Meet the Staff
J.D. Shaw, Pastor
J.D. Shaw grew up in Mississippi, graduated from Mississippi State University (where he met his wife, Mimi), then law school at Ole Miss. After practicing law in Jackson for two years, he felt God’s call into the ministry. J.D. earned his Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The Shaws moved to Starkville from Montpelier, Louisiana, where J.D. served as pastor of Montpelier Baptist Church. Mimi and J.D. have three children, Wilson (age 6), Annie (age 4), and Zoe (age 2). They love Starkville and bleed maroon and white.
Brian Brasher, Associate Pastor of Worship Leadership
Although he has traveled to and lived in several different areas, Brian considers Starkville home. He has lived most of his life here, he studied music education at MSU, and he was a member of Adaton Baptist Church over fifteen years ago while his father served as the church's minister of music. He has had the privilege of traveling and singing with several gospel music ministries. It was during some of these travels that Brian met his wife Heidi. After having been married in December 2004, they lived in Heidi's home state of Minnesota for two years until they moved back to Starkville to further pursue God's musical calling on their lives. Brian became Adaton Baptist Church's Associate Pastor of Worship Leadership in January 2007. He was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in April 2010. Brian and Heidi are the very proud parents of a two year-old daughter, Ellie.
Tom Daniel, Associate Pastor of Education and Students
Adaton Baptist Church has called Tom Daniel as their full-time Associate Pastor effective July 1,2007. His primary areas of responsibility will be Christian Education and Students (youth & college). Tom has been on staff at Adaton since November 2005, serving for nine months as Interim Pastor and then for the past year as part-time Associate Pastor. He has also worked full-time as a Sales Rep for University Screenprint in Starkville for the past four years. Prior to 2003 he had been in full-time student ministry for 24 years serving churches in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Tom, his wife Lisa, and their three sons-Bryan, Anthony, & Matthew-have made Starkville home since 1990.
Contact Info: Email: tom@adaton.org Office Phone: 323-3735 Cell Phone: 617-2094Emily Francis, Administrative Assistant
Emily grew up in Germantown, TN and moved to Starkville, MS in 2004 to attend Mississippi State University. She graduated from MSU in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (emphasis: Public Relations). Also in May 2008, she married her best friend, David. David has been playing guitar with the Adaton worship team every week for almost 4 years now, and is currently pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering at MSU. Emily & David met in college through the Baptist Student Union at MSU, and both attended Adaton as college students. Also while in college, Emily had the privilege of working as a youth intern at Adaton. She joined the staff full-time in August of 2008 and has been continually blessed by her church family. Emily & David are Bulldog fans to the core, and are always looking forward to any MSU athletics. Go Dawgs!