About Us
Our Story
In early 2023, the elders and members of Crosspoint Church in Clemson, SC, began praying for direction on planting a church in the rapidly growing Pendleton community. With 12% of Crosspoint’s members residing in Pendleton and a conviction to be a “church that plants churches,” Crosspoint became convinced that establishing an autonomous church — not a satellite campus or second location — was the next step in fulfilling its mission to make disciples of all people for God’s glory.
After prayer and discussion, Crosspoint Church voted in August 2024 to plant Village Church of Pendleton. Committed to the same mission, Village Church exists to make disciples in Pendleton and to the ends of the earth.
Led by Pastor Jason Finley and lay elder Matt Minto, along with 100+ founding members and their families, Village Church of Pendleton launched as a new church in Pendleton in April 2025.
Core Values
Scripture Reveals Truth
The Bible is God’s inerrant and infallible Word, fully authoritative, relevant, and sufficient for all of life and godliness. Because of this, we are committed to prioritizing Scripture in everything we do — from Sunday sermons to small groups and every aspect of church life — so that God’s truth shapes and guides us in all things.
Worship Exalts God
God alone is worthy of all worship, and He desires the praise of His creation. Therefore, we strive to keep Him at the center of our Sunday gatherings and daily lives. This means that every song we sing, every dollar we steward, and every relationship we build is intentionally directed toward glorifying Him.
Fellowship Encourages Growth
All Christians should desire to grow in Christlikeness, but true spiritual growth doesn’t happen in isolation. We need one another. That’s why we encourage everyone at Village Church to find meaningful community through small groups, where believers can grow together in faith, encouragement, and accountability. Additionally, the gospel is most powerfully displayed when Christians commit to one another through local church membership, living out their faith in unity as the body of Christ.
Sending Advances the Gospel
God advances the gospel by equipping and sending His people to proclaim His truth to the ends of the earth. In response, we are committed to equipping and sending disciple-makers to spread the gospel through overseas missions, church planting, and intentional, missional living — whether in the workplace, our neighborhoods, or wherever God has placed us.
We desire to reach, teach, and lead people toward an enduring Christian faith that anchors them amidst cultural shifts and personal challenges. We uphold the historic Christian faith as expressed in the following foundational confessions:
The Apostles' Creed (A.D. 150)
The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325/381)
The Definition of Chalcedon (A.D. 451)
As a cooperating member of Great Commission Baptists/Southern Baptist Convention, we also affirm The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) and hold to the biblical convictions outlined in:
The Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Nashville Statement on Gender and Sexuality
We invite you to explore our Statement of Faith and Church Covenant to learn more about what we believe and how we seek to live as a Christ-centered community.
Our Beliefs
Our Leadership
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Jason Finley
LEAD PASTOR
Jason is the Lead Pastor of Village Church of Pendleton. Before Village Church, Jason held various pastoral roles at Crosspoint Church starting in 2006, including his most recent position as Lead Pastor for Equipping.
Jason holds a B.S. in Science Teaching – Biological Sciences from Clemson University (2000) and has earned both a M.Div. (2004) and a D.Min.(2014) from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He met his wife, Cayce, while they were students at Clemson, and they married in 2001. They are blessed with six children in their teens and 20’s: two daughters, Reese and Anna, and four sons, Will, Stuart, Clark, and Nathan.
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Noah Squires
WORSHIP & SMALL GROUPS DIRECTOR
Noah is the Worship and Small Groups Director at Village Church of Pendleton. Before joining Village Church, Noah spent five years as a Generation LINK resident at Crosspoint Church, gaining hands-on experience in ministry and discipleship. He is passionate about leading Christ-centered worship rooted in Scripture and helping believers grow in their understanding of God through authentic and heartfelt praise.
Noah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Judson College (2024). He married his wife, Emily, in 2019, and they are raising their daughters, Elanor (2) and Amelia (born spring 2025) . The Squires family is excited to serve the Pendleton community and be part of God’s work through Village Church.
