Taylor Baggett
Bookkeeper
Taylor and her husband, Blake, have two daughters, Kennedy and Josie. She has a bachelors degree in communicative disorders and an associates degree in bookkeeping. She has been the bookkeeper at NRC since 2019. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Stephen Burks
Groups Pastor
Stephen and his wife Ashley have 3 children, Luke, Jonathan, and Isaac. Stephen has a bachelors degree in Marketing from Mississippi State University and a Masters of Divinity from Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as Student Minister in several churches in north Mississippi. God recently moved his family to Alabama for Ashley’s job and has continued to open doors by bringing us to serve at North River.
Mackenzie Chichester
Women's & Care Minister
Mackenzie is married to Nick and has 2 children, Gatlin and Harper. They are originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but moved to Tuscaloosa in 2013 when Nick opened Glory Bound Gyro Co. Mackenzie enjoys scrapbooking, cross-stitching, planning anything and watching The College World Series.
Katy Christensen
Kid's Minister
Katy is from North Carolina and has a double masters in Christian Education and Biblical Counseling. Her passions are to partner with parents to help them disciple and raise up the next generation of believers. In her free time, she loves to read, DIY, and bake! She loves kids of all ages and has experience working with special needs as well.
Chris Mitchell
Student Minister
Chris and his wife Becca moved to Tuscaloosa in 2023. Chris is in school pursuing his Bachelor in Biblical Studies and Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chris lives by the mission of his youth pastor when he was a youth and hopes now to project that same mission onto the students of NRC which is to, "raise up a generation of radical God-followers who will make a big fat dent in this earth for the glory of Jesus Christ."
Mark Patterson
Worship Pastor
Mark and his wife, Jodie, along with their kids, Brown, Bette, and Kerr have been a part of NRC since 2007. When Mark is not leading worship at NRC, he is teaching 8th Grade World History at Echols Middle School.
Rachel Whitehurst
Church Management Administrator
Rachel has been with NRC since 2013 after serving with the Youth and College at FBC Tuscaloosa. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2008 with a degree in Interior Design. Rachel enjoys using her design skills and knowledge to create graphics for NRC.
Nate Young
Lead Pastor
Nate has been the lead pastor of North River Church since late 2019. We are his first experience as lead pastor! Nate and his wife, Carrie, have been married since 2001 and have two daughters, Cate and Abbie. Prior to joining our staff in 2017, as executive pastor, Nate served with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions as Baptist Campus Minister at The University of Alabama.