Our Leadership Team
Teaching Elder | LEad Pastor
Eric Smith
Pastor Eric and his wife Vanessa have a passion for sharing Jesus. Eric joined our church in 2015 as our youth director and was called to lead our church as pastor in 2020. Vanessa has served as an educator and administrator at Lanham Christian School for over 10 years. Their leadership brings a passion and vision for our church to reach our community.
Pastor Eric completed his undergraduate studies at Lancaster Bible College and completed Graduate studies at Liberty University (MABS) and Capital Seminary (MDIV). He loves history, reading, and sports. He is an avid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Nationals.
Teaching Elder | Exec. Dir. of Lanham Christian School
Randy Burr
Randy is a graduate (Cum Laude) from Liberty University. He is an ordained Baptist minister who has spent the past 20 years in the ministry. Before coming to Grace Church, Randy served in Fellowship Baptist Church at both its Chesapeake, Virginia and Savannah, Georgia locations. He also served as the senior pastor of Decatur Heights Baptist Church in Bladensburg, Lanham before joining the administrative team of Lanham Christian School. He is a teaching elder at Grace Church and the Executive Director of Lanham Christian School.
Elder
Gene Pinkard
Gene has served as an elder at Grace Church for more than 35 years. From the day he was born, Gene has been associated with Grace Church. He has served as a Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent and Bible quizzing team coach. Gene volunteers at Lanham Christian School and holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Maryland. He has been involved in the education field for 47 years.
Elder
Jose Castillo
Jose and his wife Mirna have been active member of Grace Church since 2006, where he serves as an elder. He has a passion for God’s creation and the outdoors. He earned his degree in agriculture in his birth country of Guatemala and continues to visit whenever he can. Jose is well known for his delicious coffee that he produces himself. If you join us on a Sunday you need to grab a cup!
Church Secretary
Debbie Harten
Debbie and her husband, Rob, have attended Lanham Grace since they moved to Maryland in 1977. She was saved at the age of 13 through the Church of the Brethren in Altoona, PA. She enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and taking care of the little ones in the church. Debbie has served as church secretary under three pastors dating back to 1993. She prepared for this ministry by being a legal secretary, public school secretary, and mother of two now grown sons! She is the communication hub of our church during the week and the head of our nursery ministry on Sundays.