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Thomas Welch
MINISTRIES & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Thomas serves as the Ministries and Operations Director at Village Church. Before joining the church planting team, Thomas spent three years as a Generation LINK resident, specializing in college ministry.
A Clemson University graduate with a degree in Religious Studies, Thomas is passionate about equipping believers and sharing the gospel with those who do not yet know Christ. He enjoys competition and plays sports like spikeball, basketball, and pickleball in his free time. Thomas and his wife, Haylee, have two young children: Sally James (2) and Russ (1).
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Matt Minto
ELDER CANDIDATE
Matt is a lay elder at Village Church of Pendleton. He has been married to Amber since 2008, and they have two children, Lennox and Lucca. Originally from western Pennsylvania, Matt and Amber moved to Pendleton in 2011 and have been at Crosspoint Church until joining the team to help plant Village Church. At Crosspoint, Matt has served as a deacon, small group leader and has taught EQUIP classes.
Matt earned a B.S. in Safety & Environmental Management from Slippery Rock University and is pursuing an M.A. in Christian Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Matt has spent his career in Environmental Health & Safety and Human Resources. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, having a good cup of coffee, listening to podcasts, and reading
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Scott Allen
DEACON OF CONNECT
Scott serves as a deacon at Village Church of Pendleton. Before this, Scott and his family were active members at Crosspoint Church, contributing to various ministries since 2010.
Scott works at Seth Crow State Farm in Liberty, SC. His wife, Megan, is a teacher at Mount Lebanon Elementary School in Pendleton, where she currently serves as a [grade/subject teacher]. Together, they have two daughters, Hailey (14) and Maggie (11). The Allens are excited to support Village Church’s vision and its impact on the Pendleton community.
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Mike Bickers
DEACON OF SAFETY
Mike is a deacon at Village Church of Pendleton. He is married to Megan, his high school sweetheart, and they have two adult children, Jacob (25) and Abbey (24). Prior to joining Village Church, Mike and Megan were members of Crosspoint Church after relocating from Austin, TX, where they lived for 20 years.
Mike is a Senior Network Engineer for Insight Enterprises, working remotely to support network infrastructure technologies. He is excited to use his spiritual gifts to serve Village Church.
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Greg Brock
DEACON OF ORDINANCES
Greg is a deacon at Village Church of Pendleton after recently retiring from Clemson University, where he managed multiple departments as a business center manager. Greg has been married to Deborah for 37 years, and together they have led marriage enrichment conferences and pre-marital counseling for over 25 years through Lifeway Christian Resources.Their daughter, Kathrine, works in the music industry in Nashville, TN. The Brocks are passionate about college ministry and missions, having participated in numerous mission trips. Greg previously served on staff at Remount Baptist Church in Charleston, SC, as the Associate for Community Ministry.
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Matt Higginbotham
DEACON OF LOGISTICS
Matt is a deacon at Village Church of Pendleton. He is also a retired U.S. Army veteran with 26 years of service. He is married to Shaley, and they have two adult sons, Travis (1989) and Nathaniel (1997). Matt earned a B.S. in Business from The Citadel, an M.A. in Human Resources Development from Webster University, and an M.M.A.S. from the Command and General Staff College. Following his military retirement, he worked as a JROTC instructor at Pickens High School and supported various schools in the Upstate, including Daniel High School and Seneca Classical Academy.
At Village Church, Matt brings years of leadership and ministry experience, including small group leadership and family ministry involvement from his time at Crosspoint Church.
Our Partners
While Village Church of Pendleton is an autonomous congregation, we believe in the importance of partnership and cooperation with like-minded churches and organizations to advance the gospel. These partnerships provide encouragement, accountability, and opportunities for collaboration in church planting, missions, and ministry.
A few of the organizations we partner with include:
Through these partnerships, we seek to remain faithful to biblical teaching, support missions locally and globally, and work together to make disciples for the glory of God.
