OUR Mentor/Coaches
The regional leadership team is led by outstanding pastor mentor/coaches.
Rev. Josh Grimes-
R.E.D.
Brookville, OH
Pastor Josh assumed the helm, becoming the Regional Executive Director of Open Bible East when called upon by the Open Bible East Regional Board, followed by a unanimous ratification vote from the regional ministry team and the regional ministers! Pastor Josh received his call to ministry before his birth, which was then confirmed to him by the Holy Spirit at the young age of 4. His entire life has been dedicated to the service of the Lord. He is a third-generation preacher who started ministering and preaching to adults at the age of 13. In his early 20s, he planted his first church in a very rural area. That church achieved county-wide influence, building a strong, healthy congregation with a brand-new facility that ministered to the community. He went on to tackle a struggling church, bringing it back to vitality, health, and fruitfulness. Pastor Josh has a genuine apostolic heart for pastors and loves to help them raise their leadership quotient. He also has a heart for the local church and has an incredible gift mix to help churches become what God has destined them to be! Pastor Josh is full of vision, passion, and fire and inspires others to greater levels of living and ministry!
Family- Pastor Josh has been married to his Queen for 34 years, Melissa. Together, they have a 26-year-old daughter, Hannah Joy, and a son in love, Jarod (aka J.J.). Caleb Joshua is their 25-year-old son, who is married to Alegra, their daughter in love. Caleb and Alegra made Josh and Melissa grandparents with the grand entrance of Princess Finleigh, “Fin,” in January 2022. Fin is the light of their lives and the joy of their hearts!
Hobbies- Family, Studying the Bible, Preaching, Missionary Work (Has started orphanages in India), Wood Whittling, Hunting, Nature, Long motorcycle adventures with his Queen, and anything that could be fun!
Rev. George Williams Church Planting Toledo, OH
Pastor George serves our Regional Leadership Team as our Church Planting Director. George is not just a theorist but is very hands-on and detail oriented. Both George and his wife, Sarah (also a credentialed minister with OBC) took the church to the streets as young adults. They started an outreach to one of the most needed parts of their city, Toledo, Ohio in 2005. The ministry was so successful that in 2013 they actually planted a church in the heart of the "Stripper" district! City Light Church is now a thriving, multicultural and multi-generational church that is growing and effectively ministering to the community. George serves and helped organize a citywide pastors council that stretches across many denominations for the city of Toledo. George has a heart for church planters and is an excellent coach and mentor for up and coming church planters!
Family- George married his best friend, Sarah 12 years ago. They co-pastor City Light Church together and have two beautiful daughters Selah (9) and Anna (7)
Hobbies- Roasting his own coffee beans, cryptocurrency, hyperloop enthusiast, ministry development, fishing, and local politics.
Rev. Nancy Vencill -
Ind-Oh District Dayton, OH
Pastor Nancy serves as the Indiana-Ohio District Director of Open Bible East (South West Ohio & South Indiana). Pastor Nancy Vencill recently became the IND-OH District Director of Open Bible East. She has been involved in serving the body of Christ since she was a youngster (8) serving in the nursery, selling cassette tapes during revivals, helping clean the church, and teaching girls Wednesday night classes while she was in high school. She worked as a youth worker at Bellbrook Community Church when she met Ralph Vencill. After they married, they helped at Tri-County Open Bible, assisting with classes, nursery, and worship. They invested 15 years as senior pastors at Sturgis Open Bible. During their time in Sturgis, Nancy became a licensed and then ordained minister with Open Bible Churches. While there, Nancy was the worship pastor and children’s pastor. They also ministered to the Dakota District of North and South Dakota while on the Mountain Plains Regional board. While here in Ohio, she has been a worship pastor, children’s pastor, and became a Marketplace Chaplain, currently serving 9 companies in the greater Dayton and Cincinnati areas. She is the Division Prayer Coordinator for Ohio with Marketplace. She is also a facilitator with Symbis (marriage assessments). She looks forward to listening to and encouraging local pastors and their families as the Kingdom of God continues advancing!
