.jpg)
Lead Pastor: David Ritsema
David is happily married to Angela Ritsema and the proud father of Spencer and Dawson. David came to Woodlawn in the spring of 2007 from Fort Worth, TX. He has served churches in the Tyler, Waco, and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. Growing up in the piney woods of East Texas, David is a native Texan.
David surrended to ministry in fall of 1997 while attending Tyler Jr. College as a computer science major. After working with the youth at FBC Gresham and at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, David was licensed to the ministry and consequently decided to attend East Texas Baptist University in Marshall. It was there at ETBU where David graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Christian Ministry and a minor in Christian Counseling.
David moved to Waco to attend George W. Truett Theological Seminary where he received the University Ministerial Scholar award and was awarded a full scholarship. He graduated in December 2002 with a Master of Divinity in Theology, graduating cum laude. While in seminary, David pastored churches in the Waco area and was also ordained to ministry during this time.
Following his marriage on May 21st of 2003 on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii to Angela Christine Schaeffer, a student at Baylor University, David went to pastor Oak Knoll Baptist Church in northeast Ft. Worth. He also began doctorate studies in New Testament under the supervision of Dr. Bruce Corley at B.H. Carroll Theological Institute. Daivd has completed all the requirements of the PhD in New Testament program except for his doctoral dissertation which he is currently working on and hopes to finish soon.
David came to Woodlawn Baptist Church in March of 2007 in view of a call. It was in February of 2007, that Angela and David had their first child, Dawson Alexander Ritsema. Their second child, David Spencer Ritsema, Jr., was born October of 2008.
Since David's arrival at Woodlawn, the church has added new ministries, new ministers, completed a new master plan, and is now working toward construction of a new worship center and sanctuary which should open by the fall of 2011.
Pastor David enjoys spending time with his wife Angela, and their two sons, Dawson and Spencer. He also enjoys reading books over a nice hot cup of coffee, playing an occasional game of golf, and working on his dissertation. David is also an active participant in various guilds of bibical scholarship including the Society of Bibical Literature, the Institute of Bibical Research, American Academy of Religion, and maintains a biblical research blog call New Testament Studies under html address of http://davidritsema.wordpress.com.