About Us
WHAT TO EXPECT:
You can expect to be warmly welcomed, and you can expect to be challenged to grow in your relationship with Jesus. Creekside is an exciting and growing church. Come expecting the God of all creation to change you forever! Below are some commonly asked questions about our church.
WHAT WE BELIEVE:
What we believe matters, and Creekside has firm convictions. We are a conservative Southern Baptist church. We believe that the Bible is authoritative and sufficient for all matters of faith and practice. We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son who died and rose again to make a way for sinful people to have an eternal relationship with the Heavenly Father. We believe that the church is God’s chosen instrument to make Christ known in this broken world. We believe that someday Jesus will return to this earth for His people to be with His people forever.
As a cooperating Southern Baptist Church, we affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as our statement of faith.
You can read more about our beliefs here
FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
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At Creekside church, the safety of every child is a top priority, and we take several intentional steps to ensure a secure environment in our kids ministry, including volunteer screening and training, secure check-in and check-out procedures, wellness policy, and classroom visibility.
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We strive to create a friendly and casual atmosphere where every age and stage can feel at home and take their next step with God. Children, from birth to 5th grade, can enjoy a safe, age-specific, gospel-centered environment during the gathering, while students join in the main gathering. With a blend of modern worship and practical teaching, everyone is welcome to come as they are!We strive to create a friendly and casual atmosphere where everyone—whether you're exploring faith or have been following Jesus for years—can feel at home and take their next step with God. Children and students have age-specific programs during the service, so the whole family can grow in their faith together.
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You can come as you are. We welcome whatever clothing you feel comfortable in. Jeans are great and so is a suit.
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For Kids birth through 5th grade, Creekside Kids exists to teach kids about the excitement and wonder of following Jesus through gospel-centered teaching and age-specific activities. Our Voyager Kids (1st-5th Grade) join us in service for worship before going to class. For more information, visit our Creekside Kids page!
For Students 6th-12th grade, Creekside Student Ministry meets on Sunday nights, 6-8pm. Students are encouraged to sit with their family during the gathering. For more information about CSM, visit our Students page.
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Arriving 10-15 minutes early will ensure you get a great seat, can grab a cup of coffee, and meet someone new or check in with a friend.
David Barton
Lead Pastor & Elder
David and his wife, Ashley, moved to the Charleston area in August 2015. They grew up in the Aiken area of South Carolina. David and Ashley have a son, Maverick, and a daughter, Madeleine. His role is to be the visionary and mission pastor of the church. He is responsible for leading in the launch effort, building a team of leaders, and planning for corporate missions. Pastor David enjoys jiu jitsu, Gamecock Football, WWE, and anything competitive.
Travis Skillingstad
Discipleship & Student Pastor
Travis and his wife Ellen moved to Charleston in mid-2026, though Ellen grew up here and has spent most of her life in Charleston. They have two kids, Leah and Calvin. Travis has a BA in Rhetoric and Economics and an MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary. He is passionate about discipleship and desires to see people fall more in love with Jesus and follow after Jesus. Travis loves sports of all kinds but especially Minnesota sports teams (where he was born) and attempting to finish the million or so books that fill his office and home.
Alex Jacob
Creative Arts Director
Alex and his wife, Cassidy, met at Charleston Southern University in 2019 where he graduated with a B.A. in Christian Studies with a minor in Music and Worship Leadership. Alex and Cassidy have a daughter, Alaina. Alex loves writing and making music, baseball, and the beach. Alex’s desire is to teach people how to be worshippers of Jesus in every aspect of life and to equip them to use their God-given talents to glorify Him!
Nick Ritenour
Pastoral Resident
Nick serves as the Pastoral Resident at Creekside. He has been involved in ministry for 10 years. Before joining Creekside, he served in ministry as a Creative Director in the lowcountry for five years. He is passionate about building up the Church through discipleship and getting others connected. He enjoys helping people take their next step in growing closer to Christ. Outside of ministry, he enjoys reading, kayaking, and playing music. He has lived in the lowcountry his entire life and currently resides in Goose Creek. His Favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 53: 3-6.
Francisco Valazquez
Pastor (Creekside Español)
Bio coming soon!
Dinah Taylor
Next Gen. Assistant
Dinah grew up in the Charleston area. She graduated Stratford High School in 2025. She enjoys baking and cooking. She has a heart for the next generations. Leading kids and student into a relationship with Jesus is what she lives for. Her role as the Next Generation Assistant is to help tiny humans learn about Jesus, serve, translate teen slang into english, and worship through hands-on discipleship.
Joani Colón
Executive Assistant
Joani and her husband, Jason, moved to the Charleston area in 2019 from an overseas assignment in Kosovo. She was a military wife for 33 years and they retired in the area. Joani has a bachelor’s in business administration and has spent most of her career in the finance industry and in ministry positions with churches and Youth for Christ. Joani and Jason have two children and two grandchildren. Her passions include everything about hospitality, spending time with friends, and of course, her grandchildren. She wants everyone to feel welcomed, seen, and feel the presence of God’s love at Creekside.
Billy Howarth
Elder
Bio coming soon!
Linda Fairchild
Connections Coordinator
Linda moved to the Charleston area at the age of 9 so she is close to being a native! She worked along side her husband Gary as a pastor’s wife until he passed in 2024. She retired from Berkeley County School in 2020 where she served as the county’s Child Nutrition Director. Loving the flock is her passion. You will see her upfront on Sunday mornings and serving meals at our Discover classes and most church events.
Lamar Butler
Elder
Bio coming soon!
Elizabeth Tyler
Connections Coordinator
Elizabeth was born in South Texas to a military family. She spent the majority of her childhood in Texas and considers herself to be a Texan, but like many military families, her family moved all over the country to Texas, Alaska, Montana and ultimately California. She met her husband in California, who was in the Navy at the time, and he is her best friend. He was in the Navy at the time, and they made a military family of their own - two girls and a boy. She’s always had a heart for children and helping others. She’s worked in child care her whole life and volunteered for the Red Cross and the Veterans Administration. Her and her husband moved to Charleston ten years ago and have attended Creekside Church for three years. She serves at Creekside working with the kids during service and on the Connections team greeting everyone who comes through the door and making sure they feel welcome!