Family- Ralph and Nancy will be celebrating 24 years of marriage in 2019. Dr. Ralph serves as senior pastor at Bellbrook Community while also serving as a hospice chaplain for Hospice of Dayton. Tia (older daughter) married the awesome Michael Thomas, and they have 3 amazing mighty men of God! They are serving at Generations Church in Clay Township as youth pastors. Tori (second daughter) is in Pastoral Studies at Legacy School of Ministry in Rapid City, SD (Open Bible). Matthew (son) and Tabitha (daughter) are serving where they are planted and are listening for the Spirit’s direction for the next steps. We are grateful that the Lord instructed us to do ministry as a family!
Hobbies- Reading, studying (homeschool mom for 25 years is a hard habit to break), photography, writing children’s books, hanging out with my husband, adult children and grands!
Rev. Emery Barber - Brooklyn, NY
Pastor Emery Barber serves as a Regional Board Member At Large with emphasis on Cultural Applications. He has 16 years of ministry experience. Pastor Emery is looking forward to serving Open Bible East as the Holy Spirit leads in creating a culture in Open Bible East that embraces all the diffrent diverse cultures represented. He pastors Shepherd's House OBC, East NY, Brooklyn, with his wife Rev. Stephanie Barber, under the covering of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and leadership of Bishop Richard Vedilago. They are founders of Faith Works Christian Fellowship, an online ministry with international focus to infuse hope with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They have been blessed to be instruments of God's choosing in discipleship training, worship leadership, and media development. Pastor Emery and Stephanie have published faith media for the edification of the body of Christ that include five books, videos, and music, for the glory of God and the good of the Kingdom. Pastor Emery continues the vocation of teaching and consulting ministers, churches, as well as kingdompreneurs in the area of creative media ministry.
Family- Married for _____ years to the love of his life and partner in ministry, Stephanie. They have 3 children.
Hobbies- Tech, video, online ministry
Rev. Lance Rhoades - Pittsburgh PA
Pastor Lance serves as the Allegheny District Director of Open Bible East. He has over 17 years of ministry experience. Lance is a trailblazer that is not afraid to take new territory. Lance planted a church 10 years ago in Pittsburg and has now lead the church in the purchase and renovation of a big beautiful and once nationally recognized churches in Pittsburg (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. actually preached in this church building). The new church is not only alive and growing, but is affecting the community and culture of Pittsburg. Pastor Lance has a heart of worship and leading people to freedom through the power of the Spirit. He does not know "NO" and "We Can't" as an answer! If you want something done..... Pastor Lance can do it!
Family- He is married to his bride, Amanda of 12 years. They have two children.
Hobbies- He loves everything tech, playing video games with his wife, and spending time with his wife and kids.
Rev. Pete Freeman
Great Lakes District
Clarkston, MI
Pastor Pete serves as our Great Lakes District Director for Open Bible East. He has over 22 years of ministry experience. He grew up with his father who was a pastor and a mentor to him. After Bible College, he served under his father in law as a youth pastor in an inner-city church. The youth ministry grew both numerically and spiritually. Pastor Pete then went on to take over the church he grew up in that was struggling. The Church is now very healthy and thriving. He loves connecting with people and fighting for the underdog, blessing them, serving them, walking with them, and showing them what it means to know Christ and walk in His power. He is one of the kindest and most tender-hearted people you would ever meet, that is what makes Pastor Pete such a great mentor/coach to the pastors he serves.
Family- Pastor Pete has been married to the love of his life Heather for 24 years and they are blessed with 4 beautiful daughters, one son-in-law, and a 7-pound Yorkie.
Hobbies- Spending time with his family playing games. He loves preaching and pursuing the call of God. He is a wannabe athlete, lol. He loves a casual game of golf or a relaxing day of fishing. Recently he has gotten the bug to run. His goal is to complete a half marathon in under 2 hours before He turns 50!
Rev. Brent Belcher -
Mid-Ohio District
Cambridge, OH
Pastor Brent serves as our Mid-Ohio District Director for Open Bible East. He has over 33 years of ministry experience. He grew up in a Christian home in southern WV and comes from a long lineage of ministers going back to William Booth of the Salvation Army. Brent ministers the Word in a way that will challenge you, inspire you and easily relates to people of all ages. His greatest desires are for the Body of Christ to realize her true identity, operating to her fullest potential, and that the church would be the Body of Christ that shows the world the greatest love of all.
