Pastor Tommy Briggs

Pastor Tommy Briggs entered ministry as Associate Pastor of Gateway Community Church, where he has served for over 20 years. After merging with First Baptist Sylvania to form Gateway Baptist Church, Pastor Tommy co-pastored with Pastor Don Reynolds until his retirement in March of 2025. He enjoys exercising his passion to disciple people into a deeper relationship with Jesus while helping them to connect their faith to everyday life and culture.

Pastor Tommy graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, and Winebrenner Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree.

Pastor Tommy grew up in Perrysburg, OH and met his wife Marianne while attending BGSU. They have been married for 28 years and have four children: Gibson, Gannon, Gabriel, and Evalyse.

In addition to his duties at Gateway, Pastor Tommy is the host of the Prayer Closet and the Positive Chats Podcast on YES-FM (89.3). He also teaches Bible and Theology at Revere Bible College. When he’s not at one of his jobs or hauling kids to basketball or soccer games, he enjoys cooking, reading, golf, and rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Michigan Wolverines.

Worship Pastor Maurice Baker

Worship Pastor Maurice Baker has been ministering through music since childhood. He sang with his family as The Baker Family from his time at the St. Paul Baptist Church in Louisville, Georgia until he was later licensed and served as an Associate Pastor at the St. Paul Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio.

Pastor Maurice was ordained in 1998 at the Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church where he served as Associate Pastor and later Pastor. After his tenure at Resurrection, Pastor Maurice ministered with various ministry within the Southern Baptist Convention before finding his home at Gateway Community Church in 2005.

Pastor Maurice came on staff at Gateway Community as Associate Pastor in charge of Worship and now holds the position of Worship Pastor at the merged, Gateway Community Church and First Baptist Church of Sylvania. Pastor Maurice enjoys ministering with Pastor Tommy Briggs at what is now Gateway Baptist Church.

Pastor Maurice grew up in Toledo, Ohio and met his wife of ten years, Josie, while attending the Gateway Community Church. They have two adult children, Matthew and Jessie, and a beautiful granddaughter Avah.

Pastor Maurice attended the University of Toledo where he studied accounting and took a few seminary courses through the Northwest Ohio Baptist Association.

In addition to serving as Worship Pastor, Maurice retired from LifeWay Christian Stores after 21 years when the brick and mortar store here in Toledo closed. He now works as Product Zone Specialist in the Apple Store in the Franklin Park Mall.

Pastor Maurice likes listening to music, reading, and sometimes recharging by relaxing with his wife; or losing in games played with his granddaughter.