OUR TEAM
Doing anything of value requires teamwork.
The Bible is clear that the Kingdom of God is made up of every tribe, tongue and nation of people, and so we aspire to model that diverse unity in our church. We believe that all people are made in the image of God, and therefore are able to be become spiritually reborn followers of Christ Jesus. Whatever your age, background, economic reality, or religious or irreligious background, in Christ we have the same spiritual need and the same spiritual equality in Christ.
Northbridge is blessed to have a gifted and experienced staff that reflects a growing diversity of experiences, backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities.
Joe Warring, Senior Pastor
Pastor Joe has been leading Northbridge since October 2015. His extensive background includes 15 years of executive management leadership in business (from the start-up to Fortune 100 level companies), and 23 years in executive leadership positions at the local church, national ministry, and international missions levels of full-time US-based Christian ministries. He holds both a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from University of Maryland’s School of Business, and a Master’s degree in Practical Theology from Regent University’s School of Divinity.
Joe is a passionate teacher and expositor of the Bible and its early church contextual history, and he has a real gift for helping to make the Bible come alive and be understood for direct application for our lives today. His leadership experience and commitment to building strong disciples of Jesus as being the primary focus of the local church have both helped Northbridge enjoy a new era of spiritual depth and maturity, while also having outward Kingdom impact in our community and beyond.
Joe and his awesome wife Kelly have been married for thirty-five years (and counting), glory to God. They have four adult children, and love being grandparents over an ever-growing group of little ones.
Pastor Joe & Kelly Warring
Jamie Guzman, Children’s Ministry Director
Jamie Guzman joined the staff of Northbridge June 2020 after being a long-term member and Children’s ministry volunteer. She now leads all of our Children’s Ministry programs - from infant to 5th grade - to include our Children’s Sunday School, Children’s Church, and AWANA ministries. She is amazing! Jamie brings a lifetime of experience to her role, as she has been serving in children’s ministry since she was a teenager.
Jamie is also an “Army wife” and a stay-at-home mom who is very involved in her own kid’s schooling and activities. With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and decades of experience in Children’s Ministry, Jamie brings amazing administrative and planning skills to delivering effective bible education in an age appropriate manner.
She is married to her husband, Angel, and they are raising their three awesome kids: A.J., Elyssa, and Michael.
Jamie Guzman (and Angel)
Justin Palmer, Director of Administration
In 2024, Justin was ordained as a Pastor and joined the staff of Northbridge full-time while continuing to work part-time as an IT Director in downtown Charleston. Justin has over fifteen years of experience in IT management and two decades worth of ministry work in various service roles in the church. He holds a Bachelor’s in Religious Education from Covington Theological Seminary and MBA from Grace Christian University. He now brings his business and IT management skills and church ministry service to Northbridge where he directs finance/business operations and comms and teaches and preaches at every available opportunity. Justin’s calling is to one day serve as a Senior Pastor as God leads and in His timing.
Justin and his wife, Melissa, have been at Northbridge since 2020. They are both South Carolina natives who enjoy the beach and dining at Charleston restaurants.
Melissa has held successful positions in Administration for Engineering firms but is now working in the home taking care of two young daughters. She is a supporter and encourager and dedicated to her God, church, family, and friends.
Justin and Melissa Palmer
Patrick Luke, Resident Missions Pastor
Pastor Patrick Luke, Sr., has served at Northbridge since March of 2007. Prior to that, he served as the first Senior Pastor at Bethany Baptist Church, and the founding pastor of Faith Christian Assembly, both in Charleston.
Patrick graduated from the Morris College School of Religion Ministerial Certificate program. He earned a BSc in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Dayton, and a BSc in General Sciences degree from Wilberforce University. Born in Arthington, Liberia (West Africa), Patrick had a long-held vision to return to serve his home nation in ministry. In 2017 the initial vision to launch a long-term mission called “Agape Liberia Mission” was born, with a focus on the region of Arthington (Patrick’s hometown).
In 2019 Patrick officially launched this mission ministry with the direct support of Northbridge as a sent missionary from our church! In December 2023 Patrick transitioned off of Northbridge’s full time pastoral staff and moved over to run ALM full time as its leader, focusing on building and growing this amazing ministry! Check out www.almission.org for more information.
Patrick is now associated with our staff as an unpaid Resident Missions Pastor at-large, spending time with us in his US-based ministry efforts between travel. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Angelia, since 1982, and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Pastor Patrick Luke
Our Deacons
The role of Deacon is drawn from the servant leadership model of the early church as described in the New Testament. In fact, the word deacon simply means “servant” in the original Greek language of the New Testament. The men in this qualified and elected position have exhibited a combination of a mature faith walk, commitment to serving others in the church, and play a key role as an extension of the Pastoral ministry.