10 Pastors Affirmed in their Pastoral Calling
Cris Suarez is the associate youth pastor at the Cicero Adventist Church. He received a Bachelor of Arts in religion from Antillean Adventist University in Puerto Rico and Master of Divinity from Andrews University. He especially enjoys giving Bible studies and seeing how God transforms people’s lives. He further believes that although the younger generation may seem to be drifting from spiritual things, they are the key to finishing God’s work. He is married to Elizabeth, and they are blessed with a son, Mateo.
Alexander "Cody" Miller is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He earned a bachelor’s degree in ministerial theology and is pursuing his Master of Divinity at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He most recently pastored the Temple Gate Adventist Church (Selma, Alabama), Thomasville Adventist Church (Thomasville, Alabama) and the Camden Adventist Mission (Camden, Alabama). He currently serves as the Lake Region Conference evangelist. Miller married his wife Raquel in 2019.
James Doggette Jr. is a pastor, author, consultant, international speaker, workshop facilitator and life coach. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in ministerial theology, a minor in communication, and a Master of Arts in pastoral studies from Oakwood University. He also holds a doctorate in strategic leadership from Southeastern University. Doggette is the director for Young Adult Ministries for the Lake Region Conference and associate pastor of Shiloh Adventist Church in Chicago. He and his wife, Demia, have three children.
Jimmy Atkins is originally from Columbus, Georgia. He attended the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, graduating in 2018 with a Master of Divinity. He pastors the All Nations Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist Church in Downers Grove, Illinois, and the Evanston First Seventh-day Church of Evanston in Evanston, Illinois. He is married to Brenda Atkins. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Kent Nichols has a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Oakwood University and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Andrews University. He most recently pastored the Ephesus (Marion, Indiana) and Body of Christ (Fort Wayne, Indiana) churches. Nichols is the chief financial officer and treasurer for the Lake Region Conference. He is married to Abayomi Nichols, and they are parents of three young adults.
Dennis Page serves as the assistant pastor of the Berrien Springs Village Church. He received a certificate in evangelism and pastoral ministry from the Mission College School of Evangelism and is currently working on an Associate of Arts in Christian discipleship at Andrews University. After he earns his degree, he plans to go on to complete a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry. He and his wife Melody were married in 2008.
Jay Clough serves as pastor of the Marquette and Munising Churches and the L’Anse Company. He received an Associate in Applied Science from Lake Michigan College and is currently working on his Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry at Andrews University. He considers his greatest accomplishment and privilege to be a part of and witness to God’s work as He uses broken people with various gifts, talents and personalities to come together and form a church family that loves and welcomes everyone. He and his wife, Sharna, have two daughters, Aleena and Alaysha.
Prescott Khair serves as the associate pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church in Berrien Springs. He received his Bachelor of Arts in theology from Southern Adventist University and a Master of Divinity from Andrews University. He shares that his “greatest accomplishment in ministry has little do with me and everything to do with the Holy Spirit.” He and his wife, Korissa, have one daughter, Eliza.
Raymond Torres serves as the pastor to the Bunker Hill, Jackson and Marshall churches. He received his Bachelor of Arts in religion from Ouachita Hills College in Arkansas. Through the challenges of the pandemic, he helped transform the Marshall Adventist Community Services Center from a clothing distribution center to a drive-through food pantry, which continues to grow and is a base for connecting to their community. He and his wife, Marietta, have three children: Raymond Jr., Gabriel and Evangeline.
Cristofe Guzmán serves the four-church Sheboygan Hispanic District. He received a Bachelor of Arts in theology from the Universidad Adventista Dominicana and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Andrews University. Guzmán and his wife are both passionate about mission work, serving in the community and working with youth and children. He and his wife Lilibeth have a daughter, Crystal.
