circled in his Bible, and they remain a constant source of strength. Whenever worry tries to creep in, these passages remind him that God is in control and that his future is already in God’s hands.

Preaching from the Heart

When Jeremy prepares to preach, there’s no rigid checklist or formula. Most often, it begins in prayer- not just reading scripture for the sake of reading, but asking God to breathe life into the words.


Jeremy keeps notes in his phone, little sparks of inspiration that come from conversations, songs, or something he’s heard along the way. Sometimes those notes grow into full messages. Other times, he’ll discover that what he thought was ready to be shared needs to wait. “You can prepare a whole series,” Jeremy says, “but if it’s not for this season, it’s not time yet.”


There are moments when the message is so clearly Spirit-led that he and Pastor Phil will land on the same scripture or idea without even discussing it beforehand. To Jeremy, that’s not coincidence, that’s confirmation. It’s the Holy Spirit pulling him in the right direction, reminding him that listening, protecting, and delivering the word of God in the right season, at the right time is part of guarding the flock.

Strength in Partnership

Behind every step Jeremy takes in ministry is his wife, Crystal. “She does everything and supports me every which way,” Jeremy says. While he often gets the spotlight on stage, Crystal is faithfully serving behind the scenes- caring for children, covering the nursery, and doing whatever needs to be done. Jeremy doesn’t take her support for granted. Ministry is a shared calling, and for him, Crystal embodies faithfulness, sacrifice, and love.

Loving People Like Jesus

When asked what it means to love people the way Jesus loves us, Pastor Jeremy doesn’t hesitate. “One of the biggest things is remembering that people are lost and don’t know any better. We can’t forget where we came from.”


Becoming a father to his daughter Jerah gave him a new perspective on people. “That’s someone’s son. That’s someone’s daughter,” he says. Every person is deeply loved by God, and when Jeremy looks at them, he’s reminded that God sees them with the same love and care that He shows to him.


Jeremy points to Jesus’ example- how He spent His time with sinners, the broken, and the overlooked. For him, loving people like Jesus means seeing them through the eyes of grace, not judgment, and extending the same compassion that rescued him.

What Makes Freedom Center Different

When you ask Pastor Jeremy what makes Freedom Center unique, his whole expression lights up. “I’m sure every pastor says this, but our church really is different,” he shares. He’s quick to credit much of that difference to Pastor Phil and Teresa, acknowledging their faithfulness and vision. Freedom Center wasn’t always what it is today, but through their leadership and God’s guidance, it’s more than a place to gather on Sundays- it has grown into a true faith family.


It’s a place where people can grow spiritually without losing the closeness and belonging that makes church feel like home. “It would be easier to have one big building,” he explains, “but you lose people when it gets too big. We want to grow and still keep the family atmosphere.”


In fact, Jeremy lovingly calls Freedom Center “the Dollar General of churches”, and I think we can all agree that’s the best way to describe our growth. Jeremy prays that when people visit, that they experience family- even if they’ve never known what family feels like before.


More than anything, Jeremy wants people to experience God when they step through the doors: to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, to encounter love that is real, and to see lives being transformed.

Ministry Starts Here

When asked what advice he would give to someone wrestling with a call to ministry, Jeremy’s words are simple but substantial: “You bloom where you’re planted.” In other words, don’t wait for the perfect position, the right title, or the “big opportunity.” Ministry starts right where you are.


For Jeremy, that means seeing a need and stepping in to meet it. Be faithful in the small things- whether it’s serving behind the scenes, helping in kids’ ministry, or simply encouraging someone who’s struggling. Over time, God uses those moments to prepare you for what’s next.

Final Thoughts

In every sense, Pastor Jeremy is an armor bearer- not just for his father, but for his family, his church, and the Kingdom. He carries the weight with humility and strength, reminding us that serving isn’t about the spotlight. It’s about protecting, uplifting, and loving people the way Jesus does.


Next time you see Pastor Jeremy- whether on the football field, guitar in hand during worship, or preaching- remember that you’re looking at a man who takes his calling seriously. A true armor bearer, carrying not just a title, but a heart for God and His people.


And for everyone who walks through the doors of Freedom Center, Jeremy wants them to know this- you’re not just attending a church, you’re being welcomed into a family.