Staff Stories: Dustin Turner

My Story

I was born and raised in a small town in southwest Ohio. When I was nine years, old my neighbors invited me to church on Wednesday night. After several weeks of going and participating, there was one particular night where I repented of my sin and confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Prior to that, I must have heard the gospel multiple times. However, something was very different that night. That night, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and saved me. I was baptized a year later. When I was in eighth grade, I felt a calling into vocational ministry and began to pursue it through high school. After graduating high school, I went to college at Miami University (Ohio) where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications. 

Although I had known Rachel prior to college, she and I began to date while I was in college. After dating for a little over a year, Rachel and I were married on July 7, 2007. The next year, she and I packed up all of our belongings and left our families for New Orleans, LA. Continuing to pursue my calling in vocational ministry, Rachel and I made the decision to move so that I could attend New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. There I earned my Master of Divinity in Biblical Languages. Our first child, Gabriel Joseph, was born on November 3, 2011, and we most recently welcomed our second child, Emmalyn Rae, on September 3, 2014. I’m also currently pursuing my Ph.D in Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. When Rachel and I moved to New Orleans in 2008, we had no idea that we would fall in love with this city. However, God has done an incredible work in our lives and has broken our hearts for the people of New Orleans. 

My Role at Vintage

I serve as Vintage Church’s Equipping Pastor, and that fact is proof that God truly has aligned my passions with my calling. Some of my greatest passions are reading, learning, and teaching. If you walk into my office, the first things you notice are probably my five bookshelves, each loaded with books. I’m constantly reading and writing. I particularly enjoy biblical studies, theology, and history. All of these passions flow directly into how God has called me to the role of Equipping Pastor at Vintage Church. 

As the Equipping Pastor, I serve the church in multiple ways. First, I oversee all of our community group leaders and community groups, which includes coordinating community group leader training and coaching. I also oversee Vintage Church’s Residency Program, designed for those who are called into some form of vocational ministry. The twelve month program consists of training on personal, ministry, and team leadership. Finally, one of the most important things I do is create and oversee most of the content Vintage Church produces. This includes handouts, community group study material, blog posts, and other content-related items. I’m so incredibly thankful to be able to serve Vintage Church with the gifts and abilities God has given me and I look forward to seeing how God continues to grow and develop me in these gifts. 

My family and I love Vintage Church and New Orleans. We are so thankful to be a part of an incredible church where we can continue to live the gospel, love the city, and be the church!