Pastor Brent is 1998 graduates of Rhema Bible College in Broken Arrow, OK. Brent received a diploma in Pastoral Ministry. He is also a graduate of Life Christian University with a BA in Theology. Pastor Brent has had the privilege to pastor churches in the US and Canada. Pastor Brent is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, Cambridge OH.
Family- Pastor Brent has been married to his best friend Dedra for 27 years and they are blessed with 2 amazing adult children and one son-in-law.
Hobbies- Spending time with his family is his greatest joy. He enjoys singing in His 50’s -70’s era band, The Cruz-In’s. He also enjoys anything tech, leading worship and loves studying and preaching the Good News.
Rev. Leroy Spencer- Atlantic District Director
Pastor Spencer serves as the Atlantic District Director for Open Bible East. Rev. Leroy (Tony) Spencer is the senior pastor of Rehoboth Open Bible Church, located at 5102 Avenue D, Brooklyn, New York, for thirteen years. He has been described as refreshing, humorous, passionate, earthy, temperate, tactful, accessible, and dynamic. He is a creative speaker with an appeal that transcends gender, age, race, culture, and occupation. His much-loved art of storytelling helps people discover spiritual meaning in a way that makes sense of everyday life. He is an avid people person who loves children. Pastor Spencer's core values are honoring God, pursuing growth and learning, being a man of integrity, remaining humble, and having fun while doing life. You cannot be around Pastor Spencer and not laugh or feel comfortable and loved.
His primary commitment is personal spiritual transformation driven by a hunger for an intimate relationship with God intertwined with the self-discipline of staying the course and maintaining the faith while leading by example. Pastor Spencer is a man of prayer and has always believed that people are our greatest asset. He seeks to care for the sheep with a good shepherd’s heart.
Family- He has been married for the last 31 years to his wife and co-laborer in ministry, Rev. Dalton Spencer, and the proud father of four beautiful and talented adult children: Judith, Joseph, Jordan, and Joann.
*Pastor Leroy will not be serving on the Regional Board at this time as Pastor Leroy still has employment outside the church and serves as Lead pastor to a growing congregation that is moving into a new location soon. In the future, our hope is that Pastor Leroy will be freed up to serve on the OBE Regional Board. Pastor Leroy will still represent the interests of the Atlantic District to the Regional Board.
Rev. Richie Vedilago – Emeritus
Richie serves as an Emeritus of Open Bible East. Though he is semi-retired, he still serves in a mentoring and consulting role. He has over 30+ years of ministry experience. Pastor Richie "Bishop" as he is affectionally called is the "God-Father" of the Regional Leadership Team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. He is a veteran of the Air Force. He is a retired NYC Cop. Then after "retirement", he took on the task and call of God to plant a church in the heart of Queens New York. That one church plant has now become 6 and counting. Even as Pastor Richie has taken a step back, he still oversees a thriving and growing network of churches throughout New York. He is a master mentor/coach that has not just seen lots of souls brought into the kingdom but many leaders, ministers, and pastors raised under his leadership! Pastor Richie is committed to showing the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, building leaders and planting more churches as the Lord leads.
Family- He has been married to his life partner Mayda for 32 years. They have 3 daughters (Rebeca, Racquel, Sandy), 1 son (affectionally known as “Chum Chum”), and 11 grandchildren.
Hobbies- Spending time with family and taking long walks. Mentoring & raising up leaders and planting churches.
Rev. Tom Rupli
NCD Coach-
Toledo, OH
Pastor Tom previously served as the Regional Executive Director of Open Bible East. Though he is semi-retired he has not retired from ministry! He has over 40 years of pastoral ministry experience. He now serves as our Certified NCD Coach (Natural Church Development- one of the best and most proven systems used worldwide to help churches become fruitful). He also coaches churches in the Called2Love initiative. He does not "teach" theory, but uses practical principles that he used himself to lead a very healthy successful growing church. Tom will work with you and your church to help get it on track or to capture a fresh vision for fruitfulness. You do NOT want to miss out on this opportunity for successful ministry fruitfulness!
Family- Tom has been happily married to Nancy his wife for 46 Years to his teenage sweetheart. He has 3 kids (Joshua, Molly, and Zachary, and 4 grandkids that he adores!
Hobbies- His favorite pastime is spending time with his wife, kids, and especially his grandkids. He enjoys bicycling, swimming, exercising, playing guitar & piano, gardening, reading great books, and building project both big and little.