Dr. Kyle Austin – Senior Pastor

Pastor Kyle is the founding pastor of Occoquan Bible Church, serving as Senior Minister since May 1995.  Born and raised in upstate New York, Kyle trusted Christ as Savior as a teen and has been fervently serving our Lord ever since.

Kyle graduated from Washington Bible College in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Capital Bible Seminary in 1988 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1995. Kyle has additionally done Post-Doctoral work at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Kyle’s previous ministry experience includes service as Youth Pastor at Linthicum Baptist Church, Md. (1985-86); Associate Pastor at Halethorpe Community Church, Md. (1986-90); and Associate Pastor of Immanuel Bible Church, VA (1990–95). Other ministries Kyle has been involved with include puppet ministry, children’s & youth work, homeless shelter service, Open Air ministry and three missions trips to Mexico.

Pastor Kyle has been happily married to Lori since 1983. They have four daughters, Tirza, Lydia, Abigail and Berith. They live in the greater Manassas area. In his spare time Kyle coaches girl’s softball, enjoys racquetball, golf, reading and using his chainsaw to provide firewood for needy families. Pastor Kyle has a passion to preach, teach and counsel people to understand and apply the Word of God. His life verse is Ezra 7:10.

Dr. David Schnittger – Associate Pastor

Dr. David Paul Schnittger is our associate pastor overseeing Front Door Ministries (ushers, greeters, advertising, guest receptions, etc.), and all aspects of OBC facilities.

Dave was born in St. Louis and lived in the Midwest during his youth. He trusted Christ as Savior when he was 14 and within a month of his conversion he sensed God’s call into full-time vocational ministry.

Pastor Dave graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 1975 with a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Training and a New Testament Greek minor. Following graduation, he served on staff for several years with the Southwest Radio Church (SWRC) as a writer, editor, and broadcaster. Pastor Dave has written several booklets and dozens of doctrinal articles for SWRC in over 20 years of collaborative ministry. Additionally, Pastor Dave has written for Leadership Journal and has a sermon published in The Library of Distinctive Sermons.

After marrying Paula in 1978, Pastor Dave served four years as the Oklahoma City Director for Child Evangelism Fellowship. Then, sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, Pastor Dave received a Master of Divinity degree from Capital Bible Seminary in 1986. Pastor Dave has served as the senior  pastor of churches in Maryland and Texas and as an associate pastor of churches in Oklahoma, Virginia, and Indiana. In 1995, Pastor Dave received a Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary.  He has recently completed a Th.M. in Systematic Theology at CBS, and also serves as an adjunct Professor at CBS.

Pastor Dave is ably assisted in ministry by his wife Paula, who graduated from Washington Bible College with a degree in Christian Education. Paula has been a Christian schoolteacher, Child Evangelism Fellowship missionary, home school mom, and has served in a multiplicity of church ministries.

Benjamin Purves – Pastor of Student Ministries

Ben is the newest member of the pastoral staff at Occoquan Bible Church, serving as the Pastor of Student Ministries.  He ministers to OBC’s youth, college students, and young adults.

Originally from California, Ben moved to Oregon to study the Bible at Multnomah University.  After moving to the East Coast, he met his wife Ricki while working on his MA at Capital Bible Seminary.  They were married a year later.  They are the proud parents of their newborn son Andrew, and are learning a lot about parenting.

Ben and Ricki first came to OBC in the summer of 2008, when Ben served as a pastoral intern in the youth ministry.  They love working with the youth and young adults at OBC, and have a heart for reaching the lost with the Gospel and helping those in need.

Ben’s ministry training includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible and Theology from Multnomah Bible College (2005), and a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Capital Bible Seminary (2009).  Past ministry experience includes campus ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ, teaching Bible at a private Christian high school, and mission trips to Romania, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and inner-city New York.

In Ben’s free-time, you might find him with a cup of coffee and a good book, but now it’s most likely he’ll be playing with Andrew or changing diapers.