Elders
Bart Box
Elder, Senior Pastor
Bart is an Alabama native and has lived in the Birmingham area since 2009. He and his wife Leslie met sometime during kindergarten (they guess), began dating during high school, and have been married since 1998. Before planting Christ Fellowship Church, Bart served as Pastor for Biblical Training at The Church at Brook Hills. During his spare time Bart enjoys reading, coffee, and watching sports. He and Leslie have four children: Rachel, Jonathan, Abigail, and Isaac.
Lev Bragg
Elder
Lev is a native of Birmingham. He and Vicki have been married since 1986 and have 3 grown children. He is a retired ENT physician and in his free time enjoys hunting, fishing, and golf. His favorite new activity is being a grandfather. Lev and Vicki desire to serve the Lord through encouraging young adults and families. They have been blessed by having older couples who were willing to invest time in their life and marriage and are now doing the same for the young people at CFC.
Victor Cheng
Elder
Victor grew up in the Birmingham area. He did his undergraduate studies at Auburn University and completed dental school at UAB. Victor and his wife, Christine, have been married since 2019 and started attending CFC that same year. For fun, Victor enjoys watching sports and playing ultimate frisbee, as well as reading and playing board games. He is currently a dentist at Aultman Dental in Pell City.
James Finch
Elder
James is a Birmingham native and former active duty U.S. Marine. He and his wife, Veleka, have two adult children, both of whom are full-time university students. James is currently employed by an Atlanta-based multimedia company with operations in several states. He enjoys teaching and preaching the Bible at CFC and around the Birmingham metro.
Robby Head
Elder
Robby is a native of Birmingham. He and his wife, Rebekah, have been married since 2012 and have been members of CFC since it first started. They desire to serve the Lord by reaching the unreached with the gospel. Robby graduated from the University of Alabama before attending UAB for PT school. He is now a clinic director in Chelsea for Therapy South. Robby enjoys anything outdoors and playing most sports. Robby and Rebekah have one son, Lewis.
Corey Irby
Elder
Corey and his wife, Maggie, are originally from Mississippi. They married in 2010 and moved to Birmingham in 2013 after Corey finished graduate school. They have 3 children, Camille, Sheppard, and Silas. Corey works as a physical therapist and clinic director in Hoover. He enjoys all things outdoors, reading good books, traveling to new places with Maggie, practicing Brazilian jiu jitsu, and teaching, discipling, and playing with his children.The Lord is graciously increasing his faith through the faithful preaching at CFC, committed discipleship from his growth group, and providing opportunities to serve and point people to Christ.
Will Johnston
Elder
Will has called Birmingham home for all but the 4 years he spent in Tuscaloosa. He and his wife, Angela, have been married for 5 years and are blessed with two children, Liam and Lucy. Will works as an actuary for Protective Life and enjoys hiking, reading, and all things math. The Lord called his family to CFC in 2015 and has been drawing them closer to Himself, year by year.
Steve Killough
Elder
Steve is an Alabama native and grew up in Greenville, Alabama. He and his wife, Lydia, were married in 1992 and have two adult children, Alex and Kelly. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and later earned a Master of Divinity degree from Beeson Divinity School. Steve served part-time for 12 years as a pastor for single adults at a Baptist church in Birmingham before joining CFC in 2017. He currently works for a financial institution in Birmingham in supply chain management. He enjoys travel, sporting events, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
Jay Kirk
Elder
Jay grew up in Zimbabwe, the southern part of Africa, coming to the United States after High School to attend Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. Meanwhile his girlfriend at the time, also from Zimbabwe, started attending Samford, so after completing his undergraduate degree he moved to Birmingham for UAB's Masters program for Mechanical Engineering. He and Abby were married in 2013 and have two daughers, Heidi and Elise. When working, he is a Design Engineer for a mechanical contractor. When playing, his family might be found at the the zoo or a park soaking in the sun.
Brad Lowe
Elder
Brad and his wife, Cecily, were married in 2002 and have two boys, Tucker and Jon David. Brad was raised in Gadsden, AL, but has called Birmingham his home since 1999. The Lowes have attended CFC since the first Easter service in 2012 and are grateful to God for the many new relationships that have formed as the congregation has grown. Brad enjoys spending time at the baseball field with his boys and, when time allows, fishing, hunting, and golf. He currently works as an advisor in wealth management at a local firm in Homewood.
Nick Murray
Elder, Associate Pastor
Nick grew up in the Birmingham area. He did his undergraduate studies at Samford University, where he met his wife Bethany. Nick and Bethany married in March 2011. Nick earned his Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School in May of 2014. Nick and Bethany have been a part of CFC since its beginning. Nick helps to coordinate Growth Groups at CFC. He and Bethany have three children, Henry, Lucy, and Gregory.
Ralph Parrish
Elder
Ralph is a native of Birmingham. He and Lynn have been married since 1986 and have 3 grown children: Tiffany (married to Craig Rainbolt); Owen (married to Courtney Kyzar); and Melissa (married to D.J. Leslie). They currently have 4 grandchildren. Ralph is the 2nd generation owner and President of an engineering, steel fabrication, and construction company. Ralph and Lynn love traveling and spending time with family and friends at Smith Lake and having people in their home. Ralph enjoys an occasional round of golf, water skiing, and playing with his grandkids. They especially feel called to serve the Lord through involvement in foreign missions and by investing in young families at CFC.
Keith Pearson
Elder
Keith is originally from West Virginia and moved to Birmingham in 2012 to attend graduate school at UAB. He met his wife, Kandice, his first weekend in town through CFC. They were married in 2014 and currently reside in Bluff Park with their two children, Karis and Keller. For work, Keith is an assistant professor of nutrition at Samford University. For fun, he enjoys following NBA basketball, spending time outdoors, and doing anything related to food – especially eating ethnic cuisine.
Sam Price
Elder
Sam Price is a native of Marietta, GA and has made Birmingham his home along with his wife, Chrisynda, and their three sons: Sawyer, Jude and Gabriel. He attended seminary at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has previously served as a bi-vocational student minister and at the North American Mission Board in short-term missions. He currently works as an independent insurance broker in the Birmingham area.
Billy Shepard
Elder, Associate Pastor
Billy Shepard has served as an elder at Christ Fellowship since August of 2018, and has the privilege of leading CFC’s ministry to middle and high school students. Billy received his Masters of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He, his wife Sarah Beth, and son Beau live in Bluff Park where they love having people in their home. Billy enjoys golf, cooking, fishing, and Atlanta Braves baseball.
Caleb Schmidt
Elder
Caleb is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but he and his wife Maggie have lived here in Birmingham since 2012. Caleb and Maggie have three kids, Hattie, Judah, and Joshua. Caleb works for a local sports marketing agency and gets to wake up every day and think about ways to make cool things happen in and around sports. In his free time he loves to watch and play sports with his family and travel while also running a nonprofit sports organization on the side.
Brian Thomason
Elder
Brian is a Birmingham native. He and his wife Renee have been married since 1987 and have three grown children, Emily-Grace (married to Jake Cole), Pete (married to Taylor), and Chris, a student at Mississippi College. Brian is VP of Sales and Marketing for Electric Machine Control where he has been employed for over 20 years. When not traveling with work, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife antique shopping and taking trips. He also enjoys reading, working out, watching sports, and occasionally bird hunting.